The National Italian American Foundation will hosts it's yearly New York Gala, honoring New York State Superintendent of DFS, Maria T. Vullo; Chairman, Jackson Lewis P.C., Vincent A. Cino, Cooking with Nonna host, Rossella Rago and others at Cipriani, 42nd Street, March 22, 2017.

This distinguished annual event highlights the very best in Italian food, beverage and cultural experiences – along with celebrating some of the most notable luminaries of the Italian American community. The two most important objectives of NIAF are to ensure that the 25 million Italian Americans living in the USA keep present their heritage, values and cultural traditions - and to ensure the preservation of great contribution Italians have made to the history of the United States.

The 2017 honorees demonstrate these very contributions – they include Shirley and Vernon W. Hill, II, founders of InterArch and Metro Bank respectively, Jackson Lewis P.C., Vincent A. Cino and Cooking with Nonna host, Rossella Rago. Of notable interest to New Yorkers is the awarding of the third annual Mario M. Cuomo Award in Public Service to Superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services (DFS), Maria T. Vullo. Ms. Vullo was appointed by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo – the Award is named for his father. Governor Cuomo has been invited to confer this honor upon Ms. Vullo. NIAF's New York Gala is chaired by Gerard S. LaRocca, a member of NIAF's Board of Directors and chief administrative officer, Americas, Barclays Capital.

The event has consistently sold out and become a much-anticipated staple of the New York City Italian community's calendar over the years. Past honorees and invited guests include: Martin Scorsese, Sophia Loren, Al Pacino, Jack Valenti, Ernest Borgnine, Luciano Pavarotti, Giorgio Armani, Danny DeVito, Alan Alda, Maria Bartiromo, Tony May, Mike Piazza, Tony Reali, Joe Piscopo.