NIAF announces Izzo as third Anniversary Gala honoree

NIAF is proud to announce that we will honor Tom Izzo, head basketball coach for Michigan State, at NIAF’s 35th Anniversary Convention and Gala Weekend in Washington, D.C. – the most prestigious Italian American event in the nation’s capital.

Izzo will join a host of other honorees including Christopher Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton Worldwide and Joseph Uva, CEO of Univision Communications, Inc. Look for more honoree announcements in the coming weeks!
Held October 22-23, 2010 at the Washington Hilton, this star-studded weekend will be packed with conferences, speakers, receptions and parties, all culminating with NIAF’s black-tie 35th Anniversary Gala Dinner. Reserve your tickets today to take advantage of our discounted advanced registration pricing.

Click here for more information about purchasing tickets, sponsoring the gala, donating to our celebrity auction or showcasing your company in our annual Piazza d’Italia, a Best of Italy expo.

This year’s gala honorees include Christopher Nassetta, president and CEO of Hilton Worldwide, and Joseph Uva, CEO of Univision Communications, Inc. Look for more announcements of honorees in the coming months. Other guests will include NIAF Chairman Jerry Colangelo, former FBI Director and NIAF Vice Chair Hon. Louis J. Freeh, former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and NIAF Board Member Gen. Peter Pace, NIAF Vice Chair and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Patricia de Stacy Harrison and former NIAF Board Member Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi.

A number of special celebrity guests have already committed to attend, including:
Brooklyn-born actor Michael Badalucco, star of television shows “The Practice,” “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,” “Cold Case” and “Ally McBeal” and films “O Brother Where Art Thou?”, “You’ve Got Mail” and “Bewitched.”

MLB legend Rick Cerone, a catcher with a 17-year career playing for the Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Boston Red Sox and more.

Director and screenwriter Chris Columbus, known for his films “Gremlins,” “The Goonies,” “Home Alone,” “Home Alone 2,” “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.”

Actor Dennis Farina, star of television’s “Law & Order” and a number of films including “Reindeer Games,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “Snatch, “Miami Vice,” and “What Happens in Vegas.”

Two-time AFL MVP and sports commentator Daryle Lamonica, starting quarterback for three seasons at the University of Notre Dame who was drafted by the Buffalo Bills in 1963 and traded to the Oakland Raiders in 1967.

Film, television and stage actor Joe Pantoliano, star of such films as “The Matrix,” “Bound,” “Bad Boys,” “Memento,” “The Goonies,” “The Fugitive” and “Risky Business” and founder of the No Kidding, Me Too Coalition as a vehicle for people in the entertainment industry to fight mental illness.

Former teen idol and 1960s rocker Bobby Rydell, known for his hits "Wild One," "Volare," "Swingin' School," "Kissin' Time," "Sway," "I've Got Bonnie" and "The Cha-Cha-Cha." Rydell still performs as a solo artist and as part of “The Golden Boys” with Frankie Avalon and Fabian.

But that’s not all. NIAF’s Gala Weekend will also feature the return of the best party in town, NIAF’s Salute to the Martini, and NIAF’s signature Piazza d’Italia, an exhibition of Italy’s Best.