FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – February 13, 2007 – Gunster Yoakley & Stewart, in conjunction with The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) and the investment advisory firm Carl Domino, Inc., recently held a private reception to welcome United States Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito to South Florida.
The gathering held at the Hyatt Regency’s Pier 66 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. attracted many of the state’s most prominent legal, political and business leaders including:
- Chief Judge Jay Cristol, US Bankruptcy Court
- Chief Judge William Zloch, Southern District of Florida
- Chief John Timoney, City of Miami Police
- State Representative Carl Domino of Palm Beach Co.
- State Representative Richard Glorioso of Tampa Bay
- Italian Consul General Dott. Gianfranco Colognato
- Carlo Ferrari, Italian Trade Commissioner
- Bob Butterworth, Secretary of Department of Children and Families for Florida
- Monsignor Franklyn Casale, President of St. Thomas University
- Joseph Amaturo, President of Amaturo Groups
- Dr. Philip Frost, Chairman of the Board of Ladenburg Thalmann
- Dr. A. Kenneth Ciongoli, NIAF Chairman
- Salvatore Zizza, NIAF President
“NIAF played an important role in the nomination and confirmation process of Justice Alito by ensuring it was fair and impartial,” said Arthur J. Furia, Gunster Yoakley shareholder and NIAF Regional Vice President in his introduction. “We are pleased to have this rare opportunity to honor and welcome a great American legal scholar of Italian heritage.”
Justice Alito regaled the gathering with stories of the difficulties of the confirmation process, including an unsubstantiated rumor that his grandfather was not born in Italy. The Italian Ambassador from Italy himself secured and released the birth certificate to authenticate his Italian birth right in the Region of Campagna. He expressed his deep appreciation to NIAF in which he has been a council member for over 20 years which helped to keep ethnicity as a non-issue during the hearings and public discourse.
NIAF, a non-profit, non-partisan organization based in Washington, D.C., has served the Italian-American community for the past 32 years and has played a pivotal role in preserving Italian culture in America. Its programs have helped young people through scholarships, mentoring, U.S./Italy exchange, internships, youth retreats, and much more. Visit www.niaf.org for more information.
Gunster Yoakley & Stewart, established in 1925, offers a broad range of legal services to its impressive client base of businesses, institutions, local governments, and prominent individuals. Gunster Yoakley has offices in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Palm Beach, Stuart, Vero Beach, and West Palm Beach. Gunster Yoakley is home to 130 attorneys and more than 200 dedicated support staff providing counsel to clients through numerous practice groups including corporate, litigation, real estate, and trusts and estates. For more information, visit www.gunster.com or call (800) 749-1980.
