A PUBLICATION OF THE ITALIAN CULTURAL SOCIETY Fall 2017 VOLUME 20 ISSUE 1 Regions of Italy ICS President’s Message TWENTY YEARS…THE ICS EXPERIENCE Saluti amici, This year, as we celebrate the 20th Anniversary of ICS, I asked our former Presidents to submit a short narrative about their tenure so that members might have a clearer understanding of the history of our Society. Once I reviewed everyone’s submission, it became clear that each President overlapped his actual term of office with service before and after it, and that a cadre of dedicated volunteers served with these Presidents in supportive roles, and that some continue to serve even today. There are 20 regions in Italy, plus two city-states that remain I read about Eileen and John Iaizzo who served as independent to this day. Treasurer to our first president, Joseph Delfino, and Abruzzo Valle d΄Aosta about Arlene and Ron Diorio: Arlene who created our Basilicata logo and Ron who, with Alessandra Higgs and Corinne Calabria Campania Dunne, served on Joe’s Board. And there was also Edith Emilia-Romagna Coleman, a founding member and art historian who still Friuli-Venezia Giulia Lazio works as liaison with the Gilgore Museum and ICS. Marche Then came Dr. Grace Mannino, former Board member Liguria and current Italian teacher and co- Lombardy Molise Editor of Amici, and Donna Lenzi, Piedmont former Editor of Amici and in charge Puglia Sardinia of our Italian Language Program, Sicily and Joanne Berenato, co-Editor of Trentino-Alto Adige Tuscany Amici—all of whom began working Umbria with our second President, Adam Veneto Crescenzi. Independent City-States in Italy San Marino Vatican City Continued on page 2 ICS President’s Message TWENTY YEARS…THE ICS EXPERIENCE Continued from page 1 Many continued to work with our third President, Dr. Tom Turicchi, who served first with Adam Crescenzi as his Treasurer before becoming President. Tom had help from Richard Delfino, who served as Treasurer and Joe Martin, who became the Digital Communications Director while on the Board, and who still sends announcements, email blasts and Notices to members. Do not think that ICS has been a male-dominated organization; it is not so. Female volunteers going back ten years and active today include those mentioned above as well as Jean DiPierro, Sue Luconi, Lee Turicchi, Phyllis Crivelli, Rosemarie Loalbo, Nancy Minaldi-Scanlan, Francesca Mancuso, Grace Rocco, Irene San Giacomo, Amy Rego, Anna Castley, Judy La Melza, Carolyn Dickinson and the wives of every male volunteer. These women have also served during Richard Cappalli’s term of office and continue to Cav. Joseph Delfino serve during mine. 1998-2007 What I have been trying to show is that a steady stream of volunteers has supported each President and continues to do so in multi-varied roles for all our Presidents and, frankly, without them, there is no ICS. Beginning historically from 1998, ICS grew out of the Naples Italian American Club, and while it grew, it leaned on the NIAC for assistance until it became independent enough to establish itself apart. Those first years under Joseph Delfino saw the ICS gradually identify itself more with Italian culture in its activities and less with the social demands of the NIAC members. As Joe Delfino put it in their 10th Anniversary Program... “There was a need to bundle the elements of Italian culture into a package that would be deliverable to all Naples residents regardless of their heritage, who also loved the Italian culture and craved a deeper understanding of its meaning and influence on Western civilization.” During those first ten years, the organization grew through its programs of history and arts lectures and slide presentations; high school outreach programs, which included for a time, classes in the Italian language; concerts and high school prose and poetry recitals. It became the work of our second President, Adam Crescenzi, to steer the Society toward a more defined organizational approach. What did that mean? Adam delineated the role of ICS, clarifying its role and by-laws, setting term limits to a Board of Directors. The governance of ICS went from a three-person Executive Adam Crescenzi Committee to a transparent 12-person Board of Directors with a clearly defined set of 2007-2011 By-laws that included term limits of six (6) years for Board members of which no more than four years could be for the office of President. Because ICS no longer occupied the Foundation’s building in North Naples, events were held at Country Clubs, banquet halls, restaurants, churches, meeting rooms and other venues in and around Naples. We continue to do this, and it seems to be well regarded by our members. We currently comprise some 550 members and our Events regularly see increasingly larger attendance, having us seek venues that can accommodate larger and larger numbers. Adam Crescenzi had the good fortune and good sense to accept the offering of