Chamber of Commerce installs new board

Franklin Square businesses gathered at the Chamber of Commerce's first meeting of 2024 on Jan. 10 to see the organization’s new president and board sworn in. 

Local elected officials and members of the chamber celebrated the new year and new opportunities for local businesses at Filomena’s in Franklin Square. New board members, vice presidents and the new president, Santino Sarrica, were sworn in by Assemblyman Ed Ra, County Legislator John Giuffrè and Hempstead Town Councilman Thomas Muscarella.

Vice Presidents Joseph Romeo, Jaime Parra, Frank Cutolo and Eric Wortmann, were given their oaths by Giuffrè. The board of directors — Joseph Aridito, Bruno Caracciolo, Donna Giaccone, Stephen Grazzano, Anthony Grosso, Joseph Petrosino, Jody

Prashant, Riyaz Remtulia and William Sonner — were sworn in by Ra. 

“This is an evening where we acknowledge new and existing board members who continue to serve and welcome new ones,” said Romeo. “As Steve Jobs said, ‘Great things in business are never done by one person — they’re done by a team of people.’”

Sarrica, president of the Sarrica Insurance Group, in Franklin Square, since 2018, said he believed his ties throughout the community show his dedication to its businesses.

“My connections for this town run deep, and my interests are wholeheartedly aligned with the aspirations and dreams of our community,” Sarrica said after being sworn in by Muscarella. He has lived in the community for 17 years with his wife, Jill, and they have a 12-year-old son, Marco, enrolled at H. Frank Carey High School, and a 9-year-old daughter, Viviana, at Polk Street Elementary School. 

Sarrica’s vision for Franklin Square includes working with local elected officials, organizing business-highlighting events such as a spring fair, and exploring programs like a main street revitalization program. He also plans to create a customer relationship management system to empower business owners with information about local events, resources and opportunities. 

Sarrica said he was committed to making positive changes in the business community in his new role. He added that he was open to local business owners’ ideas to enhance the business landscape and make Franklin Square “a place everyone dreams of calling home.”

“Our mission is clear — to make Franklin Square the unparalleled gem of Nassau County,” Sarrica said. “It’s not just about standing out. It’s about being a model for progress and innovation.”

Lisa DelliPizzi, the chamber’s outgoing president, was recognized during the ceremony by Sarrica and local officials for her work with the organization. “She did a great job for this community,” Sarrica said, “and I hope to continue to do the same.” 

DelliPizzi was presented with a plaque and flowers, as well as citations from Ra, Giuffrè and Muscarella.  

“We want to thank you for all that you did for this Chamber of Commerce over the years,” Giuffrè said. “You’ve really grown it.”

Ra thanked DelliPizzi for her four terms of work with the organization, from January 2020 through last month. He also wished the new officers well as they took the reins for the new year. 

“I certainly would be remiss if I didn’t thank Lisa for her years of work for the chamber, obviously during a very difficult time for small businesses,” Ra said. “It’s no secret to anyone in this room, serving in any capacity in any organization during Covid-19 was difficult keeping things together, (and) our businesses were, you know, very hard hit. So, thank you for your service.”