MARIA D’ANDREA PROVIDES KEYNOTE ADDRESS AT MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY’S COTTON SUMMIT
On Wednesday, March 23, 2014, Maria D’Andrea presented a keynote address at Mississippi State University’s first-ever Cotton Summit. Ms. D’Andrea was invited to the University to be the School of Human Science’s Charles E. Lindley Lecturer. Her keynote speech focused on her office’s work to implement U.S. textile and apparel trade and domestic policy, including promotion of U.S. exports and “Made in USA”, and trade policy trends and initiatives, and their potential to impact current and future global sourcing patterns.
The University was founded in the town of Starkville, Mississippi in 1878. It has a substantial program dedicated to agriculture and forestry, the state’s main commodities. The University also includes a program on Apparel, Textiles and Merchandising (ATM). While at MSU, Ms. D’Andrea was able to interact with faculty and other invited guests, including domestic producers of fabrics and tailored clothing, a fashion blogger and a non-profit organization, Cotton, Inc., that promotes domestic use of cotton. (You may know Cotton, Inc. from its commercials on television, “Cotton, The Fabric of Our Lives).
Most importantly, Ms. D’Andrea was able to interact with the ATM students, to discuss their studies, their dreams and ambitions, and the prospects for work after graduation. It was enlightening and encouraging to be surrounded by so many young and eager minds that are hopeful for their future and the role they can play in U.S. apparel and textile design, fashion, and merchandising. (Maria D’Andrea is a Supervisory International Trade Specialist in the Office of Textiles and Apparel at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Her portfolio includes textile and apparel trade policy trends in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. Ms. D’Andrea is currently engaged in the textile and apparel trade negotiations for the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which includes Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore, the United States, and Vietnam; and textile and apparel negotiations for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, with the 29 Member states of the European Union).
NICK FERRANTE, SR. – REST IN PEACE
Nicola J. “Nick” Ferrante, 93, of California, MD died February 6, 2014. He was born in Castel Frentano, Italy in 1920 and immigrated to the United States at age 13. He became a U.S. citizen and served his country in World War II. After the war, Nick worked hard and eventually started his own business, Nick’s Supermarket in Clinton, MD in the 1960s. The supermarket remains Nick’s legacy to his family and the southern Maryland community it continues to serve. In his own words, he attributed his ambition to being selfconscious about his status as an immigrant and his lack of formal education. Nick was an amazing chef and ruthless card player.
Until his final days, he was clear-minded, active, had many friends and a story for all. Nick was a member of AMHS since its founding in 2000. The family of Nick Ferrante encourages our members to check out the Joseph C. Ferrante Foundation, which honors the life of Nick’s son who passed away several years ago. To learn more, visit www.josephferrantefoundation.org (submitted by Nick’s daughter Donna (Wayne) Wrenn).
FUNERAL MASS FOR JOE GRANO
As you will recall, AMHS Board Member Joe Grano passed away on November 24, 2013. Holy Rosary Church held a wonderful memorial service for Joe on Sunday, January 19, 2014 (see the March issue of the AMHS Notiziario). Joe’s family has informed us that his funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, May 17, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Church, 17764 Bennett’s Valley Highway, Force PA, 15841. There will be a lunch after the service, either at the church social hall or a local restaurant, and everyone is invited. All are welcome. In order to facilitate a number count for the lunch, anyone who plans to attend the funeral Mass should contact Maria D’Andrea, uva051985@comcast.net. (submitted by the family of Joe Grano)