Tag Archives: Enza Raineri

Members of the Chicago Police Department’s Mounted Patrol Unit stepped from their saddles and into the spotlight at the inaugural “Back the Blue Italian Style!” fundraiser. Spearheaded by Enza Raineri, CEO of Enza Raineri & Associates, the event was held on Oct. 26 at the Morgan Arts Complex in the city’s Bridgeport neighborhood. The Mounted Patrol Unit plays an important role in community relations and security, attending special events, conducting daily patrols and serving as ambassadors for the city and its police department, according to Raineri. Chicago Police Superintendent Larry Snelling attended the event, presenting awards to three Italian-American members …

A new era of political engagement dawned on Aug. 8 when the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans hosted its inaugural Government Relations Luncheon. More than 100 public officials at every level of local government converged on the Des Plaines Theatre for the event, which honored State Rep. Anthony DeLuca and former county official turned political consultant Enza Raineri. DeLuca received the Legislator of the Year Award for sponsoring the law that permanently designates October as Italian American Heritage Month in Illinois (page 25). Raineri received the Government Relations Award for the pivotal role she played in convincing the Cook …

A longtime government official turned political consultant, Enza Raineri helped save three cherished icons from the trash heap of history by adhering to her crisis management playbook. What’s an ethnic group to do when its icons are under assault? There’s the traditional approach, which relies heavily on anger-fueled protest marches. Then there’s the Enza Raineri way. If you were to codify the crisis management playbook of this longtime government official turned political consultant, it would read something like this: Get your facts in order: Be prepared to let them know exactly where you’re coming from and why this issue is …

Past JCCIA President Enza Raineri is inviting the Chicago-area Italian-American community to take part in Back the Blue Italian Style! — a fundraiser in support of the Chicago Police Foundation. The event will take place from 6 to 9 p.m. on Oct. 26 at the Morgan Art Complex in the city’s Bridgeport Neighborhood. Tickets and sponsorships are available, with proceeds benefiting the Mounted Police Unit of the Chicago Police Department. For details, click here.      

Community leaders turned out in force on Dec. 13 at Venuti’s in Addison to ring in the holidays and oversee the changing of the guard at the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. Outgoing president Enza Raineri passed the gavel to Sergio Giangrande at a festive event filled with camaraderie, acknowledgements and honors. Cook County Circuit Court Judges Elizabeth Ciacci-Lezza and Lisa Marino presided over the induction of President Giangrande along with First Vice President Lisa Ryan, Second Vice President Ron Onesti, Third Vice President John Galluzzi, Secretary Joseph Rago, Treasurer Christine Caliendo-Cerami and Sergeant-at-Arms Pasquale Gianni, the grandson of President …

The 2017 Columbus Day Parade was among the best in recent memory. The sun shone brightly and the weather was glorious, attracting a record crowd. And thanks to the enthusiastic leadership of our parade chairman, Sergio Giangrande, we maxed out the capacity of our float company and enjoyed tremendous support from sponsors and television advertisers alike. Festivities officially began on Oct. 6 with the revival of our beloved flag raising ceremony at the Daley Center. On Oct. 9, a total of nine buses left the grounds of Casa Italia over the course of the morning for the Mass and Parade. …

Organizational growth, whether it be in a corporate setting or a volunteer, ethnically based one such as the JCCIA, can be challenging as we face competing interests, time constraints and the need to balance our work and family responsibilities. Somewhere in there, we want to stay in touch with our roots, but often cannot find the niche in which to do so. As the JCCIA has grown since its inception, it has seen the world change through the lens of new generations of Italian Americans who have taken the success they have found in this country and parlayed them into …

As I sat to write this article about being elected president of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans, I was struck by how life has come full circle. As a child of immigrants from Sicily, I have marveled at how far our family has come since arriving in the United States in the mid-1950s. Like others before them, they were seeking good jobs so they can take care of their families. Not much has changed as immigrants still seek out America as the beacon of hope as a free society allowing for free speech, religious freedom and ability to …

The first meeting of the 2017 term of JCCIA officers was called to order at Trattoria Poretta. Over 70 people were in attendance, representing Italian organizations throughout Chicagoland. Among them were the Italian Chamber of Commerce, UNICO, ARSA, Italian American War Veteran, Italian American Executives of Transportation, Italian American Human Relations Foundation, Justinian Society of Lawyers, Calabresi in America Organization, Società San Giovanni Bosco SS. Crocifisso di Ciminna, Elk Grove Sister Cities, and the JCCIA Women’s Division and Young Professionals Division. On the agenda for discussion was the Columbus Day Parade. 2017 Parade Chairman Sergio Giangrande was present. Giangrande is …

The Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans has elected Enza Raineri as president. Raineri and her fellow officers were installed by the Hon. Gloria Coco at the JCCIA’s Christmas party in December. Joining Raineri as JCCIA officers are First Vice President Jon Zivojnovic; Second Vice President Mariann Gullo, Third Vice President Ron Onesti, Treasurer Christine Caliendo Cerami, Secretary Arlene Elia and Sergeant-at-Arms John Galluzzi.   Vincenza “Enza” M. Raineri, President Enza Raineri serves as the associate clerk of the Criminal/Juvenile Bureau for the Hon. Dorothy Brown, clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County. Enza has oversight of the Criminal …