FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Andre Blaszczynski, Dennis Buden, Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame DBPR (860) 798-8619 (cell) -or- (860) 558-0514 (cell) andrebb@comcast.net dennis@dbpr.net
Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame Class of 2016
Highlighted by Inductees with Hispanic, Italian, Pakistani and Polish Roots
New Britain Museum of American Art Director Min Jung Kim to be Keynote Speaker at November 12 Gala at CCSU New Britain, Conn., September 27, 2016 – Iconic achievers and community stewards from Connecticut’s Hispanic/Latino, Italian, Pakistani and Polish communities will be honored with induction into Connecticut’s Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame (IHHF) on Saturday, November 12 at Central Connecticut State University. The IHHF Class of 2016 – the Hall’s fourth – will include The Alverio Family, whose leadership and achievements are representative of all that Connecticut’s Hispanic/Latino community has meant to our state; Nicholas DeNigris, New Britain attorney, civic leader and an icon within the state’s ItalianAmerican community; Naeem Khalid, a Pakistani-American businessman, philanthropist and community leader; and Roman Nowak, a long-time business leader, philanthropist and inspiration within Connecticut’s Polish community. “With each new class of inductees into the Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame we are reminded of the rich diversity of our state and the tremendous contribution immigrants and those of immigrant heritage have made to our community,” said Andre Blaszczynski, a long-time Tunxis Community College Professor of Economics who is co-chair of the IHHF Organizing Committee and President of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut. “We are thrilled to welcome The Alverios, Mr. DeNigris, Mr. Khalid and Mr. Nowak into our distinguished and accomplished family.” The 2016 IHHF Induction Ceremony and Gala is open to the public and will be highlighted by keynote speaker Min Jung Kim, director of the New Britain Museum of American Art. The Presenting Sponsor is the Tariq Farid Foundation. The event takes place at the CCSU Student Center Alumni Hall. Tickets are $85 per person, with cocktails at 5:30 and dinner at 7:00. In addition to ceremonies honoring each inductee, the evening will include an -more- Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame 2-of-2 artistic program. Sponsorships are available and businesses and organizations are encouraged to consider purchasing a table of 10; RSVP deadline is October 28. For complete information and to purchase tickets online, visit www.immigrantheritage.org. The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame, a program of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut, Inc. (a 501(c)3 charitable organization) celebrates the diverse ethnic heritage of Connecticut by honoring individuals and institutions who exemplify the best of their immigrant heritage and have made outstanding contributions to the cultural, economic and civic development of our state and nation. The IHHF preserves heritage through publication of biographies and histories, and strives to educate the public about the importance of immigrant heritage to the identity of America and about the contributions of immigrants and immigrant communities. It is the IHHF’s vision to establish an institution that will promote and publish research, lectures and conferences on the immigrant heritage of our state and the role of immigration in the American economy and culture, and build an endowment to sponsor, and offer research fellowships in support of these activities. For more information, visit www.immigrantheritage.org.
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