NIAF Board Officers

Robert E. Carlucci is the founder of The RC Group. He has been a leader in the food service industry his entire career, and a multi-state real estate developer and operator of Yum Brands Taco Bell, Kentucky Fried Chicken, and Pizza Hut for more than 30 years.

In Massachusetts he started Robert’s Food and Vending Service Company before relocating to Maryland where he joined BCS, a food service company, as CEO. Bob was the founder of Co-Operative Refreshment Centers, and was a co- founder of Bay National Bank, where he served as an Executive Board Member and Vice Chairman.

Professional service to organizations includes Taco Bell Ad Hoc Board Member of the Franchise Management Advisory Council (FRANMAC), Vice-Chairman of YUM Brand KFC Government Affairs, President of the Washington D.C. Taco Bell and KFC Co-Op’s, President of the KFC North East Franchisee Association, and President of the Maryland- Washington D.C. Vending Association.

Philanthropy plays an important role in both Bob and his wife Aileen’s lives as well as in the lives of their adult children Christina and Dominic. He chaired The United Way Campaign of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, and served on the Board of Maryland Hall for the Creative Arts. He has served as Director, Dinner Chairman, and currently serves as Chairman of the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF). Bob established The Carlucci Entrepreneurship Forum at the American University of Rome where he was a former board member and trustee.

Bob has had the honor of being recognized for his philanthropic work by several organizations. In 2017, he was awarded The Ellis Island Medal of Honor. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters Honoris Causa by The American University of Rome, and he was knighted by The Sacred Military Order of St. George. The prestigious Lido Civic Club of Washington, D.C. named Bob Businessman of the Year, and he received The Mattie J.T. Stepanek Heart Songs Award from The Muscular Dystrophy Association of Washington D.C./Maryland.

In 2023, Bob was named a Cavaliere (Knight) in Italy’s Order of Merit by the Italian government for his many years of dedicated service to the Italian American community and his leadership of the National Italian American Foundation.

Read Less

John F. Calvelli is the Executive Vice President of Public Affairs for the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), a global conservation organization headquartered at the Bronx Zoo dedicated to saving wildlife and wild places. Mr. Calvelli serves on the Executive Management team that manages the overall organization and he specifically oversees the work of WCS in Government and Community Affairs, Policy, Communications and the WCS Digital Program.

Prior to joining WCS in 2000, Mr. Calvelli served as the senior staff person to Congressman Eliot Engel (D-Bronx/Westchester) in Washington, DC. As Administrative Assistant/Counsel, he had oversight responsibility for Congressional administrative office functions and oversaw, directed and supervised all legislative initiatives of Rep. Engel during his tenure on the House Energy and Commerce, Foreign Affairs, Science and Education and Labor Committees. Prior to his work in Washington, D.C., Mr. Calvelli was chosen to participate in a clinical program with the Civil Division of the Office of then U.S. Attorney Rudolph Giuliani and subsequently served as Associate Counsel to the New York State Assembly.

Mr. Calvelli was a founder and currently serves as Chair of the Executive Committee of the International Conservation Partnership (ICP), which is comprised of senior public affairs representatives from the major global U.S. conservation organizations. The ICP helps to coordinate policy initiatives with a focus on educating the U.S. Congress and appropriate governmental agencies on global conservation needs. He is also a member of the New York State Environmental Leaders Group, comprised of the senior environmental community leadership dedicated to engaging our political leadership on issues of concern.

Mr. Calvelli served as a lead member of the negotiation team during the land transfer of 680,000 acres on Tierra del Fuego from Goldman Sachs to the Wildlife Conservation Society in 2003. The first of its kind, this landmark public-private partnership resulted in the creation of Karukinka, a nature preserve that protects key ecological features found in this extraordinary part of the world.

In the aftermath of the devastating April 6, 2009, earthquake in Abruzzo, Italy, he led the effort to develop a public-private partnership with the U.S. Department of State to bring a generous American response to the people of the stricken region. The focus of the partnership has been to direct aid to the students of the University of L’Aquila and help restore the institution’s role as an important academic, social and economic engine for the region.

