Profiles

A premier defenseman on both sides of the Atlantic for more than a decade, Bob Nardella is continuing his stellar run in professional hockey as an assistant coach with the stateside team that gave him his start. After decades as a standout hockey defenseman and accomplished assistant coach, as well as more than 20 years as the owner of his own business, Bob Nardella has concluded that the surest path to success is as a team player. “It doesn’t matter if you’re a janitor or a VIP executive — you have to work together to be successful,” says the 53-year-old, …

A clinical scientist at the National Institutes of Health since 1996 and a program director since 2007, Dr. Lynn Sorbara is helping make early cancer detection a reality. Imagine going to the doctor for your annual checkup, providing a small sample of blood or saliva for testing, and learning a few days later whether you’re in the clear or dealing with the early stages of cancer. Identifying the dread disease that early would increase your chances of survival, as well as minimize your pain and the disruption to your family. More people would be spared the terror of suddenly learning …

A navigator on a KC-135 Stratotanker for the Air Force, Peter Belmonte’s job was to usher aircraft toward what he called “controlled collisions” with planes that required refueling. The middle of three children, Peter Belmonte was born in Waukegan, Illinois, to Louis and Eva Spizzirri Belmonte. His mother emigrated from Marano Marchesato in Calabria, and his father’s ancestors were from that same region. Belmonte’s paternal grandmother lived with them, and he saw relatives from both sides of the family weekly. “Sunday was the day of choice,” Belmonte recalls. “Somebody was dropping by somewhere.” His mother made spaghetti with a sauce …

Heeding a calling one cold night 20 years ago, Dr. Patrick Angelo has been helping the homeless ever since, recently launching a business and a nonprofit to fund even greater efforts. Even 20 years later, Dr. Patrick Angelo struggles to explain the freezing February night when he felt a command to get into his car and drive downtown to go feed and warm the homeless. He didn’t know his way around downtown Chicago. But after making some random turns, he arrived at a homeless encampment on Lower Wacker Drive, where he had never been before. For about 13 years, Angelo …

Raised to value service above self, Dr. Valerie Scaramella-Nowinski has dramatically improved the lives of countless children on the autism spectrum. For parents of children on the autism spectrum, and those impacted by similar developmental disorders, the worst four words you can hear are “don’t expect too much.” So much of the uncertainty facing these families is owed to the broad nature of autism. It’s not a single, uniform disorder, but rather an umbrella diagnosis comprising a range of conditions affecting speech, the sensory system and social interactions. Some neurodiverse children may have a small communications delay compared to their …

The Arcolian Dental Arts Society honored Dr. Jeffrey Wittmus as Arcolian of the Year at its Christmas gala on Dec. 14 at Cafe La Cave in Des Plaines. Wittmus is the grandson of John Joseph Siravo, whose parents immigrated from Italy’s Abruzzi region. His grandfather’s name was changed to Wittmus when he and his eight siblings were placed in separate foster homes after his mother died giving birth to him and his father died working on the New York subway in 1915. Wittmus was born in Chicago to John Wayne and Judy (Simonian) Wittmus. He graduated with honors from Maine East …

Chicago attorney Frank Sommario was the guest of honor at the Justinian Society of Lawyers’ Award of Excellence, Judges and Scholarship Night. The following profile was provided by the organization: Frank Sommario Frank Sommario began his membership with the Justinian Society of Lawyers in 1997 as a first-year law student at DePaul University College of Law. His academic achievements in law school earned him several Justinian scholarships – cementing his desire to give back to this important organization that had provided so many opportunities for him. Frank began serving on the Justinian Society Executive Committee in 2009, was elected Secretary …

The Chicagoland Italian American Charitable Organization honored George Gatto Sr. as Man of the Year at its Honor and Hope Gala. “George is an extremely successful businessman, but he’s one of the most down-to-earth guys you’ll ever meet,” says Tom Reboletti, chairman of CIACO’s annual Honor and Hope Gala. “He’s not very vocal, but he’s the first to write a check and help the cause.” Scholarships to deserving high school seniors and grants to individuals in need were presented at the event. The following profile was provided by the organization. George Gatto One of six children of Dominick and Norma …

One of hundreds of thousands of Italian Americans who fought with valor during World War I, Anthony Cardamone left behind a precious legacy in the form of an account from the front. World War I was the first American war in which large numbers of Italian immigrants served in the armed forces. Although they were certainly present in U.S. military units in previous conflicts, the timing of their heaviest immigration — the 1890s, 1900s and 1910s — ensured there would be an ample supply of young men from Italy to fill places in the burgeoning United States Army in 1917. …

A standout basketball and baseball player in high school and college, Jerry Colangelo became a multisport luminary thanks to inspiration drawn from his humble Italian roots in Chicago Heights. When Jerry Colangelo was 7 years old, he was given his first basketball, a simple act that ignited the fuse to an extraordinarily successful career in national and international sports. “I smelled the leather, and it was the beginning of a love affair that has lasted a lifetime,” Colangelo tells Fra Noi in a wide-ranging interview about his life and myriad achievements as a player, coach, administrator, owner and overall leader. …