The New York Grand Lodge Foundation, Order Sons of Italy in America held its 28^th Golden Lion Dinner at the Garden City Hotel on Friday evening, April 30, 2010.  With over 175 guests in attendance, this prestigious event was both a financial and social success. 

Vice President of the Foundation, Joseph Rondinelli served as the General Dinner Chairperson and lauded the accomplishments of the 2010 Golden Lion recipients …. Hon. Richard Greco, President, Filangieri Capital Partners and Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi, Lewis Atterbury Stimson Professor, Chairman, Department of Surgery, Surgeon-in-Chief, New York-Presbyterian Hospital at Weill Cornell Medical Center.  The singular 2010 Citizen Award was presented to Robert McBride, Vice President, Park Strategies, LLC.

The annual Golden Lion Dinner is the premier event held by the New York Grand Lodge Foundation … a night to present the Golden Lion Award to prominent Italian Americans and to laud their many civic and philanthropic endeavors.  Both Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi and the Honorable Richard Greco were so very well deserving of their individual awards this year. 

A former Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Financial Management and Comptroller) under President George W. Bush, Hon. Richard Greco is an extremely proud Italian American and the quintessential role model for our youth ... especially our Italian American youth.  Currently he is a moving force in the private investing industry as President of Filangieri Capital Partners.

Dr. Fabrizio Michelassi is a world-renowned gastrointestinal surgeon who is the Surgeon-In-Chief at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center.  Born in Pisa, Italy ... he received his medical degree from the University of Pisa, School of Medicine, summa cum laude ... where he also completed a surgical internship and surgical residency.  Dr. Michelassi is a staunch supporter of his Italian heritage and strongly believes in the preservation of Italian language and heritage. 

Lastly, the 2010 singular Citizen Award recipient was presented to Robert McBride, Vice President of Park Strategies ...  one of the most sought after public policy and business development firms in the country.  A fiercely proud Irish American ... Mr. McBride conveyed to all the feeling of “pride in heritage” and sincerely respects all of those who do the same.  The Honorable Alfonse D'Amato, former New York State Senator, attended the event with Mr. McBride and introduced him to receive the Citizen Award. 

The success of this event is so essential to the fund raising efforts of the New York Grand Lodge Foundation, Inc.  It is this Golden Lion Awards Dinner that allows us to continue to fund so many worthwhile charitable organizations such as Autism, Alzheimer’s and the Cooley’s Anemia Foundation.  The New York Grand Lodge Foundation also makes every effort to assist in the preservation of our Italian heritage by funding cultural events and encourage the study of Italian language.

Sincere thanks to our National and State Officers, filial lodges and special dignitaries for supporting this event. Whether you purchased a journal ad … or attended the dinner, your support of this main fund raising event of the New York Grand Lodge Foundation is sincerely appreciated.

We look forward to next year’s event when we celebrate the 29^th Anniversary of New York OSIA’s Grand Lodge Foundation, Inc., Order Sons of Italy in America.