An entrepreneur will learn from mistakes and use the present to plan a future that will be part of history. Simonetta Lein
Inspired by his self-made succesfull family, John Viola decided to turn NIAF (The National Italian American Foundation) into the leading educational and cultural non-profit - not only for the twenty-five million Americans of Italian descent - but also for the over two hundred million in the Italian diaspora. Viola’s mission is to create a young and dynamic bridge between the United States and Italy by awarding one million dollars in yearly scholarships. NIAF also donates five hundred thousand dollars annually in grants, and supports a myriad of cultural projects. The foundation under his leadership is constantly championing the Made in Italy brand, and the best of Italian businesses in the United States.
It all started thanks to the education that his family and father, Vincent Viola, gave him. “As the eldest sibling in my family I was present as my parents started their businesses - with the little money they had from their wedding and my baptism - plus the generous support of a few family members who believed in their dreams. Therefore, the idea that nobody can be an entrepreneur, nobody can achieve anything without the support of others, has been a big part of my life’s path.” Viola says. This mentality, combined with his family’s sense of giving back, pushed John Viola in 2012 - at only 28 - to start investing in thousands of young students with Italian heritage.
“The National Italian American Foundation not only helps to give thousands of young people some material aid in their quest to build something, but gives them a sense that they belong to a community that has confidence in them, that’s willing to invest in them, and will be there throughout the process as part of their success and efforts.”
NIAF started with 19 members in 1975 and has grown to include hundreds of thousands of members and supporters around the country. Per year, NIAF gives about 70 scholarships to deserving students each ranging from $2,500 to $12,000. The staple program is the Ambassador Peter F. Secchia Voyage of Discovery, which each year sends 20 college students to Italy, all expenses paid, for the first time. Since John Viola has become the President and COO of NIAF, they’ve created almost 50 new fellowships. Under Viola’s administration NIAF granted $500,000 to the University of Maryland College Park via the NIAF Pellegri Program on Roman Antiquity and its Legacy in America grant. NIAF also has another $500,000 program going out for bid early in 2017 that would create an American style college at an Italian university. Each year, NIAF gives hundreds of thousands of dollars to other Italian-American organizations so they can continue their programing for the good of the community.
Under Viola’s leadership, NIAF established the Region of Honor package: a program that unites a different Italian region with the USA each year. In doing so NIAF is able to best provide their regional partners with not only broad exposure, but deep interaction with membership throughout the course of the year. NIAF has been able to strategically align with regions like Calabria, Campania, Lombardy, and Piedmont as to provide in depth coverage for the many incredible companies and products that these regions are home to. This program also enables NIAF to bring the Young Ambassador Peter F. Secchia Voyage of Discovery students directly to the yearly partnered region for their first touch of the “Madre Patria”. Lastly the Region of Honor affords the opportunity to create business forums and host a Board of Directors meeting in the respective region each summer. The regions are then brought into two signature events in the United States for the Annual Gala Dinner in New York City, and the Gala Weekend in Washington, D.C.: where they and the companies that support their Region of Honor program are afforded incredible access to NIAF’s membership and network.
“I love the idea that we can take our experience in this country and use it as a window to look upon what it means to be an American, what it means to be a citizen, what it means to be part of something greater than yourself. I think because our Foundation is about giving people a place to feel safe and empowered by their heritage, our new mission is to continue to be available to as many people as possible in Italy, in the United States, and beyond, and to bring them together for good and creative works.”
John Viola uses social media to look at a potential goldmine of partners, of inspirations, and of new ideas. Thanks to social media our life is directly related to a person thousands of miles away in a culture that we may have no experience of. “As the planet continues to shrink and we all become part of an ever-deepening web of communication and ideas, being a millennial means understanding that you’re not an isolated actor and that you have a responsibility to everyone else on the planet.”
Viola’s dream is to give to future generations opportunities and solid possibilities, the story of the American dream that can impact people all over. “When my grandparents came to this country, they knew that if they worked hard and sacrificed they could build a better life for my parents and me. I want to take that same approach to young people who have far more opportunity than our immigrant ancestors so they understand that by tapping into those same values and strengths they can build a better life for people all over the world.”
To young entrepreneurs Viola recommends: “My best piece of advice for a young person with an entrepreneurial spirit who is attacking the challenges in their field, is that it’s great to look to the past for examples and ideas but never be hemmed in by it, never be constrained by what hasn’t worked, because different times, different circumstances, and most importantly different people make all the difference.”
As always, make your wishes come true.
From Philadelphia, The Celebrity Wishmaker Simonetta Lein