Blog and news about Chicagoland Italian Americans

Say Hello to our Marketing and Social Media Panel Speakers!

7/14/2023

Meet our panel speakers for our upcoming Marketing and Social Media Panel discussion event. Don't miss this opportunity to hear and learn from experienced professionals and get some tips for using marketing and social media for your business.

Jolean Olson: Vice President, Scenic Road

Jolean Olson is Vice President at Scenic Road with 20 years of experience helping businesses expand with video and content marketing. Jolean is an Emmy-award winning content producer. She lives to create, write, and produce any kind
of content for the web, broadcast, and cable television. Specializing in authentic storytelling and emotional, visual content, Jolean uses that experience to elevate her partner businesses and drive engagement, connection and sales.

By focusing on the storytelling side of communications, Jolean has been able to put the degrees she earned at U of I Urbana-Champaign and UIS to good use. Over the years, Jolean’s strengths at producing memorable content have garnered national recognition, including multiple Emmys and Addy Awards. Jolean may spend her days at Scenic Road, but it’s helping people succeed that gets her up in the morning.

When she’s not at Scenic Road, Jolean is an avid real estate investor and house flipper and loves spending time traveling, being outdoors, reading, or doing nothing with her family.
With origins in Emiglia Romagna, Jolean joined Chicagoland Italian American Professionals (CIAP) to connect with her roots, help to further the Italian-American community, and hopefully make her nonna proud… which, let’s face it, is a tall order.

Loredana Sciortino: President & CEO, Connex Consulting

Loredana Sciortino, a highly experienced professional with over 15 years of expertise in business administration, financial services, human resources, marketing, social media, and design will be our panel guest speaker. She will share her insights on staying innovative in today's business environment using simple yet effective analysis.

Attendees can expect to gain valuable knowledge on how to stay ahead of the competition and drive innovation in their own businesses. With Loredana's extensive background, her presentation promises to be informative and engaging.

Mike Santoro: Chief Executive Officer, Walker Sands

Mike started with the agency in 2007 as the agency’s seventh employee. Two years later, he was named President and got to work refining the firm’s target market and service offerings to help it become the award-winning B2B tech firm that it is today.

During Mike’s tenure, Walker Sands has grown from a seven-person PR boutique into a boundary-pushing, integrated marketing agency with offices in Chicago, San Francisco, Seattle and Boston that partners with some of the best B2B brands in the world. A 10-time Inc. 5000 honoree as one of America’s fastest-growing companies, the agency has been a finalist for both Holmes Report and PRNEWS small agency of the year.

As CEO, Mike leads a talented, results-driven team known for its reputation for providing comprehensive, integrated marketing and strategic communications counsel that drives real business results. Along with his underlying mission to make Walker Sands the best B2B marketing agency in the world, Mike is driven by a desire to cultivate a work environment that allows his employees to do the best work of their lives, and strives to empower them to succeed both personally and professionally. His approach has paid off, as the agency’s thriving culture has been recognized by Inc., Crain’s Chicago Business and Entrepreneur in their “Best Places to Work” rankings.

Mike has played a pivotal part in the North American marketing community and is the recipient of a number of awards, including recognition as PRSA Chicago’s PR Professional of the Year and an EY Entrepreneur of the Year finalist in the Midwest. He also serves on the PR Council board and as the Global Summit Chair for PROI Worldwide, the world’s largest network of independent agencies.

Outside of the marketing landscape, Mike co-founded the Little Giraffe Foundation in 2011, a Chicago-based nonprofit dedicated to supporting neonatal research and preemie families in the NICU.

Paula Peterson: Senior Media Strategist,
Salem Media Group & Salem Surround Digital

Shortly after receiving her degree in Theatre and Broadcast Communications from the University of Illinois at Chicago, Paula launched her career in advertising sales. Starting as a national sales assistant at Christal Radio / Katz Radio Group on Michigan Avenue. Her passion for all things radio soon led to an Account Executive position selling over 400 radio stations. However, it was her devotion to the News Talk format that led her to WGN Radio as a National Sales Manager working at the legendary, heritage station.

