The President of the Columbus Citizens Foundation [2] Louis Tallarini announced last month that Admiral Edmund P. Giambastiani, former Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will be Grand Marshal of the 2008 Columbus Day Parade in New York City. “Admiral Giambastiani has devoted his life to the service of the United States, and we are grateful and delighted that he has agreed to lead our annual celebration of Italian-American heritage and achievement”, said the President in his announcement.

 
A native of Canastota, N.Y., the Admiral is a highly honored officer who has achieved important accomplishments in several fields.
His career was initially significantly boosted by a graduation from the United States Naval Academy with leadership distinction in 1970.
Well known for the remarkable capacities he showed during his long service in the areas of joint and naval strategy, he became an important link between the U.S. and the NATO. Moreover, he served in the U.S. Army itself directing submarine and anti-submarine operations and contributing to the Military’s innovation by backing the usage of new sophisticated technologies.
Among the awards he obtained, twelve Defense and Service Distinguished Service Medals and 19 unit awards. He has also been assigned three honorary PhDs in engineering, science and engineering technology.
 
Nowadays, besides directing the Atlantic Council of the United States, Monster Worldwide, Inc. and the QinetiQ Group plc in the United Kingdom,  he is also President of Alenia Aeronautica and Finmeccanica, the largest Italian aerospace company.
Moreover, he is adviser to the Department of Defense and other governamental agencies.
 

His life was not only marked by career successes. He is in fact the head of a beautiful family and a present father of two children: Peter Giambastiani, a Naval Academy graduate and a Naval Reserve officer who is Deputy Chief of Staff and Legislative Director for Congressman Jeff Miller of Florida; and Catherine A. McElroy, a government lawyer. Now the Admiral and his wife, Cindy Giambastiani, also experiment the joy to be grandparents of the little Hannah.   
 A generous and altruist man, he collaborates with several non-profit organizations, among which the Bob Woodruff Family Foundation.
Family and fraternity: two strong Italian values that he shows to deeply believe in. Characteristics that certainly made of him the perfect candidate to lead the upcoming Parade.
 
“I am very honored to serve as Grand Marshal of New York’s Columbus Day Parade. I immediately thought of my mother, my father, and all my grandparents who devoted themselves to this great country and to their children and who always had great affection for the home of their ancestors, Italy, a country that has given so much to all the people of the United States and to Western civilization”, Giambastiani declared.
 
 The Parade will take place on October 13 from noon to 3:00 pm on Fifth Avenue.  The march will start on the 44th Street and end of the 79th. It will involve about 35.000 people, among which dignitaries, entertainers, civil servants and members of the U.S. Marine Corps Band, all  accompanied by music groups playing in alternation with marching bands.
Finally, colorful floats will showcase Italian and Italian American tradition. They will significativily contribute to create a joyful environment, of the kind due for the worldwide largest celebration dedicated to the Italian-American culture and tradition.  The event will be broadcasted by the NBC affiliates and RAI Italian television  
 
The Columbus Citizens Foundation is the major organizer of the Parade since 1929. It is a non-profit organization in New York City whose purpose is to promote and preserve the Italian-American heritage. The Foundation also offers to meritorious Italian-American youngsters the chance to continue their studies through various scholarships and grant programs.  
 

(M.M.)