Profiles

The Arcolian Dental Arts Society honored Dr. Geri Ann DiFranco as Arcolian of the Year at the society’s annual Christmas Party on Dec. 11 at the Park Ridge Country Club. (847-304-4442). “Geri is a woman of outstanding ethical and moral character who exemplifies the society’s ideals of professionalism, education and service to the community,” says Arcolian President Dr. Rosella Spadoni. “She has been active in the society and in dentistry in general and she is very giving of her time and talents to worthy causes.” A graduate of the Loyola University Dental School and Periodontal Program, she shares a periodontal …

Richard Montalbano began collecting religious artifacts more than 40 years ago, enshrining them in a small chapel he built in his family’s furniture-making factory in Bellwood. Over the years, his collection grew to more than 360 statues and 375 relics, and when he closed his factory in 2000, a special chapel was built to house them in the Visitation Parish Convent at 799 S. York Road in Elmhurst. Open from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. every Sunday, the Crypt of the Saints also contains a library of more than 700 books, as well as its newest acquisition: a replica of …

In the thick of battle during the Vietnam War, Sam Scardino was so severely wounded in a landmine explosion that doctors initially thought he had perished in the blast. The second of five children, Samuel Scardino was born in Chicago to Samuel and Doris (Marquardt) Scardino. The family lived in the Italian neighborhood of California and Arthington avenues, near his grandparents, Vincenzo and Filomena, who emigrated from Campobello di Mazara, Sicily. With grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins right down the street, the family always gathered at someone’s house. “No matter what you did, on Sunday after church you had to …

Chris Vaccaro created a digital-age dynasty at Topps that built on the glory days of America’s most legendary baseball card company. If we’re lucky, we live out childhood dreams in adult careers, the preeminent example being the Little Leaguer who makes the starting lineup of a major league baseball team. While Chris Vaccaro never swung a bat at Yankee Stadium, he hit a grand slam when he became editor-in-chief and digital director at the Topps Company. Having collected sports cards as a kid — thousands of them — Vaccaro already had a heartstring attachment to the Topps product. Yet as …

An epoch has come to an end with the retirement of Josephine Petitti as executive director of the Midwest District of the Italian Sons and Daughters of America. “It’s been a long and wonderful run, and it’s been an honor to serve,” says Petitti, who has more get-up-and-go at 90 than most folks do at half her age. A driving force for the local ISDA and the Italo-American National Union before it, Petitti joined the IANU Bianco Lodge half a century ago, taking charge of its annual St. Joseph Table and helping to transform it into a thriving annual event. …

After spending the last 15 years in corporate dining, Mark Triggiano is returning to his roots as the new chef at Casa Italia. “I learned so much from working in the corporate world, but garlic and red sauce are in my DNA, so this is like coming home for me,” says Triggiano, who served as both unit and chef manager for Motorola and Compass North America. It should come as no surprise that his grandmother was a formative influence. While his fellow students at St. Cyprian elementary school in River Grove were muddling through sloppy Joes in the school lunchroom, …

The son of a World War I veteran, Fred Randazzo served with pride during World War II and has dedicated his life to supporting all veterans before and since.   It’s that time of the year when we pay tribute to all veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces who have served our country through the centuries. Since Nov. 11, 1954, Veterans Day has been observed as a national holiday in America. Originally dubbed Armistice Day, it marks the anniversary of the end of World War I, which formally came to a close at the 11th hour of the 11th day …

A former two-weight world champion, Paulie Malignaggi now brings 16 years of boxing experience to bear as a commentator for Showtime and Sky Sports.   Being a professional boxing commentator is all about picking up on the patterns of the fight, the subtle stuff, and assessing how fighters should adjust their approach before it even happens. So says Paulie Malignaggi, who works as a boxing analyst for Showtime and Sky Sports, and who also used to work for Fox Sports 1. “I try to involve the fans and try to make them more cognizant of what’s going on,” he says. …

From the canals of Venice to the vineyards of Piedmont, Gia Marie grmella is hot on the trail of uncommon Italian stories.   If you were to pick a current documentarian for the subject of a documentary, Gia Marie Amella would be a smart choice. Together with her partner, Giuseppe “Beppe” Mangione, she’s the force behind Modio Media, a production company that first came to the attention of the Italian-American community with the 2007 release of “And They Came to Chicago: The Italian American Legacy.” In the intervening decade, Amella has pursued an ambitious production schedule that’s equal parts frenetic …

  This year’s Columbus Day parade chairperson is accomplished, committed to her heritage and tireless in her efforts to promote relations between America and Italy. The daughter of Giovanni and Maria, Mariann Gullo was born and raised in Elk Grove Village and graduated from St. Viator High School. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree from DePaul University with a major in Marketing and Communications and a minor in Italian, and pursued an MBA at Loyola with a concentration in Finance. At the young age of 22, she began working at Gullo International Development Corporation. A commercial and industrial real estate and …