After 15 years with Christal Radio/WGN Radio, Paula was brought on by CBS National Radio Sales and went on to bill over $10 Million Dollars in both agency and new business developed dollars for the group. The opportunity to be under the Interep Radio Group umbrella opened the door to extensive media training which included digital marketing in it’s infancy.

In 2008, Paula got a call to join AM 560 WIND Radio/Salem Media Chicago as a senior sales account executive. She jumped at the opportunity to dive into local direct sales and has now built rapport and professional relationships with many business owners in the Chicago area.

Today, Paula manages a full book of business that integrates audio with digital media. With the digital marketing of Salem Surround and the Salem Media lineup of radio stations, she can offer a full compliment of strategic media solutions bringing proven results to her clients. Paula lives in the Western Suburbs of Chicago
with her husband Mike and older kids Abby and Joe.

You can follow Paula on:
Facebook as Paula Julian Peterson
Instagram as pjpeterson425
Twitter as @50shadesofmom

Jessica Alessi Kim: Digital & Print Design, Alessi Kim Creative, LLC

Originally a Florida native, Jessica studied digital media and communications at DePaul University, and started her career working in print production studios in Chicago.

What began as an entry into design and print became an opportunity to manage large-scale design and install projects. As project manager, Jessica was involved in each step of the process from design concept, production, and installation of signs and brand graphics for companies like Moen, CBRE, and many small and large local Chicago companies.

After moving back to Florida, Jessica spent time at other various small print studios, but ultimately opted to freelance from home full time. This eventually lead her to start her own design business, where she helps small businesses and start-ups with everything they need to market their business. From business cards and logos, to email templates and website images Jessica provides attainable design solutions for digital and print marketing.

Coming from a half-Italian household, Jessica is proud to embrace her Sicilian culture and participate with the Chicagoland Italian American Professional community.

Alecia Dantico: Strategist, Digital Marketing & Communication

Alecia Dantico is an award-winning marketing leader who builds high-performing programs and campaigns grounded in integrated communications strategy and storytelling. With a focus on delivering quantifiable business value, she rolls up her sleeves to help execute the programs she leads. She offers extensive communications strategy experience, earned across global, national, and start-up clients, and she specializes in connecting experiences across channels to launch brands, build reputation, and drive awareness and engagement. An integrated marketer at heart, Alecia is equally comfortable in the earned, paid, social, and owned media channels and her activation plans link online and offline experiences in ecosystems to bring target audiences from awareness through to engagement, conversion, and loyalty.

Ms. Dantico has designed and implemented campaigns for multi-national corporations, advertising agencies, brand clients, and start-ups for industries including pharmaceuticals (HCP, patient, advocacy), biotech, health/wellness, travel, financial services (banking, brokerage, insurance), technology, and consumer packaged goods (CPG food, beauty, tobacco, alcohol, and spirits). She is well-versed in the legal-compliance requirements of regulated industries, and she specializes in growing peer-driven social communities and experiences.

Ms. Dantico earned a bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in French literature from Carleton College, a Master of Arts degree in Comparative Literature from the University of Colorado at Boulder, and a second Master’s of Arts degree in English and Gender and Women’s Studies from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

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Meet Your Real Estate Market Discussion Panelists

4/11/2023

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On April 13, 2023 CIAP is hosting a Real Estate market panel discussion with industry professionals. Our panelists will answer your questions about this years real estate market trends, financing and more.

Meet our panelists:

Event Moderator

Name
Brian Bernardoni
Email
[email protected]
Phone Number
3127311407

Speaker Bio
Brian A. Bernardoni is a leading advocate for business and nonprofit groups nationally and a prominent civic leader in Illinois.

