Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. with honorees and co-sponsors at his Italian Heritage and Culture celebration at City Hall on Thursday, October 5, 2006. Pictured (back, l to r) are: Dr.  Angelo Gimondo, President & Chair, Italian Heritage & Culture Month Committee; Father John Massari, Our Lady of Pompeii, R.C.; Thomas Romo III, M.D., F.A.C.S., Chief, Facial Plastic Surgery, Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital and President, Little Baby Face Foundation; Thompson; Joseph V. Scelsa, Ed.D., President, Italian American Museum and Vice President, Queens College/City University of New York; Paolo Raschilla, President and CEO, Fieri International; Paul Messina, Personal Finance Reporter, NY1 News; Louis Lombardi, Actor/Director, Producer and Filmmaker; (front, l to r) Carol Silvagni McLeod, President, National Organization of Italian American Women (NOIAW), New York Chapter; Steve Buscemi, Award-winning Actor/Director; Laurie LoPrimo, Deputy Commissioner, New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development; and, Cristina Fontanelli, International Recording Artist.

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New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. honored six New Yorkers at his 2006 Italian Heritage and Culture Celebration on Thursday, October 5. The event was co-hosted by Fieri International, Italian Heritage and Culture Month Committee and the National Organization of Italian Women.    

“Tonight, we are celebrating the wonderful contributions of Italian-Americans to the life of our City,” Thompson said in addressing the crowd at City Hall.

“Since the City’s earliest days, men and women from all of the regions of Italy have come here and worked long and hard to build better lives for their families, overcoming great obstacles to realize their dreams.  Our City owes a debt of gratitude to each and every one of them. New York would not be the city it is today without the contributions of all the unsung heroes, the Italian-American New Yorkers who literally built this town from the ground up.”

Thompson noted that the honorees have excelled in a wide range of professional and civic pursuits. They are leaders in journalism, education, government, the arts, and community service.

The first honoree was award winning actor, director, and screenwriter, Steve Buscemi.  He has starred in nearly one hundred films, including notable movies such as Miller’s Crossing, Reservoir Dogs, and Fargo.  He has also done work for television including recurring roles in L.A. Law and The Sopranos. 

Mr. Buscemi is accomplished behind the camera as well.  In 1996, he made his screenwriting and directorial debut with Trees Lounge, a well-received comedy/drama.  He has gone on to direct other films such as Animal Factor as well as episodes of television shows such as the The Sopranos.  In addition to his film work, Mr. Buscemi has contributed generously to a number of organizations including the Lynne C. Lappin Scholarship Fund and many firefighter relief funds. 
“Steve Buscemi has reached the heights of his profession, and delighted and moved audiences throughout the world,” Thompson said.

The next honoree, Paul Messina, was presented with the Media Image award. Mr. Messina is the personal finance reporter for NY1 News.  He provides vital information relating to small businesses, financial literacy, and news that viewers can use to improve their own finances.  While attending Brooklyn’s Edward R. Murrow High School, Mr. Messina began broadcasting on the Board of Education’s radio station, WNYE-FM, as part of a news program called “Your World, This Week,” which was geared to an elementary school audience. 

Mr. Messina joined NY1 News in 1993 as a news assistant.  He went on to become the station’s neighborhood reporter and is now “NY1 Money Matters” reporter.  In addition to his reporting work, Mr. Messina is proud to have had cameos in films like Maid in Manhattan..  The back of his head can be seen in The Untouchables. 

“Over the course of his distinguished career in broadcasting, Mr. Messina has excelled in his field and served as an important role model,” Thompson said.

The next honoree, Laurie A. LoPrimo, is Deputy Commissioner for Housing Operations at the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development.  In that capacity, she oversees several key components of New York City’s 7.5 billion-dollar “New Housing Marketplace Plan.”  Ms. LoPrimo also heads up the Customer Service Priority Work-Plan for the agency, and developed and coordinated the agency’s “greening protocol” to incorporate environmentally conscious practices into the agency’s developments.

