Iannuzzelli to helm the Columbian Club

Becoming the president of the Columbian Club of Chicago is another opportunity for Gerard Iannuzzelli to be a leader.

Since he moved to Palatine in 1994, Iannuzzelli has been involved in many local groups, including the Palatine Men’s Civic Club, the Palatine Jaycees, the Sons of the American Legion and others, often taking on leadership positions.

“I love the leadership role, I love guiding organizations,” Iannuzzelli says. “Maybe it’s related to my desire to keep traditions alive.”

In addition to serving local organizations, in 2011 Iannuzzelli was elected to a four-year-term as a member on the Community Consolidated District 15 school board. Based in Palatine, it’s the second-largest elementary school district in the state.

On the professional front, he is the director at Green Office Partner while maintaining his own business, IannuTech LLC., through which he develops software and provides technology consulting.

Iannuzzelli will be installed as president of the Columbian Club of Chicago at a black-tie event in January. The Columbian Club Charitable Foundation will bestow a dozen $5,000 scholarships at the event.

Iannuzzelli’s fellow 2026 officers are First Vice President Edoardo D. Izzi, Second Vice President Frank Binetti, Third Vice President Michael Rosciano, Secretary Sal Palazzolo, Treasurer Rocco Sarli, and Sergeant-at-Arms Gino Palladino.

The first Columbian Club event he remembers attending was a trap shoot at Medinah Golf Course in 2012 after being invited by someone he met through work. Iannuzzelli says he was drawn to the camaraderie that the club members had with one another.

“I met a lot of great people there and the next thing you know I went to another few events and was eventually asked to be a member,” Iannuzzelli says.

While involved in a variety of ways in the larger community, Iannuzzelli craved connection with other Italian Americans. All four of his grandparents were born in Italy and moved to New Jersey to raise their families. He fondly recalls the vibrant Italian-American community in New Jersey and the Italian traditions his extended family adhered to. But then his family moved to Iowa in 1973 when he was 6.

“There weren’t a lot of Italians in Iowa,” Iannuzzelli says. “I was really looking for something like the Columbian Club.”

The Columbian Club of Chicago was founded by eight Italian-American businessmen in September 1939 to help foster a spirit of mutual support and goodwill while the country was struggling through the Great Depression.

Throughout the decades, the group has continued to promote camaraderie among its members while helping to build a better community.

In 1984, the club took the latter mission to a new level with the creation of the Columbian Club Charitable Foundation, a 501(c)3 corporation through which its major fundraising and philanthropic activities are run. The creation of the foundation freed the club to focus on social and cultural events.

Last year, the Columbian Club and Charitable Foundation hosted a full schedule of events, including a St. Joseph Table, barbeque, golf outing, Tony Morizzo Smoke and Joke, bocce tournament, White Sox and Blackhawks games, and a Christmas party.

Iannuzzelli says he has plans for new events in 2026 that combine the fun of a social night with opportunities to raise money for the foundation.

“Things where you’re having a great time but along the way the important thing is that we raised some money too,” Iannuzzelli says.

Membership in the club is limited to 100 active members, with a maximum of nine members in any given business or professional category. New members are sponsored by current members and approved by the board.

There are currently around 70 members and 7 honorary members, according to Iannuzzelli and he hopes to grow that number in 2026.

“We need to always recruit,” Iannuzzelli says. “Events are part of the process of finding new members.”

In the past, members would travel to Italy or the Napa Valley. One year they all got on a train to St. Louis and toured the Italian neighborhoods there.

“I want to bring something like that back, whether it is an extravagant trip or a smaller weekend getaway,” Iannuzzelli says.

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