After a 10+ year career in campaign politics where he worked for a national political party convention on veterans’ issues and a successful Presidential campaign in Washington DC, he became a trade association lobbyist and executive for over three decades. He joined Strategia Consulting, a bi-partisan consulting firm, as Chief Strategy Officer. He is a powerful voice and thought leader on business and nonprofit issues, including education, real estate, taxation, public policy, and political matters.

Brian leads Strategia’s public affairs practice for clients and is a trusted advisor in crisis communication and political strategy. Prior to joining Strategia, he served Illinois REALTORS® for 17 years as the senior director of governmental affairs and public policy for the Chicago Association of REALTORS®. Brian continued his service to Illinois real estate most recently serving as the chairperson of Region V US Department of Housing and Urban Development Affordable Housing Commission as well as a consultant to the National Association of REALTORS®. He will join the REALTORS® RPAC Hall of Fame in 2023.

He returned in 2023 to Illinois State University (ISU) as a lobbyist for Illinois first public institute of higher education. In 1986 Brian matriculated into ISU and was elected FHCC President, and later SBBD Student Advocacy Director, Student Body Vice-President, and Co-Chair of the Senior Challenge where he raised over $100,000 for the class gift. A President of Delta Sigma Phi, he was the 1990 Greek Man of the Year. As Human Relations commissioner for Bloomington-Normal, he drafted & passed the city's first matriculation ordinance. In graduate school he served as President of Pi Sigma Alpha, the Political Science Honorary as well as the Graduate Student member of the Academic Senate.

Bernardoni is a Distinguished Alumni of the Department of Politics and Government and currently serves on the College of Arts and Science Chicago Advisory Board. In 2022 he was inducted into the Illinois State University Division of Student Affairs Steve and Sandi Adams Hall of Fame.

He’s a familiar lecturer, radio host and media guest on public affairs, has taught and spoken on college campuses as well as internationally and has guided multiple global trade delegations visiting the United States. He maintains leadership roles in numerous civic, professional, & governmental boards.

Brian is currently the vice chairman of the Salvation Army of Chicago where he has raised over $5 million, sits on the board of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, is president of the Roberts Park Fire Protection District and serves on the board of both the Northern Illinois Alliance of Fire Protection Districts and Southwest Dispatch.

An award-winning baseball historian and an employee of the Chicago Cubs since 1998, he’s contributed to dozens of books, films, documentaries, and articles. His efforts on the preservation of Wrigley Field and the West Side Grounds earned him a 2016 Chicago Cubs World Series Ring as well as the prestigious Jerome Holtzman Award.

Professionally, he’s been recognized by several organizations including HUD, the FBI, the City of Chicago, the Chicago Police Department, where he holds the highest civilian honor bestowed by the police, Cook County and numerous business groups locally and across the nation.

In 2017 the Chicago Association of REALTORS® created the Brian A. Bernardoni Political Advocacy Award. In 2020 they also created the Brian A. Bernardoni Public Official of the Year Award. Bernardoni is the only individual in the 140-year history of the organization to have an award named after him.

Brian and his wife Carrie are the parents of four daughters, Genevieve, Cecilia, Olivia, and Sofia.

Some of Brian’s career highlights:

Successfully lobbied for the passage of HB0020, which allows Gold Star families to receive free registration of their license plates for surviving widows and parents

Successfully lobbied for the passage of SB1721, which reduced the maximum penalty that can be imposed on a homeowner when they are trying to repay delinquent taxes

Facilitated environmental, social, cryptocurrency and governance strategic plan discussions and coordinated implementation planning for the National Association of REALTORS®.

Developed and implemented a plan to lobby Illinois legislators to secure PPP funds for 501(c)6 non-profits for the Association Forum and ISAE

Worked with the State Fire Marshall to achieve changes to limit jurisdictional authority of that office over the City of Chicago.

