Profiles

Scholarly group bestows award on Candeloro

While he was growing up in Chicago Heights during World War II, Dominic Candeloro wasn’t at all proud of his Italian ancestry. His father was a low-paid construction worker who only learned a few words of English. That and the fact that Italy was fighting against the Allies made him ashamed of his roots. The feeling persisted after the war, when the peninsula was in shambles and the country was frequently referred to as “war torn” in the press. It wasn’t until Candeloro saw Fellini’s film “La Dolce Vita” while he was pursuing his undergraduate degree at Northwestern University that …

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Army Staff Sergeant Daniel Donati

Born in Italy, Daniel Donati first stormed the Boot then battled his way across Europe to help liberate the continent from Nazi oppression during World War II. My father, Daniel (Adelmo) Donati, departed Genoa, Italy, with my grandmother aboard the SS Caserta and arrived at Ellis Island on Dec. 5, 1914. My grandfather was already in the U.S., and he sent for his family once he was established in an area outside Monongahela, Pennsylvania. When my father reached his teens, he was sent to Chicago for employment, where he lived with his cousin’s family. Like many Italian immigrants, my father …

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Homeboy Industries CEO Thomas Vozzo

A high-powered corporate executive for most of his career, Thomas Vozzo took a leap of faith more than a decade ago and dedicated himself to helping former gang members turn their lives around. As a middle-class kid who went on to forge a successful career in the corporate world, Thomas Vozzo hardly had anything in common with former gang members who’d been to prison. And yet, Vozzo has thrived personally and professionally in his role as CEO of Homeboy Industries, a nonprofit in Los Angeles that provides job training and support services to formerly incarcerated people who want to leave …

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Neapolitan crooner Patrizio Buanne

Born in Austria to Neapolitan parents, Patrizio Buanne believes that Naples is more than just his ancestral home, it’s part of his cultural identity. “Think Tom Jones, Italian-style.” That’s how The Boston Globe described the voice and music of multilingual Neapolitan pop crooner Patrizio Buanne, who has sold more than 10 million records around the world. In an interview with Fra Noi, Buanne described his repertoire as “original and good, old sexy ballads and fun up-tempo tunes” rooted in the pop tradition of his European upbringing and identity. Buanne has released eight albums since his 2005 debut with “The Italian,” …

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Swimmer Ann Carozza

A specialist in the hardest stroke in swimming, Ann Carozza was a champion in and out of the pool during her college career. After shining as an NCAA Division II star swimmer, Ann Carozza this month will attend the NCAA Convention as one of the Top 30 semifinalists for the Woman of the Year Award. The 23-year-old graduated in May from West Chester University with a major in special education and a minor in autism education, and now works as a learning support teacher at Bayard Rustin High School in West Chester, Pennsylvania. She also is a volunteer assistant swim …

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Guttilla finds her voice by teaching Italian

On the first day of class, high school teacher Roberta Guttilla asks her new students why they want to learn Italian, and loves to hear their answers. “They tell me all these different stories,” Guttilla says. “They fell in love with the culture, they visited Italy once, they want to major in Italian in college. Or they say, ‘My great grandparents were Italian and never passed on the language to us.’” Guttilla is an Italian instructor at York Community High School in Elmhurst, where this year she’s teaching five classes of different levels. She is also certified to teach Spanish …

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Guaccio took Swedish Hospital to new heights

At one point in his career, Anthony Guaccio left a healthcare organization where he’d worked for several years after it was bought by a for-profit entity. The reason? “I am a big believer of nonprofit education,” he explains. “I don’t think shareholders should be profiting from anybody getting ill.” Guaccio stuck to that mission for the last 28 years while working at Swedish Hospital in Chicago, from which he will retire as president and CEO in December. Altogether, he’s had a 40-year career in healthcare administration. Guaccio has led Swedish Hospital since 1996, first as vice president of human resources, …

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Arcolians to honor Dr. Hagenbruch

The Arcolian Dental Arts Society honored Joseph F. Hagenbruch, D.M.D., as Arcolian of the Year at its Christmas party on Dec. 12 at Elmcrest Banquets in Elmwood Park. The following profile was provided by the organization. Joseph F. Hagenbruch, D.M.D., a graduate of Washington University School of Dental Medicine in Saint Louis, Missouri, is a private practice general dentist in Harvard, Illinois.  Dr. Hagenbruch is a former American Dental Association Eighth District Trustee.  He is a former president of the Illinois State Dental Society (I.S.D.S.). He is a former president of the Illinois Academy of General Dentistry (I.A.G.D.) and of …

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Fermilab scientist Anna Grassellino

A summer intern at Fermilab in Batavia in the early years of her career, Anna Grassellino now heads one of the country’s major quantum research initiatives based at the lab. Nearly two decades ago, Anna Grassellino spent the summer as an intern at Fermilab in Batavia, Illinois, which sparked her interest in research. After rising to the top of her field, the Italian-born scientist now serves as director of the National Quantum Information Science Center at Fermilab, the same place where it all started. Her groundbreaking research has earned her a multitude of awards, most recently the 2023 New Horizons …

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Equestrian Giavanna Rinaldi

A champion equestrian who has been riding pretty much her entire life, Giavanna Rinaldi has achieved success by getting to know her horses on the ground as well as in the saddle. From her first pony ride as a toddler, equestrian show jumper Giavanna Rinaldi always knew there was nowhere else she’d rather be than on a horse. Born and raised in Wayne, Illinois, Rinaldi’s passion ignited when she became enchanted by pony rides at a nearby stable. “I thought I was on top of the world sitting on the ponies, walking around in circles,” the 24-year-old recalls. “I couldn’t …

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