Lou Scaramuzzo has embarked upon his second term as president of the Chicagoland Italian American Charitable Organization, accepting the gavel from Bob Urbinati. A member of CIACO since 2003 and a board member since 2005, Scaramuzzo has served as secretary, second vice president and first vice president, in addition to his seven-year stint as president from 2007-14.

“My good friend Tom Reboletti invited me to join the organization,” he explains. “I saw the good they were doing and the opportunity they offered to give back to the community and celebrate my Italian heritage. It was a perfect fit.” What Lou likes most about CIACO is the common bond of generosity that exists among its members. “We’re all for the same cause of helping others, and no one asks for anything in return,” he says.