During his REALTOR® tenure he led industry efforts to fight back rent control, restrictive zoning ordinances, high transfer taxes and residential fire sprinklers while working to find solutions to the core problems which have led to these ordinances.

He drafted and passed pro-real estate legislation including allowing for the installation of plastic pipe in Chicago, access to affordable housing and even balanced pro-consumer reform for condominium developments.

In partnership with the Office of the Mayor under then Mayor Richard M. Daley and then Commissioner Joseph Berrios, Bernardoni worked to re-open the Cook County Board of Review books for the first time in history and allow for over 30,000 Cook County residents and business owners to appeal their assessments using REALTOR® data saving taxpayers money and in some cases their homes and businesses.

Bernardoni, as its President, successfully negotiated a new lease for the Cliff Dwellers Club, a venerable Chicago private club, saving 50 jobs and preventing its closure at its historic perch on Michigan Avenue.

Prior to the Illinois REALTORS®, Bernardoni served as Executive Director of the University Village Association, a not-for-profit 501 (c) 3, located in Chicago's Near West Side, serving Chicago's Little Italy. As Executive Director, his work was critical in efforts for the redevelopment of ABLA ( a HOPE VI) redevelopment of public housing), development of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame and a public space, new street scape on Taylor Street, a shopping center at Roosevelt Road and Ashland and the new headquarters of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. He also successfully lobbied for improved parking and cab service as well as “pay and display” meters, where Taylor Street was the first neighborhood pilot.

As a lobbyist for Chicago's high-rise office building industry (BOMA/Chicago), he managed issues including (TIF) Tax Increment Financing, electric deregulation, building codes and education funding. In 1997 Bernardoni successfully lobbied for the return of property tax dollars to downtown high-rise owners from the former Chicago circulator SSA while serving as publications editor for the organization.

His representation include: the Archdiocese of Chicago, the County of Cook, the Association Forum, organized real estate, a major police technology firm, Justice Grow, several energy and law enforcement coalitions, municipalities, religious orders, and the Chicago Police Foundation. He also enjoys giving back through significant pro-bono work.

What part of Italy are you from?
Emilia Romagna

LinkedIn Profile Link:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/brian-a-bernardoni-4ab2bb4

Company Name
Strategia Consulting

Your Title
Chief Strategy Officer

Business Address
5773 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL USA 60659

Name
Alexandra Bernardi
Email
[email protected]
Phone Number
2488914869

Speaker Bio
A Realtor who has built her business on a passion for helping others while providing top-notch service curated to your needs, Alex Bernardi is in the business of helping you seamlessly and successfully achieve your real-estate goals.

Alex comes from both the art world and service industry. Becoming a real-estate agent allowed her to combine her love of art and architecture with her passion for helping others. Alex loves assisting people from all walks of life through the process of exploring the city as they embark on their search for "the one." Whether you are a first-time homebuyer, expanding your family, considering downsizing, or investing, Alex will use her expertise to help you fulfill your goals.

Originally from Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, Alex has called Chicago home for 14 years. Alex has a BA in Anthropology, Classical Art and Archaeology from Indiana University, and then went on to complete her Masters in Contemporary Art from Sotheby's Institute of Art London. She served as Assistant to the Chair of the Architecture and Design Department at the Art Institute of Chicago from 2009-2013, and currently serves as president of her condo board. Her grandfather is from northern Italy and she also had the unique experience of living in Rome for one year. Italy holds a special place in her heart.

