Hundreds of delegates recently gathered in Buffalo, New York, to attend the Italian Sons and Daughters of America Biennial Convention. They were the first to hear news of significant expansion. National President Basil Russo unveiled plans for three lodges, one in New York City and two in New Jersey, that will become new cornerstones of Italian American influence on the nation’s east coast.
The New York City lodge will be headed by John Viola, the former president and COO of the National Italian American Foundation in Washington, D.C. The lodge’s vice president is Dolores Alfieri, Director of Italian American Affairs for the State of New York.
In four years, ISDA assets have significantly risen under Russo’s leadership, who was unanimously re-elected president this past week. ISDA’s staff has also grown from a handful to hundreds as it now controls the largest Italian American insurance, annuity and IRA company in the United States.