Dr. Tom Turicchi to take charge of the Treasurer’s post the last two years of his Presidency. So when Tom took the gavel from Adam, he had already begun to modernize and install a new financial system, necessary for the times. And Richard Delfino, a retired CPA, was there to do the necessary budgeting and financial planning. Tom was also responsible for updating our website with his wife, Lee. He had the experience and business acumen necessary to direct the organization from the standpoint of a high- tech functioning business model, and he was an experienced and successful business leader who knew about interpreting Demographics and Psychographics and how to understand member attitudes, computer skills and purchase behavior. He also was experienced in market research and business models. His refinement of our organization along these lines keeps us more than solvent. He employed the help of Al Andreini for Long-term planning. As a musicologist, Tom has introduced Dr. Tom Turicchi Continued on page 3 2011-2015 2 ICS President’s Message TWENTY YEARS…THE ICS EXPERIENCE Continued from page 2 wonderful musical Events that have been both entertaining and enlightening. His Presidency produced the highest increases in member participation and total income with attendance at events doubling and total income doubling. He said he attributes this increase primarily to the work of Richard Cappalli in researching and securing quality presenters. When Richard Cappalli accepted the Presidency of ICS for the 2015-16 Season, he had already served five years on the Board of Directors and only had one year of eligibility remaining. During those years and even before, he had been active chairing Events, organizing the Film Program each year, taking care of new membership, participating in the ICS Players, providing printed materials to our members about Italy’s Regions that ICS concentrated on each year, securing quality presenters for our lectures and so many other behind-the-scenes activities. He stabilized the organization’s structure created by his predecessors, oiled the wheels of the internal workings with new Board members, especially our new Treasurer in Ed Giovine, who, like Richard Delfino, came from a financial background. And under Richard’s aegis, ICS grew a substantial disposable income to help subsidize the cost of our Events to our members. It became clear to me with my tenure as President which began last year in 2016, that the advice and experience of all my predecessors would be invaluable to me Richard Cappalli Esq. and to ICS, and I accepted the post only after receiving assurances from Joe, 2015-2016 Adam, Tom and Richard that I could count on them in an Advisory capacity apart from whatever other ICS responsibilities for which they volunteered. I cannot say enough about their good will and that of our current Board of Directors (six women and six men) as well as that of Joe Martin and Joanne Berenato and, of course, the First Lady, Phyllis Crivelli. We have a wonderful year of Events to celebrate our 20th Anniversary with a couple of surprises along the way. Come, join me and, learn and enjoy…through the ICS Experience! Joseph Crivelli, Ph.D. President, 2016-present Columbus Day Luncheon Monday, October 9, 2017 Doors open 11:30 a.m. This event is NOT included Campiello Restaurant in any Gold or Silver passes! Chairperson: Amy Rego Price: $35 Come join us for a leisurely luncheon held to celebrate Columbus Day at one of Naples’ best Italian restaurants, Campiello’s, located in a fine, old building in beautiful downtown Naples. Because it is our first event of the new season, the Columbus Day Luncheon always brings with it an air of anticipation and renewal. This year the event is particularly exciting because it marks the beginning of our 20th anniversary season. Don’t miss this opportunity to reconnect with fellow ICS members, share stories of your summer activities as well as your plans for the coming season. With all the outstanding ICS events scheduled for 2017-18 anniversary season, there should be plenty to talk about. For special dietary needs, please contact event chair at least 1 week before the luncheon. ICS 20th Anniversary 3 Welcome Back Luncheon: "The Lure of the Grand Tour" Wednesday, November 1, 2017 Doors open 11:00 a.m. Presentation 11:30 a.m. followed by lunch Naples Hilton Presenter: Carol Jonson Chairpersons: Ron Ferreri and Richard Delfino Price: $46 From the late 17th through the early 19th century, the Grand Tour was virtually an institution for young British aristocrats and later for wealthy young Americans as well. Volumes have been written about this cultural phenomenon, calling The Grand Tour everything from a “mobile finishing school” to an experience “that completed the British gentleman but might well undo him.” Guidebooks outlined the routes and obligatory cities to visit and invariably ended in the fascinating and culturally rich cities of Italy.