What part of Italy are you from?
Como

Are you a CIAP member?
Yes

Name of Event:
Real Estate Panel Discussion

Company Name
@properties

Your Title
Broker Associate

Business Address
548 W Webster Ave
Chicago, IL United States 60614

Name
John Locallo
Email
[email protected]
Phone Number
312-255-8550

Speaker Bio
John G. Locallo is a partner in the property tax firm of Amari & Locallo, which concentrates in representing commercial, industrial, and multi-unit residential properties. He earned his LLM in Taxation at Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1992, his J.D. at Chicago-Kent College of Law in 1986, his C.P.A. certification in 1983, and his B.S. in Accountancy at the University of Illinois in 1982. He is licensed to practice law in Illinois and Wisconsin, and before the U.S. District Court Northern District of Illinois and the U.S. Supreme Court.
Mr. Locallo served as president of the Illinois State Bar Association (2011-2012), the Chicago-Kent College of Law Alumni Association Board (2007-2009) and the Justinian Society of Lawyers (2001-2002).
He currently serves on the board of the ISBA Mutual Insurance Company and has served on the boards of the National Conference of Bar Presidents (2013-2015) and the Illinois Bar Foundation (2004-2012).
He is also a member of the International Association of Assessing Officers, the Chicago Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.

What part of Italy are you from?
Ciminna and Sambuca di Sicilia

LinkedIn Profile Link:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnlocallo/

Company Name
Amari & Locallo

Your Title
Partner

Business Address
734 N. Wells St.
Chicago, IL United States 60654

Name
Giancarlo Iannotta
Email
[email protected]
Phone Number
3129899889

Speaker Bio
Specializing in Multifamily and Investment Properties, Giancarlo is a licensed Real Estate Broker helping clients sell multi-million dollar apartment buildings. Growing up in the Chicagoland area, his passion for real estate started over ten years ago when he would help his father and uncle renovate and flip houses. As a former Commercial Director, Giancarlo produces all of his own photo and video, providing high quality media of his clients properties including drone footage. He is active in multiple charitable organizations including the Knights of Columbus, Alzheimer’s Association and proud member of CIAP. Giancarlo is a first generation Italian-American as his father immigrated from the small but mighty region of Molise (Castel San Vincenzo). At the end of 2022, he closed a 26-unit building in Jackson Park selling for over $3,000,000 and is overseeing the development of a luxury 12-unit apartment building in Humboldt Park. Giancarlo and his wife Nora recently got married at the end of last year and currently live in Wrigleyville.

What part of Italy are you from?
Molise

LinkedIn Profile Link:
linkedin.com/giancarlo-iannotta-4298211a2

Company Name
Mo2 Properties

Your Title
Broker

Business Address
709 N Milwaukee
Chicago, IL 60642

Name
Sandra Chiarlone
Email
[email protected]
Phone Number
3122926750

Speaker Bio
Sandra Chiarlone is an attorney licensed both in the State of Illinois & Italy. She graduated with honors obtaining her LLM in Global Legal Studies from the University of Illinois Chicago, School of Law and was admitted to the Illinois Bar Association in 2012. And In Italy, after obtaining a J.D. at Università degli Studi di Genova, Sandra was admitted to Savona Bar Association in 1996.

Sandra has an international legal expertise in international private law matters helping individuals with cross border inheritances in both the US and in Italy. Her international private law practice focuses on inheritance rights, estate planning, real estate in Italy (buying and selling property, related issues), family law and provides also consultation on International contracts and helping small businesses overseas.
Her main office is in Chicago. Her Italian office is in Liguria, Savona province.

What part of Italy are you from?
Northern Italy: Liguria

LinkedIn Profile Link:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandrachiarlone/

Company Name
Law Offices of Sandra Chiarlone, LLC

Your Title
Attorney-at-Law

Business Address
150 S. Wacker Dr., Suite 2400
Chicago, IL USA 60606

Name
Christopher Minchella
Email
[email protected]
Phone Number
773.828.9665

Speaker Bio
Chris Minchella is a Broker who focuses on restaurant and medical office work for RCA. His clients include a variety of quick service and independent full-service restaurants looking to secure new locations and/or renew leases in new construction or second generations space. Chris also works landlords and tenants looking to sublease in both the retail and medical office classes to find tenants who can take advantage of existing infrastructure. Chris has been with the firm since 2017 and has held his Illinois real estate license since 2015.

