Profiles

In April of this year, after having served for four years as an elected village trustee, one of the brightest stars in our local political firmament, and a lady of our ethnicity, was elected by 64 percent of the vote as president of River Forest. This month we highlight the political career of Catherine M. Adduci, a woman who quietly has made her mark both professionally and politically. Those of us who know this outstanding professional are aware of her history as an accomplished senior executive with 30 years of outstanding achievements with UNISYS Corp. A Fortune 500 global information …

This we know: Italians and their ancestors claim crucial contributions in just about every classic art form. But the place of mosaics in Italian history is far lesser known to many art lovers. That’s why the Chicago Mosaic School in the city’s North Center neighborhood plays two vital roles: not just as a place to learn the craft, but also to pass down ancient traditions. “It’s about 25 centuries old as a medium and if we want to be correct, we should give credit to the Greeks for the invention,” says Matteo Randi, educational director at Chicago Mosaic. “But the …

If Italian family traditions begin at home, then so, too, should Italian family business ventures. While Lewis Affetto was only 16, he helped his father, Bernard, with tax work he did out of their residence in Chicago’s Galewood neighborhood. “I’d do bookkeeping for family businesses and some simple tax returns,” recalls Lewis Affetto, who’s of Sicilian lineage. “It just came naturally to me. Then I took some accounting classes in high school and did very well, so I decided it was the right way to go.” Boy, was it ever. Today Lewis and his sister Maria Gambino run Bernard A. …

Growing up the son of Italian immigrant parents in the Taylor Street area, Robert Capuani learned a lesson that prepared him for a lifetime of success: “My father always told me, ‘No one’s going to give you anything for nothing,” and that you’ve got to work hard to set and achieve every goal.” As director of the Elevator Safety Division for the Illinois fire marshal, you could say Capuani has taken a steady ride to the top floor of his profession. He started the state’s program in 2006 and today, “We’re responsible for 34,000 elevators in the whole state outside …

What’s the secret sauce that makes Alta Villa Banquets of Addison such a success? From a culinary standpoint, you could start by noting that all the food, from sausages and soups to pastas and pizzas, is made fresh on the premises. You could also look at the long history Alta Villa has enjoyed serving Chicagoland’s Italian-American community and the many special events it has catered for the area’s unions. (It recently hosted the 100th anniversary of the Cement Mason’s Union Local No. 502, attended by Gov. Pat Quinn and more than 700 guests.) But even if you consider all that, …

The steady growth of Angelo Caputo’s Fresh Markets is a success story that every Italian American can be proud of. Launched in 1958 as a bustling produce emporium at the corner of Harlem and Wrightwood in Elmwood Park, the enterprise has blossomed over the decades into a mini-empire that extends across the Chicago area. Full-service grocery stores in Addison, Bloomingdale, Downers Grove, Elmwood Park, Hanover Park, Naperville/Plainfield and South Elgin operate in concert with the company’s expansive new warehouse, production facility and corporate headquarters in Carol Stream. Nestled next door is the crown jewel of the company’s retail domain: a …

Driving down North Avenue through Carol Stream, you can’t help but notice the new corporate headquarters of Angelo Caputo’s Fresh Markets. Dazzling white, with a few well-chosen details, its ultramodern facade stretches for nearly a quarter of a mile west of Schmale Road. That positive impression is reinforced in the soaring two-story lobby with its curving staircase and earth-tone walls accented with contemporary renderings of Corinthian columns. And there are homey touches, too: family photos of founders Angelo and Romana Caputo from the 1950s, a colorful cornucopia enshrined on a table that echoes the company logo, and the heady aroma …

For a business to survive for a quarter century, the owners must be doing something right. To blossom, as Joe Caputo & Sons has, from a 10,000-square-foot corner market to a chain of three stores covering 140,000 square feet, that’s another level of success altogether. What’s their secret? “Great quality,” Joe Caputo notes. “Great value,” older son Nat chimes in. “Great service,” younger son Vito adds. The Caputo saga actually began more than a century ago in Mola di Bari, where Joe’s parents, Natale and Caterina, ran a grocery store. When his father came to America to pave the way …

by Ernie Grzeca “We Bake To Differ.” Not just a catchy slogan but also a real commitment by five generations of the Gonnella and Marcucci families. “At Gonnella Baking Co., we care about our product. It’s the quality. It’s the freshness. It’s the texture, the aroma and the crispiness. No detail is too small for our bakers not to fret over,” a company spokesperson says. “Our customers appreciate the combination of Old-World quality at a very competitive price.” That Old-World quality began in 1886 when Alessandro Gonnella came to the United States looking to fulfill the American Dream. He bought …

It’s a long way from the cobblestone streets of Altavilla Milicia to Chicagoland’s bustling west suburban restaurant scene. But there’s nothing you can’t accomplish when you have family by your side. Just ask Vito and Marianna Moreci and their son and daughter, Pasquale and Rosalia. Working shoulder to shoulder for nearly three decades, they have transformed Roberto’s in Elmhurst from a tiny pizzeria into a bastion of fine Italian dining. Their saga begins on the northern coast of Sicily, where Vito Moreci and Marianna Bucaro were born and raised. Childhood sweethearts, they were married in Italy before coming to America …