Mr. Calvelli serves on the Board of New York City and Company, the National Italian American Foundation, the Belmont Business Improvement District, the Picture House Regional Film Center, Bronx Chamber of Commerce and the Preserve Plum Island. He is a member of the Board of Advisors of the Food Bank Westchester, a domestic hunger relief charity, WFUV Radio and CAUSE-NY, a division of The Jewish Community Relations Council of New York’s Commission on Intergroup Relations and Community Concerns. On October 15, 1999, the Republic of Italy bestowed the honorific title of Knighthood in the Order of Merit to Calvelli for his work promoting stronger U.S.-Italy relations.

Mr. Calvelli graduated from Salesian High School, Fordham University and went on to earn a law degree from Fordham Law School. He is married to Maria DiMeo Calvelli and they have a 13-year-old son, John Domenico, as well as their 2-year-old dog named Felix.

Read Less

Anita B. McBride is Executive-in-Residence at the Center for Congressional and Presidential Studies in the School of Public Affairs at American University in Washington, D.C., directing programming and national conferences on the legacies of America’s first ladies and their historical influence on politics, policy and global diplomacy.

McBride previously served as assistant to President George W. Bush and chief of staff to First Lady Laura Bush from 2005 to 2009, directing the staff’s work on the wide variety of domestic and global initiatives in which Mrs. Bush was involved including the First Lady’s efforts to support US foreign policy objectives in human rights, women’s empowerment, global health and human freedom. She directed Mrs. Bush’s travel to 67 countries in 4 years including historic visits to Afghanistan, the Middle East and the refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border.

Her White House service spans two decades and three presidential administrations, including as Director of White House Personnel under Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H. W. Bush; and as Director of the U.S. Speaker’s Bureau at the United States Information Agency. Also under President George W. Bush, McBride served as a special assistant for White House Management, leading a successful evacuation of the White House on 9/11; and as senior advisor in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Organizations and as the State Department’s White House liaison.

As an outgrowth to her work with Mrs. Bush, she co-founded the RAND African First Ladies Initiative and Fellowship program to partner with Africa’s first ladies and support their efforts to become champions of change for health and education in their countries as well as train their staff and advisors in strategies for establishing and managing an effective First Lady’s office.

She is an advisor to the Women’s Initiative at the George W. Bush Institute and a member of several organizations, including the US Afghan Women’s Council, the International Republican Institute’s Women’s Democracy Network, the National Symphony Orchestra, the National Italian American Foundation and the White House Historical Association. McBride served for more than a decade on the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board, including as Chair and Vice Chair; was a consultant to HBO’s Emmy-award winning series, Veep, and is a frequent speaker and network and cable news commentator on women’s political participation, presidential transitions; and the operations and history of the White House and its occupants.

Read Less

A native of Brooklyn, N.Y., Kenneth Aspromonte spent 10 years as a Major League Baseball infielder with the Boston Red Sox, Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Angels of the American League, and with the Milwaukee Braves and Chicago Clubs of the National League. He also managed the Cleveland Indians for three years.

Mr. Aspromonte spent three years playing professional baseball in Japan with the Chunichi Dragons and Taiyo Whales. On his return to the United States, he managed three seasons in the Minor Leagues before he was named skipper of the Cleveland Indians, where he managed for three seasons.

Following his baseball career, Mr. Aspromonte served on the Caesar’s Palace Executive Staff, in Las Vegas, coordinating all sporting events and participating in community relations and promotional activities. He also served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Community Relations Service working with its Crisis Intervention Program connecting professional athletes and underprivileged inner-city youths.

As a consultant with the Office of Economic Opportunity’s Public Relations Division, he promoted OEO programs emphasizing recreations programs for youth and senior citizens. As a Sports Representative for the U.S. Department of State, he conducted baseball clinics and provided public relations for the U.S. Air Force in Germany. He is a former member of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports during the Administrations of Richard Nixon and George H.W. Bush.

In 1976, Mr. Aspromonte started Aspromonte Coors Distributing Company with his brother, Bob Aspromonte, in Houston. When they sold the company in 2002, it had grown in sales to more than $40 million and employed 100 people.

Meanwhile, he served on the Advisory Committee of the Houstonian Club; was chairman of the Advisory Committee of the Houston Health & Spa Club; and was a member of the Board of Governors of the University Club.