Prior to his career in real estate, Chris helped companies in transition manage the decommissioning and relocation of their furniture, fixtures, and equipment. Chris brings his understanding of the unique challenges faced by early-stage and small businesses to help clients address their real estate needs in a way that compliments their growth strategy.

Chris has been married to his wife Rachael since 2014 and they have two children, Minerva (born 2020) and Anthony (born 2022).

What part of Italy are your from?
Cassino

LinkedIn Profile Link:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-minchella-7999a59/

Company Name
Resource Commercial Advisors

Your Title
Broker

Business Address
5 Revere Dr.
Suite 200
Northbrook, IL USA 60062

Name
Vincent Anzalone
Email
[email protected]
Phone Number
3129339447

Speaker Bio
Vincent Anzalone has over 20 years of experience working in the real estate industry and over 1,000 successfully closed property sales to his name. His passion for residential homes was instilled in him at an early age due to his father’s work as a contractor and his mother’s work as a designer. Vincent brings that lifelong education to each buyer’s or seller’s transaction and offers a high standard of service, listening closely to his clients’ needs and tailoring his strategy to help them achieve their goals.

Vincent maintains a wide network of personal resources and provides a strong talent for negotiation, advocating fiercely for the interests of his clients. As a lifelong Chicagoan, he offers particular expertise in many of the city’s dynamic neighborhoods, including Gold Coast, River North, Lincoln Park, West Loop, West Town, Wicker Park, Bucktown, and Ukrainian Village.

What part of Italy are your from?
Sicily

LinkedIn Profile Link:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vincentanzalone/

Company Name
The Anzalone Group

Your Title
Realtor

Business Address
1950 N Sedgwick
Chicago, IL United States 60614

Name
Peter Volpe
Email
[email protected]
Phone Number
7739880507

Speaker Bio
Peter has been in the Financial Services Industry for over 40 years. Peter is proficient and knowledgeable in all facets of the banking industry from savings and loans to commercial banking, from retail operations and mortgage banking. He has gained expertise in spearheading and setting up new departments in the bank to maximize efficiency and streamline operations.

What part of Italy are your from?
Sicily

LinkedIn Profile Link:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-volpe-95687020/

Company Name
Wintrust Bank

Your Title
Market President Norridge / Mont Clare

Business Address
4369 N. Harlem Ave
Norridge, Il 60706

Name
AnnaMaria Kowalik
Email
[email protected]
Phone Number
6305866058

Speaker Bio
Anna Maria Kowalik is responsible for business development and deal originations for Inland Green Capital LLC, a capital provider for commercial C-PACE projects and part of The Inland Real Estate Group of Companies, Inc., headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois.

In this role, she has been instrumental in the closing of the first three C-PACE deals in the State of Illinois and numerous others since Illinois’ C-PACE Program inception in 2019, as well as numerous closings nationwide throughout the last five years.

She also shares duties under the Illinois C-PACE Program with The Illinois Energy Conservation Authority NFP (“IECA”), an Illinois tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Ms. Kowalik oversees the areas of marketing, education, and implementation of this innovative sustainability financing option through presentations, panel participation, Lunch ‘n’ Learns, and networking opportunities in order to grow the Program in Counties across the State of Illinois.

Ms. Kowalik possesses extensive experience in the commercial real estate, and property and asset management industries, including with a publicly traded shopping center REIT, where she oversaw portfolios of over 30 retail properties consisting of 3.4 million square feet with more than 500 tenants and budgets of close to a quarter billion dollars. She has been, and continues to be, an active member of industry organizations and chambers of commerce, and acts as liaison with municipal, county and state governments.

What part of Italy are you from?
My father's ancestry on his mother's side was from Cleto Savuto, provincia di Cosenza, in Calabria. His father was from Noicattero di Bari, in the Puglia region. My mother is 100% Pugliese from Conversano di Bari.

