Contact:   Elissa Ruffino (NIAF) 202/939-3106 or elissa@niaf.org

(WASHINGTON, DC — April 3, 2003) Salvatore Sodano, chairman & CEO of the American Stock Exchange; Vincent Viola, chairman of NYMEX Holdings Inc. and chairman & CEO of the New York Mercantile Exchange; and Anthony J. Corso, Sr. (posthumously), prominent New York Stock Exchange member, will be honored at the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) East Coast Gala, Wednesday evening, April 23, 2003 at The Regent Wall Street, 55 Wall Street, in New York City. The gala begins with a reception and silent auction at 6:00 PM followed by dinner at 7:00 PM.

Sodano will receive the Foundation’s Special Achievement Award in Business. Sodono is chairman and chief executive officer of the American Stock Exchange, the only primary exchange that offers trading across a full range of equities, options and exchange traded funds, and vice chairman of the NASD. He is also chairman of Hofstra University’s Board of Trustees and was recently invested as a knight of the Sovereign Military of Malta.

Viola was vice chairman of the New York Mercantile Exchange from 1993 to 1996, and earlier on the board from 1987 to 1990. He is the principal of Pioneer Futures Inc, which is a clearing member of both divisions of the New York Mercantile Exchange and the New York Board of Trade. Viola was a recipient of the Hamilton-Madison Heritage Award at the organization’s 100th birthday celebration, which paid tribute to the Italian heritage. He will receive the Foundation’s Special Achievement Award in Business.

A noted humanitarian and philanthropist, Corso, Sr., dedicated nearly five decades of service to the Wall Street community with 25 years as a Member of the New York Stock Exchange. He also served as a member of Knights of Malta. Anthony Corso, Jr , managing director of LaBranche & Company, will accept the Foundation’s Special Achievement Award in Humanitarian Service in honor of his late father.

The gala awards dinner is co-chaired by Dick Grasso, NYSE chairman & CEO and NIAF vice chairman and Christina Johnson, Saks Fifth Avenue president & CEO and NIAF regional vice president for the Greater New York area.

Maria Bartiromo, CNBC anchor, will serve as master of ceremonies. Actress Linda Dano of One Life to Live, will present a scholarship in her name to one of the Foundation’s scholarship recipients. ABC’s 30th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards has recently nominated Dano for her character,“Rae Cummings,” on One Life to Live. Dinner tickets start at $250.00 per person. Attire: Business. To purchase tickets, contact Bonni Cellini at 202/939-3114 or bonni@niaf.org.

Register today!

Vincent Viola, chairman of NYMEX Holdings Inc. and chairman & CEO of the New York Mercantile Exchange	Salvatore Sodano, chairman & CEO of the American Stock Exchange