As a longtime leader of the National Italian American Foundation over the years, Mr. Aspromonte has served as the Regional Vice President of the Southwest Region; as chairman of the NIAF Fund Development Committee; as Chairman of the NIAF Nominating Committee; as At-Large member of the NIAF Executive Committee; as chairman of the Strategic Planning Committee; as chairman of the NIAF Council of 2000; and currently as NIAF Vice Chair National.

Most recently, Mr. Aspromonte was inducted into the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame (NIASHF) during its 33rd Annual Induction and Awards Gala, at the NIASHF Museum in Chicago. He also received the Rekindle The Flame Award from the Italian American Cultural Center of Houston and was honored by the Louisiana American Italian Sports Hall of Fame.

Mr. Aspromonte is a graduate of St. John’s University with a degree in Business Administration. He served in the U.S. Army Signal Corp during the Korean Conflict. He lives with his wife Lori in Houston.

Read Less

PETER J. ARDUINI assumed the role of president and CEO of GE Healthcare on January 3, 2022.

Prior to joining GE Healthcare, Mr. Arduini served as president and chief executive officer of Integra LifeSciences from January 2012 through December 2021.  He joined Integra in November 2010 as president and chief operating officer.

Before joining Integra, Mr. Arduini was corporate vice President and president of Medication Delivery, Baxter Healthcare. He was responsible for a $4.8 billion global division of Baxter focused on inpatient pharmaceuticals and devices. Prior to joining Baxter, Mr. Arduini worked for General Electric Healthcare, where he spent much of his 15 years in a variety of senior leadership roles for domestic and global businesses, including general manager for the global imaging business. Prior to joining General Electric Healthcare, he spent four years with Procter and Gamble in sales and marketing.

Mr. Arduini’s board memberships include Advanced Medical Technology Association (ADVAMED), Bristol-Myers Squibb Company and the National Italian American Foundation. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of Susquehanna University.

Mr.  Arduini received his bachelor’s degree in marketing from Susquehanna University and a master’s degree in management from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Read Less

Linda R. Carlozzi is a Principal in the New York office of Jackson Lewis PC. She joined Jackson Lewis in 1997 and specializes in traditional labor law. Ms. Carlozzi counsels clients in the development and implementation of preventive labor and employee relations programs. She advises both unionized and union-free clients on a full range of labor and employee relations matters. She has represented numerous employers during arbitration proceedings and negotiations. She has advised employers in labor and employment law proceedings before the National Labor Relations Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and other federal, state and city administrative agencies. She regularly represents employers in collective bargaining, provides advice on a diverse range of work place issues, such as those relating to corporate transactions, best workplace practices as well as age, race and national origin discrimination and conducts management training on a broad range of topics. Ms. Carlozzi has been named in The Best Lawyers in America©, “Labor Law – Management” (2018-2021). She is also a member of the Firm’s Global Labor & Employment Group as a liaison for Italy. L&E Global was founded in 2010 as an integrated alliance of premier employment law boutique firms advising on all international work place related matters.

She is a graduate of Fordham University (B.A., cum laude, 1985) and was awarded the degree of Juris Doctor by Catholic University, Columbus School of Law, Washington, D.C. in 1989. Ms. Carlozzi began her labor law career at the National Labor Relations Board, Office of Appeals in Washington D.C. in 1989. In 1991, she transferred to the Philadelphia Region of the National Labor Relations Board, where she was responsible for investigating all aspects of unfair labor practice cases and representation matters as well as handling trials before Administrative Law Judges on behalf of the General Counsel of the NLRB.

Ms. Carlozzi is a member of the American Bar Association, Labor & Employment Section ; and serves as General Counsel and Chair of the Employee & Labor Relations Chair for the New York City Chapter of the Society for Human Resources Management (NYC SHRM). Ms. Carlozzi is a member of The Broadway League, Actor’s Fund, and several civic and community organizations.