LinkedIn Profile Link:
linkedin.com/in/anna-maria-kowalik-9196595

Company Name
Inland Green Capital LLC

Your Title
SVP - Director Business Development

Business Address
2901 Butterfield Rd
OAK BROOK, IL United States 60523

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Q & A with Warner DeJulio from VIN 312

5/4/2017

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Order Tickets for Wine Tasting Event

Welcome to our latest CIAP newsletter. I recently caught up with my very good friend Warner DeJulio and asked him to share a little bit about his interest in wine making. Here are some questions and answers from our conversation. By the way, we are featuring his winemaking this coming Saturday night at a wine tasting event. Hope you can make it!

What made you get interested in wine making?

One day an Italian friend of mine in the neighborhood asked if I wanted to come make wine with him. That first year we went through the whole process the old fashioned way! We had about 30 bottles each to share with our friends and family. When I told my dad about it he told me that he used to make wine with his dad. After seeing the happiness and joy that sharing wine and its process with each other, I was hooked!

Tell me a little bit about the history of your wine making?

I started making wine with a Sicilian friend mine named Gianluca DiMaggio around 2011. We started out in his garage and basement the old fashioned way. After that first vintage and seeing people enjoy what we’ve created I was hooked. The next year I made wine again. My friends brother Franco wanted to start serving the wine to his customers in his small Italian restaurant. This is where I began investigating how to do this legally! I started visiting wineries in southern Michigan to learn more.

On one of the trips I met a student of an Enology program offered online made up of professors and winemakers from some of the best Enology programs and Wineries in the country. I quickly signed up and started taking classes to start getting “serious” about winemaking! Good wine grapes are expensive so I went to school! I started to dive into a world of craft winemaking with some great mentors who have guided me along the way. The winemaking process is both technical and artisanal. Finding the right balance is art. Finding this balance and the desire to share the experience with others is what drove us to continue making wine today!

What kinds of wine do you make?

Currently we make unique red and rosé blends primarily from grape varietals including Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. We plan on expanding into select white varietals.

What are your favorite types of wines and why?

Personally I enjoy Cabernet Sauvignon, Sangiovese and Carmenere based reds. Some may say that I enjoy more oak than most but like with everything in winemaking , “it depends”! I like to drink whites and roses just the same according to my mood. Being 1/2 Greek we love to drink our Rosé! With that said I still enjoy trying new wines and styles especially if they are unique weather by winemaking style or blend.

What makes Italian wines some of the best in the world?

Italian wines come from some of the oldest vineyards in the world. The soil and environment ( "terroir” ) is very unique in different parts of the country. Italy has many different types of growing regions attributing to a multitude of different flavor compounds and complexities because of its different terrain. The cooler northern climate of northern Italy vs the warmer coastal parts of southern regions of Italy is an example.

What types of wines will we be tasting at the upcoming wine tasting event?

We will be tasting some of the 2015 red blends that we used to create our 2016 wines. These pre-production batches were our original “canvas” to determine what we made in. 2016!

What have you learned over the years by making wine?

Patience and that life is a learning process. Learn to be humble and the wine will follow you. I owe everything I’ve learned to the others that wanted to share. Again, I believe wine is all about sharing on many different levels.

What do envision as your future in wine making?

My future will be about helping others. Wine is a vehicle for sharing a smile, conversation, love, happiness, feelings and emotions. I hope that this project will help others come back to sharing life experiences one on one with each other. With that said I hope to share these experiences with whomever wants to learn. We always need help around the cellar and are eager to teach!

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The Results of the First Annual Festa Dei Cuccidati Are IN!

12/27/2016

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Chicagoland Italian American Professionals
December 2016
LA FESTA DEI CUCCIDATI
Contest Results

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CIAP is making TREMENDOUS Progress!

