Profiles

  Frankie’s Deli has had a lot to celebrate lately. The venerable Italian food emporium marked its 50th anniversary with a five-day culinary extravaganza in late November that culminated in a visit from Italian Senator Renato Turano. “My family has been doing business with Turano Baking Co. for half a century and it was important for us to make them a part of our celebration,” says Frank Conforti Jr., son of company founders Frank Sr. and Connie. “We were truly honored that Senator Turano flew all the way in from Italy to join us!” As icing on the birthday cake, …

    Dr. James Discipio graduated from Loyola Dental School in 1984 and received a graduate degree in oral biology in 1985. But his “career” in dentistry began long before the 1980s. The son of a dentist, he grew up in the practice his father, Dr. Joseph Discipio, opened in 1954, right down the block from where the two men practice together now. J.V. Discipio & Associates Ltd reopened at the current location, 6737 Stanley Ave. in Berwyn, in 1956, and they have been there ever since. “What I find most rewarding about my profession is the ability to help …

If the rollicking boogie king and swingin’ clown prince Louis Prima was a tough act to follow in his lifetime, imagine what it must be like to bring the musician back to life on stage in a way that pleases and amazes listeners. That’s exactly the challenge Anthony Crivello has tackled with “Louis & Keely: ‘Live’ at the Sahara,” which closed at the Royal George Theater on May 17. Presented by Hershey Felder, the production traces how Prima took unknown teenager Keely Smith and shaped her into a sassy stage foil via a two-week gig on the floor of the …

  It’s one thing to hone your talent as a professional poet — not easy in a field filled with sticky sentiment — but quite another to take it to a level where people entrust you to turn their most personal details into powerful verse. Yet Cin Salach — the talent behind poemgrown — ranks as a poetess of uncommon ability, poise and sensitivity. Her business is simple to describe, but difficult to do as artistic disciplines go: Salach interviews clients to create custom poems often presented as gifts. Italian on her father’s side via Sicily (Cellaccio was likely the …

This month we highlight the career of a female trailblazer of the family law practice in the state of Illinois and throughout the country – Gemma B. Allen. Gemma B. Allen is a partner in Ladden & Allen, Chartered, a family law firm she established in 1999 to offer professional, caring and accessible representation in the areas of marriage, divorce, mediation, financial settlements, and custody matters. Prior to starting this firm, she was a partner in the notable Chicago law firms McDermott, Will & Emery, and Pretzel & Stouffer, where she was co-head of the divorce division. Not only is …

  First and foremost a lawyer as well as a leader of our Italian-American community in the Chicago area, Peter N. Silvestri serves as a role model for our nieces and nephews, sons and daughters, cousins and others from our community who aspire to be successful in the legal field and/or the political arena. I first met Pete more years ago than either of us cares to remember while attending a regular monthly meeting of the Justinian Society of Lawyers, something he rarely misses. He takes being active in the ethnic bar association very seriously, as he obviously does in …

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 …