When you think of the start of the Florida Federation of Italian American Clubs, Inc, you can’t stop and wonder about the people that started this organization.  Anthony “Tony” Rizzi is one of the founding members of the Federation.  He is the only surviving member of the original group of men that met on November of 1976 at “Hank’s Coffee Break Restaurant” in Vero Beach, Florida to have the first meeting to start our organization.  This group of men got a list of Italian clubs throughout the state of Florida and contacted each one to join our organization – their dream.  They received an overwhelming response and held their first convention in Vero Beach.  And, when they held their 2^nd convention, they had over 21 clubs join the Federation.  At the present, the Florida Federation of Italian American Clubs has over 60 member clubs.  Mr. Rizzi was very proud when the Federation honored him by electing him the 6^th President of the FFIAC in 1982.

Anthony Rizzi and a group of friends (the Palmacci, Amarus, & Chinelies) met at his house and formed the American of Italian Heritage Club of Miramar, which grew to 700 members.  He chaired and ran for several years one of the largest Italian Festas in South Florida during the 1970’s and 80’s.  With the great success of the club, they were able to buy their own building in Miramar.  He was the forerunner to have his club make several large contributions throughout the local community.  Tony severed as president many times, and after 12 consecutive terms, and no one wanted to take over, they decided to sell the building, and now they meet once a month for dinner. 

Tony was introduced to his lovely wife Millie by his sister Nancy.  They got married in 1951.  He thinks they work well together after being married for 59 years.  Tony & Millie moved the family to Florida in 1965.  While in Florida, he took a job as a draftsman then postal clerk, which bored him to death.  Then he tried air freight, which lasted 2 years.  Then he bought Ricco Sands with some trucks.  He purchased a lot on Pembroke Road, and changed the name to Riz Sand & Rock & Building Materials.  They have 4 wonderful and caring children, which they are very proud of, who gave them 5 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.

Besides being proud of his family, he is always proud of his heritage.  Anthony is proud of his Italian heritage, but was extremely proud to be an American.  He gleams with pride when a club joins the Federation, and they had American labeled first in the joining clubs title name.  It makes you think – did he have something to do with our Newsletter slogan “American First – Italian Always”.

It is a proud moment when our organization can take one of our own, our founding father, a leader, a proud Italian, and a proud American and make him our person of the year.  Anthony “Tony” Rizzi we honor you as our person of the year for 2010.