10/21/2016

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Top 10 Reasons to Attend Tonight's Event "Networking Sicilian Style" at Casa Italia Chicago

9/22/2016

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Purchase Ticket

Buongiorno amici! My name is Salvatore and I am the executive director of the Chicagoland Italian American Professionals. If you haven't already signed up for tonight's event, I am now going to give you 10 outstanding reasons to drop everything and attend tonight's event. Tonight's event is very exciting for me probably because my parents are from a small town near Palermo, Sicily. So hear are 10 really wonderful reasons to attend tonight's event at Casa Italia in Stone Park.

1. Pane e Panelle

Pane e Panelle are chick pea fritters. One of the most typical "street foods" available in Palermo and especially in the Vucciria Vecchia which is the street market in Palermo.

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Q&A with Tony Barbanente (Executive Chef/Owner of Via Veneto)

8/16/2016

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Welcome to the second edition of Q&A with Salvatore, the executive director, of the Chicagoland Italian American Professionals. In the Q&A's, Salvatore will interview business and community leaders around the Chicagoland area as well as people around the world that are experts in their chosen professions.

In this second edition, Salvatore interviews Tony Barbanente, executive chef and owner of Via Veneto and learns about what makes his restaurant formula so successful.

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Salvatore Q&A #1 with Eric Dixon, Head brew master at Eataly

4/14/2016

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Welcome to the first edition of Q&A with Salvatore, the executive director, of the Chicagoland Italian American Professionals. In the Q&A's, Salvatore will interview various business and community leaders around the Chicagoland area as well as people around the world that are experts in their chosen professions.

In this first edition, Salvatore interviews Eric Dixon, the head brewmaster of Eataly and learns about Eataly and what is unique about their microbeer.

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CIAP Now Has a Website!

4/10/2016

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Chicagoland Italian American Professionals, Chicago's premier Italian professional networking group, is pleased to announce that they now have an official website. The website link is: www.chicagolanditalians.com.

The website will contain various information related to the organization including upcoming events, a business member directory, information on the different Chicagoland Chapters and photos from past events.

The website will also provide information on individual and business memberships. We invite you to take a few moments and check out the new website.

We also look forward to seeing you at our upcoming Spring networking event at Eataly on April 28th. Tickets are only $30 for a limited time. So act today and reserve you ticket now.

Upcoming Event Information

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I Notizie

Say Hello to our Marketing and Social Media Panel Speakers!

Jolean Olson: Vice President, Scenic Road

Loredana Sciortino: President & CEO, Connex Consulting

Mike Santoro: Chief Executive Officer, Walker Sands

Paula Peterson: Senior Media Strategist,
Salem Media Group & Salem Surround Digital

Jessica Alessi Kim: Digital & Print Design, Alessi Kim Creative, LLC

Alecia Dantico: Strategist, Digital Marketing & Communication

Meet Your Real Estate Market Discussion Panelists

Event Moderator

Q & A with Warner DeJulio from VIN 312

The Results of the First Annual Festa Dei Cuccidati Are IN!

CIAP is making TREMENDOUS Progress!

Top 10 Reasons to Attend Tonight's Event "Networking Sicilian Style" at Casa Italia Chicago

1. Pane e Panelle

Q&A with Tony Barbanente (Executive Chef/Owner of Via Veneto)

Salvatore Q&A #1 with Eric Dixon, Head brew master at Eataly

CIAP Now Has a Website!

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I Notizie

Jolean Olson: Vice President, Scenic Road

Loredana Sciortino: President & CEO, Connex Consulting

Mike Santoro: Chief Executive Officer, Walker Sands

Paula Peterson: Senior Media Strategist,​Salem Media Group & Salem Surround Digital

Jessica Alessi Kim: Digital & Print Design, Alessi Kim Creative, LLC

Alecia Dantico: Strategist, Digital Marketing & Communication

Event Moderator

1. Pane e Panelle

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Paula Peterson: Senior Media Strategist,
Salem Media Group & Salem Surround Digital