At HPD, Ms. LoPrimo has held positions of increasing responsibility, focusing on providing permanent housing for the homeless; returning City-owned residential buildings to private ownership; and developing programs designed to enhance the economic self-sufficiency of tenants in City-owned and City-assisted housing.

“Laurie LoPrimo has worked tirelessly to improve the housing resources available to the people of New York and to address other community needs,” Thompson said.

Actor, producer, filmmaker and screenwriter Louis Lombardi was the next honoree. Born and raised in the Bronx, he has studied acting at the Actors and Commercial Workshop and New York University.  One of his biggest professional breaks came from his performance in the independent film, Amongst Friends.  Mr. Lombardi’s performance garnered the attention of Oliver Stone, who then cast him in the film Natural Born Killer.  He has gone on to appear in movies such as Beverly Hills Cop III, Ed Wood and 3,000 Miles to Graceland. 

Mr. Lombardi has also done notable television work.  After appearances on shows like NYPD Blue, CSI, and The Sopranos, Mr. Lombardi landed the role as Edgar Styles on the hit series 24.  In 2006, Mr. Lombardi and the rest of the cast and crew received an Emmy for “best drama”. Mr. Lombardi has also co-written, directed, produced and starred in the upcoming film Dough Boys, which is scheduled for release in 2007.   

“Louis Lombardi is a talented and accomplished professional who has achieved great heights in his field,” Thompson said.

The next honoree was Dr. Thomas Romo, III, Chief of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Lenox Hill Hospital and Director of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital. He is past president of the New York Facial Plastic Surgery Society and has been cited in the Castle-Connolly peer review survey as a “Best Doctor in New York.” Dr. Romo’s groundbreaking work on corrective and multicultural rhinoplasty has revolutionized the way surgeons approach and operate on their patients.  His seminal academic research on mid-facelifts and endoscopic browlifts helped establish the procedure as an effective alternative to traditional facelifts and blepharoplasty. 

For the past 20 years, Dr. Romo also heads the world-renowned Microtia team at Lenox Hill Hospital working with children and adults with Microtia and ear deformities.  Dr. Romo is founder and president of The Little Baby Face Foundation, a nonprofit organization that assists children born with facial deformities.  He holds several innovative medical patents and has been published in numerous medical journals. He has received a myriad of honors and awards, including the Distinguished Education Award by the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.
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“Dr. Romo has provided outstanding service as a surgeon and medical innovator,” Thompson said.

The final honoree, Dr. Joseph Scelsa, is vice president of Outreach and Cultural Affairs at Queens College of the City University of New York.  He has also served as director and dean of the John D. Calandra Italian American Institute, with the primary purpose of fostering higher education among Italian-Americans.  With its partner, The New York Historical Society, the Institute spearheaded a four-month long exhibition called The Italians of New York: Five Centuries of Struggle and Achievement.  The success of this project led Dr. Scelsa to found the Italian American Museum in 2001.  The Museum is dedicated to exploring the rich cultural heritage of Italy and Italian-Americans.  Its exhibitions, festivals, lectures and other initiatives promote the contributions that Italians have made to the American culture. 

Dr. Scelsa also serves as president of the Coalition of Italian-American Associations. He is a board member of the Italian Heritage and Culture Month Committee, Commission for Social Justice/Order Sons of Italy in America, National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations, Bronx Columbus Day Parade Committee and advisory board member of the Italian-American Legal Defense & Higher Education Fund.  Dr. Scelsa is also executive producer and host of ITALICS: The Italian-American Magazine which is co-produced by the Calandra Institute and CUNY TV. Now in its thirteenth season, it is seen on cable stations throughout the U.S.

“Dr. Joseph Scelsa has provided outstanding service as an educator and community leader. In recognition of his dedication and his commitment to preserving Italian heritage,” Thompson said. 

Cristina Fontanelli and St. Dominic’s Folk Group performed at the event. Father John Massari of Our Lady of Pompeii Roman Catholic Church gave the Invocation and Benediction. 

To receive photographs, please contact Marla Maritzer at (212) 669-2597 or at mmaritz@comptroller.nyc.gov.

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