Ms. Carlozzi has dedicated over thirty years to the Italian American Community. Ms. Carlozzi served on the Board of Directors of the National Organization of Italian American Women from 2005 to 2009. She is a current member of NOIAW, and the Columbian Lawyers in New York. In addition, she has served as a Director of the Italian Welfare League (“IWL”) for the past twenty years. IWL is a non-profit organization which serves Italian American children in medical need and emotional crisis. She served as President for six years, and she currently serves as the Chairwoman of the IWL. The League has raised and distributed over $2,000,000 to Italian American children and organizations assisting children. Ms. Carlozzi was a NIAF legal scholarship recipient while she was a law student at the Catholic University School of Law and during this time she served as an intern for NIAF in Washington, D.C.

Read Less

Frank Giordano is the Executive Director of the United States Semiquincentennial Commission, a federally appointed body in charge of planning and developing the commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of the founding of the United States. As the Executive Director, Mr. Giordano leads a 33-member body comprised of members of Congress, private citizens and federal officials.

In addition to his role with the United States Semiquincentennial, Mr. Giordano is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Philly POPS orchestra and President of Atlantic Trailer Leasing Corp., a company that has been in the Giordano family since its founding in 1949.

Mr. Giordano is also the Honorary Consul of Malta for Pennsylvania. He was appointed by the President of the United States to the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.

Mr. Giordano’s comprehensive history of philanthropy has included leadership roles on many non-profit Boards and personal support of many iconic Philadelphia-area institutions. Many of his efforts have benefited underserved constituencies.

Mr. Giordano has received many honors and awards for his work, including the prestigious Order of the Merit of the Italian Republic by the Ambassador of Italy, the Philadelphia Business Hall of Fame Award, the Philadelphia Music Alliance’s Inaugural Platinum Award, a City Council of Philadelphia Citation and the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge’s 2020 Distinguished Citizens Award.

Mr. Giordano is a graduate of Rutgers University and resides with his wife Dottie in Moorestown, New Jersey where Frank and Dottie Giordano’s Responsibility Scholarship financially supports working Rutgers Camden students while they gain business experience in unpaid internships.

Read Less

Gerard LaRocca is a former Managing Director and Chief Administrative Officer, Americas, at Barclays. Mr. LaRocca was also the President of Barclays US Broker Dealer, Barclays Capital Inc., and the New York Branch Manager for Barclays Bank PLC. He was a member of Barclays Americas Executive.

Based in New York, Mr. LaRocca joined Barclays in 1998 as a Managing Director. From November 1998 through June 2006, he managed Global Operations for the firm. From February 2000 through December 2001, he served as Chief Financial Officer. He retired in February 2021.

Mr. LaRocca has more than 40 years of experience working in the financial services industry. He was previously a Managing Director at Salomon Brothers.

In 2010, he joined the Board of Directors for the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) and in 2017, he joined the Villanova College of Nursing Board of Consultors. Mr. LaRocca was previously on the Boards of Directors for INROADS New York City, the Depository Trust and Clearing Corporation and MarkitSERV, LLC, a member of the Financial Services Roundtable and a member of the Villanova School of Business Dean’s Advisory Council.

Mr. LaRocca was recently conferred the Order of Merit, Honorary Knighthood (Commendatore), by the Republic of Italy.

Mr. LaRocca received his BSc from Wagner College in 1979 and his MBA from Pace University in 1984.

Read Less

George Simeone has over 35 years of accounting and auditing experience, with a strong focus on financial services clients. He is currently a Senior Client Partner is Deloitte’s Audit and Assurance Practice. George also serves as a member of the Deloitte US organization’s Board of Directors where he serves as Vice Chairman of its Board.

Previously, George was the national managing partner for the financial services audit practice from 2017 to 2018. From 2013 to 2016, George was the senior group partner-in-charge of our Greater Tri-State audit practice. Prior to these leadership roles, George served as lead partner for some of Deloitte’s most significant financial services clients.

George has an extensive background in regulatory compliance, risk management reviews, and accounting and operational reviews of financial institutions. He also has led key engagements in the areas of derivatives operations, regulatory compliance, and dispute consulting/expert testimony. He is a former chairman of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Securities Industry Expert Panel.

Education and Certifications

• BS (Accounting and Computer Science) and MBA (Finance), New York University – Stern School of Business
• AICPA; licensed CPA in New York

Board Memberships and Civic Activities

• Board of Directors, Ronald McDonald House of New York
• Board of Directors, National Italian American Foundation
• Member, Columbus Citizens Foundation

Read Less

Anthony DiSandro Jr., Esq., is a shareholder at the law firm of Stevens & Lee.

