NYC Comptroller - Press Releases

--Actor Tony Lo Bianco and Food Personality Lidia Bastianich Receive Awards—

New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. with honorees and co-sponsors at his Italian Heritage and Culture celebration at City Hall on Monday, October 31, 2005. Pictured (back, l to r) are: Ivana Quagliata; Marissa Pontecorvo; Father Lydio Tomasi, St. Joseph’s Church of Manhattan; Catherine Abate; Thompson; Dr. Joseph V. Scelsa, President, Italian American Museum; Joseph James DiTrapani, Immediate Past President, New York State Order Sons of Italy and National Fifth Vice President, Order Sons of Italy in America; Angelo LaGrega; Giovanni Favilli, Vice Consul, Consulate General of Italy; (front, l to r) Patricia Misasi, Esq., Vice Chair, National Organization of Italian American Women (NOIAW); Dr. Aileen Riotto Sirey, Founder & Chair, National Organization of Italian American Women (NOIAW), New York Chapter; Tony Lo Bianco, Tony Award-nominated Actor; Winner, Outer Critics’ Circle Award; Emmy & Obie Award Winner; National Spokesperson, Order Sons of Italy in America; and, Alberta Brescia, R.N., B.S. Regional Vice President, American Cancer Society Staten Island Region, Eastern Division.

Photo Credit: Marla S. Maritzer

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New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. last night honored seven city leaders at his Italian Heritage event on Monday, October 31, 2005. The event was co-sponsored with National Organization of Italian American Women (NOIAW), The Italian Heritage and Culture Month Committee and Italian American Museum.

Addressing more than 200 people gathered at the Council Chambers at City Hall, Thompson began, “Tonight, we are celebrating the Italian-American community of New York City. The story of Italian New York is a story that stretches back to the early days of our city. It is a story of hardship and victory, of obstacles overcome and dreams realized. It is a story that tells us about the power of hope.”

Thompson continued, “ We honor the many Italian-American figures in our city’s history who helped New York become a world class city.”

Thompson presented the Creative Artists Image award to actor, director, and producer Tony Lo Bianco. On Broadway, Mr. Lo Bianco won an Outer Critics Circle Award for his role in Arthur Miller’s “A View from the Bridge.” He received an Emmy Award for his performance in the one-man show “Hizzoner: the Life of Fiorello La Guardia” and an Obie Award for Best Actor for the off-Broadway production, “Yanks 3 Detroit 0 Top of the 7 th.” He is also National Spokesperson for the Order Sons of Italy in America.

“Tony Lo Bianco has reached the heights of his profession, and touched audiences throughout the world,” the Comptroller said.

Accomplished chef and television personality Lidia Bastianich received an award “in recognition of her dedication to fostering a greater appreciation for Italian cuisine.”

Throughout her career, Ms. Bastianich has organized benefits and generated support for humanitarian causes, in 1999, establishing the not-for-profit Lidia Matticchio Bastianich Foundation. Her PBS cooking show, “Lidia’s Family Table,” has received a tremendous response from a wide range of viewers. Together with her daughter, she runs Esperienze Italiane, a food, wine and cultural tour company and with her son is the co-owner of Felidia and Becco restaurants in New York and Lidia's in Kansas City and Pittsburgh.

Thompson presented healthcare professional Alberta Brescia with an award for her dedication to improving “the quality of healthcare available to New Yorkers and to address community needs.” Ms. Brescia is the Regional Vice President of the American Cancer Society for Staten Island. In that capacity, she has spearheaded important initiatives such as the Staten Island Breast Health Partnership, and directed several innovative pilot programs in support of school health education.

Ann Juliano Jawin received the next award of the evening. Ms. Jawin founded the Queen’s Women’s Center, now the Center for Women of New York a volunteer, non-profit organization, in 1987. She served as its first President, and now is Chair of the Board of Directors. Ms. Jawin is also the author of two books: “Where Is the Money for College,” and “A Woman’s Guide to Career Preparation,” which is considered to be a landmark book in the area of career development for women.

Another award recipient was Dr. Louise DeSalvo, the Jenny Hunter Endowed Scholar for Creative Writing and Literature at Hunter College, City University of New York and author of sixteen books, including her memoirs “Vertigo” and “Crazy in the Kitchen: Food, Feuds, and Forgiveness in an Italian American Family.”

The next honoree was businessman and community leader Joseph DiTrapiani. Mr. DiTrapiani is Senior Vice President of Sales at Professional Group Marketing. He is also co-owner of the restaurant Acqua Pazza. He has been extremely active in Per Sempre Lodge of the Order of the Sons of Italy, serving in numerous leadership capacities, including President of New York State and Fifth Vice President of the national organization. Mr. DiTrapiani also is a member of numerous other organizations, including the Tri-State Italian American Congress, the Columbus Citizen’s Foundation, an the Dante Foundation of Nassau County.

Patricia Misasi was the final honoree. Ms. Misasi was President of the National Organization of Italian American Women from 1993 until 1999, after serving as NOIAW’s legal counsel and member of the Board of Directors for more than fifteen years. She is currently the Vice Chair, and recently chaired their 25 th anniversary celebration. She has also served as the New York Chair of the Little Flower Children and Family Services of New York and on the Strang Cancer Prevention Council at Cornell University.

Ivana Quagliata commenced the event by singing the American and Italian national anthems, and singers Marissa Pontecorvo and Angelo LaGrega provided the entertainment portion of the evening.