Profiles

Rejected for medical reasons and later trained as a medical corpsman, Ralph Pasqurella had his hands full during the invasion of Normandy and throughout the European campaigns in World War II. Ralph “Hack” Pasqurella was born in Melrose Park in 1917 to Gaetano and Gabriella Chiero Pasqurella, who immigrated to the U.S. as teens. His father came from Melizzano in Campania and his mother from Trivigno in Basilicata. Pasqurella’s father died during the 1918 flu epidemic while his mother was pregnant with their second child. She eventually remarried and had six more children. Pasqurella’s maternal grandmother lived with the family …

Carme Forte Jr. will ascend to the presidency of the Columbian Club of Chicago at a black-tie installation dinner on Jan. 27 at Medinah Country Club. For reservations, call Christopher Derks at 847-275-3130. Forte has been a member since 2015. “My father has been a member of the club for 20 years or more, and I always loved attending events with our family,” he explains. “I wanted to become more involved in a wonderful organization that furthers our Italian heritage and gives so much back to the community. “The CCC is a great group of men who are dedicated to …

If not for a pair of fateful coincidences, Mariangela Pezzella-Bonasera might be working in the corporate world rather than pursuing a flourishing career teaching Italian 1, 2, 3 and AP at Wheeling High School. During her undergraduate years at Dominican University, she was studying international business and Italian when she took part in a marketing internship at the Sorrento Lingue (a language institute) in Italy. She finished her project ahead of schedule and got an assignment she wasn’t expecting — to teach English to Italian teens. “I actually fell in love with it and had a great time,” she says. “I …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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,” …

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 …

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 …

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, …