A more complete biography will be available soon.

Read Less

Mr. Lonardo is a former managing partner of the Vorys Washington, D.C., office and Vorys’ chief environmental litigation partner. His environmental trial experience is comprehensive defending corporations in actions involving: toxic torts, major federal statutes (CERCLA, RCRA, CWA, CAA) and companion state laws, federal and state citizen suits, contractual indemnity claims, bankruptcy environmental claims, workplace exposure claims, UST contamination, and Common law damage actions.

Mr. Lonardo’s clients include some of America’s best known companies in fields as diverse as: chemical manufacture. the manufacture of products for the automotive, metal fabrication, appliance, and medical industries; petroleum distribution; aerospace; oil and gas development; and commercial development.

Mr. Lonardo has significant experience in parent/subsidiary and corporate structure liability, including the defense of foreign parents of American subsidiaries sued for environmental liabilities.

Career highlights include:

• Defending chemical and manufacturing companies in state and federal courts across the country in cases alleging personal injury and property damage due to workplace or environmental exposures
• Trying cases under RCRA and CERCLA brought by the United States, corporations, or individual plaintiffs seeking statutory relief, damages, and penalties
• Defending business and financial institutions which have included the winning argument before the Ohio Supreme Court striking down legislation creating lender environmental liability. He also advises lenders on environmental liability issues in specific transactions
• Serving as common counsel to groups of corporate defendants involved, in National Priorities List (N PL) sites on liability, allocation, and resource damage issues
• Being involved in some of the nation’s first major Superfund cases and negotiating numerous judicial and administrative settlements with USEPA in Superfund and Natural Resource Damage cases. He currently has a leadership role in a major case involving remediation of contaminated waterway sediments under the Great Lakes Legacy Act and WRDA.

Mr. Lonardo is a member of the American Bar Association, the Ohio State Bar Association, the District of Columbia Bar, the Columbus Bar Association and the Defense Research Institute. Mr. Lonardo is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia.

Mr. Lonardo has spoken at seminars on environmental law, including toxic tort litigation issues and practice, CERCLA and RCRA liability and defense issues, natural resource damage issues and settlements, and bankruptcy in the context of environmental issues and claims.

Mr. Lonardo received his J .D. cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School and his BA. from Georgetown University.

Read Less

Robert Allegrini is a public relations & hospitality executive, author, civic leader and diplomat. For more than a decade, Allegrini served as Vice President of Communications-the Americas for Hilton. In this role Allegrini managed the regional public relations team serving all the Hilton Worldwide full service and luxury, corporately managed properties throughout the Western hemisphere. Concurrently he also oversaw the brand public relations for Conrad Hotels & Resorts and Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts worldwide.  In 2016 he was named one of 25 extraordinary minds in hospitality marketing by the Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.

Allegrini’s prior positions include Assistant Vice President in charge of public relations for Hyatt Hotels Corporation and Director of Corporate Communications in charge of public relations for all Swissotel properties worldwide. He has worked extensively in the hospitality industry in Asia, Europe and the East Coast of the United States in addition to his native Chicago.

In 2005 Allegrini authored the book, “Chicago’s Grand Hotels” which subsequently was made into a documentary narrated by nationally renowned journalist Bill Kurtis and aired on the CBS  network’s local Chicago affiliate.  The book and the documentary were recognized when Allegrini was presented with the Governor’s Award for the Best Public Relations Campaign at the 2007 Illinois Governor’s Conference on Tourism.

Allegrini has long been active in Italian American affairs on a local and national level.

From 1987 to 1990 Allegrini served as Executive Director of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans-an umbrella association of over 70 Illinois based Italian American Associations. Subsequently, he founded the Chicago chapter of the Academia Italiana Della Cucina and served for three years as President of the Italian American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest.  Currently, Allegrini serves as the Honorary Consul for the Republic of San Marino in a 5-state jurisdiction.

Allegrini’s services to the Italian American community have been recognized both by Italy’s former royal family, the House of Savoy, which made him a Cavaliere (Knight) in 1991 and by the Republic of Italy which made him a Commendatore (Knight Commander) in the Order of Merit in 2002.

Read Less