From January 12-17, OSDIA National President Michael G. Polo and SIF President Joseph Sciame traveled to Milan, Italy for a series of meetings with government and business leaders to strengthen organizational ties to the region, and to confirm Lombardy as the official Region of Celebration during this year's NELA Gala in Washington, D.C.

One such meeting was with Lombardy President Attilio Fontana and Undersecretary to the Presidency Raffaele Cattaneo on January 15th. The meeting, held at Palazzo Lombardia in Milan, covered ways to bolster Lombardy's presence during this year's NELA Gala and to connect OSDIA membership with the rich cultural history of the region.

Presidents Polo and Sciame also met with a variety of other leaders in the region, including the corporate leadership of Pirelli, the Consul General of the U.S. in Milan, and Milano&Partners, the official Destination Marketing Organization of the City of Milan.

"These meetings underscore our broader efforts to strengthen our relationship with regional governments in Italy and to deepen the connection between our membership in the U.S. and their Italian roots," said President Polo of the meetings, adding that the trip "also reinforced our commitment to members of our Italian chapters to eventually include all regions of Italy."

"By meeting directly with leadership in the region, we are able to more authentically celebrate and represent the region of Lombardy during this year's NELA Gala," added President Sciame.