NOVfranoi08 - Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans

JCCIA Journal
Officers
Dominic DiFrisco
a true hero
of our community
President JO ANN SERPICO
First Vice President FLORIAN J. BARBI
Second Vice President JAMES GLIMCO
Third Vice President DINO PORTO
Treasurer RICHARD TUFANO
Secretary JACQUELYN MAZZA
Sergeant-at-Arms JAMES CERAMI
President Emeritus DOMINIC DIFRISCO
Past President JOANNE SPATA
Chaplain FR. CLAUDIO HOLZER
Legal Advisor JOSEPH M. GAGLIARDO
Divisions
Women’s Division
Rosemary Ranallo, President
West Suburban Women’s Division
Naomi Serpico, President
Young Professionals Division
John Galluzzi, President
Affiliated Organizations
AIDA • Alpine Country Club • Amici d’Italia
• Amici Naperville Area Italian American
Club • ARPA • Associazione Veneti nel
Mondo — USA • Calabresi in America
Organization • Casa Italia • Casa San Carlo
• CIACO • Columbian Club of Chicago • Elk
Grove Village Italian Sister Cities Inc. •
FIERI-Chicago • Flowers of Italy Club • Fra
Noi • IANU Foundation, ISDA Midwest
District • IANU, James E. Coli Chapter #15
• IANU, Club Calascibetta Chapter #75 •
IANU, St. Anthony Chapter #10 • IANU, St.
Joseph Chapter #319 • Italian American
Chamber of Commerce • Italian American
Civic Organization of Berwyn • I-A
Executives of Transportation • I-A Human
Relations Found. of Chicago • Italian
American Labor Council • Italian American
Police Association • Italian American
Political Coalition • Italian American Society
(Springfield) • Italian American Women’s
Club of Chicagoland • Italian American
Women’s Organization • Italian Catholic
Federation • Italian Catholic Federation
#392 • Italian Cultural Center • ItaloAmerican Soccer Club “Maroons” • ItaloAmerican “Maroons” Ladies Club • ITAM
Vets, Illinois • ITAM, Illinois Ladies Auxiliary
• ITAM, Filippo Mazzei Post #1 • ITAM,
Filippo Mazzei Post #1 Ladies • ITAM,
Joseph Gentile Post #2 • ITAM, Joseph
Gentile Post #2 Ladies • ITAM James
Cuzzone Post #5 Ladies • ITAM, Guido
Belmonte Post #4 Ladies • Justinian
Society of Lawyers • Marchegiana Society
of Chicago Heights • Maria SS Della Croce
Di Triggiano • Maria SS Lauretana Society •
Mazzini Verdi Club, Inc. • Mazzini Verdi Club,
Ladies Social Club • Old Neighborhood
Italian American Club • Panormus Club •
San Rocco di Modugno Society • Shrine of
Our Lady of Mt. Carmel • Shrine of Our Lady
of Pompeii • Sicilian American Cultural
Association • Società Beato Giovanni Liccio
• Società San Biagio Platani • Società San
Francesco di Paola • Società San Giovanni
Bosco di Ciminna • Società San Leoluca da
Corleone • Società SS Crociffisso di
Ciminna • Società SS Crocifisso di
Rutigliano, Bari • Society of Santa Fara di
Cinisi • UNICO, Chicago Amerital Chapter •
UNICO, Chicago West Suburban Chpt. •
UNICO, Greater Chicago Chapter • Veneti
del Nordamerica
The Joint Civic Committee
of Italian Americans
3800 Division St. • Stone Park, IL 60165
708.450.9050
www.jccia.com
by Jo Ann Serpico, President
Several months ago, my column featured a history of the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans,
covering the past and the future.
Nearing the end of my four-year term as president of the JCCIA, something out of the blue just came to
me and said you must highlight one person who has been a guiding source for the Joint Civic Committee of
Italian Americans for more than 40 years. That person is our President Emeritus Dominic DiFrisco.
Dominic was born and raised in New York, and began his career in public relations with Alitalia. His father
sensed that Dominic had a great gift for public speaking during his youth and thus encouraged him to pursue that career.
He was transferred to Chicago in 1962 and became Alitalia’s Midwest public relations manager. His first
goal was to become acquainted with the Italian-American community and to make the services of Alitalia
and himself available to the community. He succeeded tremendously. Alitalia’s doors were open and the
Columbus Day parade was one of the first to be awarded complimentary round-trip tickets for the queen to
Italy. No matter who you were, you could go to Alitalia’s office on Monroe Street, see Dominic DiFrisco, and
come away with a trip to Italy for your organization.
Dominic became actively involved in the Columbus Day Parade Queen Contest, and before long was an
important leader with the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans. After State Rep. Victor Arrigo passed
away, Dominic’s talents were called on by WGN to assume responsibility for covering the parade on WGN.
Today, many years later, Dominic is still the Columbus Day Parade media representative, announcing all units
as they go by the television cameras. He is our Frank Mathie, Vince Gersole, Mark Giangreco … all in one!
When Alitalia closed its Chicago office, Dominic had made many friends and so he decided to stay in
Chicago. During that time, Congressman Frank Annunzio needed a public relations director, and so he called
on Dominic to assume that position for several years.
Dominic’s compassion and involvement in the Italian community remain
strong and dedicated. He is the first to speak out against injustices regarding our community, and he is the first to remind us that we must make
our children and grandchildren aware of their tremendous Italian heritage.
We are indeed indebted to Dominic DiFrisco as he continues to
pour his heart and soul into the JCCIA. While many past presidents
have quietly gone on to other endeavors, Dominic’s strong ties and
involvement are immense and totally unselfish.
Avanti, Dominic … for the Italian community and for your grandson,
Pasquale, who must be very proud of you … never letting him forget his
heritage … taking him to Italy to see where your parents were born
and instilling in him all the achievements made by Italians, starting
with Columbus and continuing with Michelangelo, Fermi and
many others.
Avanti, Dominic … for your long and dedicated contributions to not only the Joint Civic Committee of Italian
Americans, but to other ethnic groups as well as you speak
out against injustices suffered by all.
Avanti, Dominic … How proud I am to write this colDOMINIC DIFRISCO
umn about you.
Newsletters OF FRA NOI - NOVEMBER 2008
Paid for by the Joint Civic Committee of Italian Americans.
PAGE 69