BAIAblog

Introducing Ville in Italia, BAIA's Newest Sponsor

2013-05-07T23:19:02-07:00

Summer is just around the corner, so why not rent an Italian villa? We are very excited to introduce Ville in Italia http://www.villeinitalia.com/ as our newest BAIA Silver Sponsor, along with a great perk for BAIA supporting members (scroll down to view). We sat down with Luciano Fiaschi, Ville in Italia owner, and Angela Chiummo, sales manager at Ville in Italia, for an interview and an inside view of the Italian villa rental industry. Enjoy!

Ville in Italia has close to 500 rental listings, including luxury villas, countryside, lakeside, and by-the-sea homes, and elegant apartments across Italy. How did Ville in Italia start out?

Ville in Italia was founded in 1996 thanks a professional synergy between Luciano Fiaschi and Caterina Lancellotti. We were experienced in the tourism sector and decided to innovate our company’s operative structure, becoming one of the first companies of its kind in Europe to "go online" and promote and sell our products. At the beginning we managed villas in Tuscany and on the Amalfi Coast (houses are all private properties). We then developed our business in other Italian regions until the current expansion. All the members of our professional team (12 people) come from the tourism sector, assist our customers in each phase of the renting process, and ensure that each property meets our high quality standards.

Your website is available in four languages (EN, FR, DE, RU). Any insights on the short-term rental market compared to a few years ago?

At the beginning our website was only in English, because we mainly worked with the American and English clientele who was used to buying online. At the moment our market consists of 40% USA, 40% Europe, 10% Russia (since 2008 the Russian market has been growing). We have always had an international clientele and from 2009 we have noticed a different approach on booking time (no longer with a large advance) and the difficulty to create large groups (large families, too) to rent large villas.

Your e-magazine, Emotions in Italy, is a great resource for people to learn about Italian culture and tradition. You also write that "every place is a story." Can you tell us a story that you cherish?

Surely a property with an interesting history I'd like to share is Villa La Limonaia di Maiori on the Amalfi Coast; it's situated on a vast estate, known as La Badia as it once belonged to an ancient convent located on the mountainside. This estate is now an extensive area devoted to a well-tended lemon cultivation, with trellises stretching from the peak of the promontory almost as far as sea-level. Scattered over the promontory within this vast lemon grove are various other, completely independent properties including Torre Saracena (picture left); a real ancient structure tastefully furnished with valuable antique and modern pieces which enhance the beauty of the building, which is also on our books. La Limonaia di Maiori is a modern villa designed by a famous architect whose genius is most effectively expressed in the fact that, while he built it using the means and materials available in the '60s, he took his inspiration from the traditional construction procedures and techniques of the area. This way an ancient structure and modern villa live together, perfectly integrated in a unique scenery, for spending a holiday in an exclusive atmosphere!

Tuscany and the Amalfi Coast remain one of the most recognizable regions in Italy. Are there any "hidden jewel" regions that are becoming more popular and requested?

According to our experience and great demand from our customers worldwide, we can suggest the Region of the lakes of Northern Italy. The Liberty-style elegance of Lake Maggiore and the romanticism of the smaller, more isolated Lake Orta in Piedmont; the sophistication of Lake Como in Lombardy; the liveliness of Lake Garda in Veneto make this area very sought after! In fact, many famous Hollywood stars, as well as people who want to enjoy the purest emotions, choose the lakes of Italy as their holiday destination, which offers a special way of experiencing this wonderful country. The Italian lakes have a unique atmosphere: here tradition, history and a love of style and good taste are still very much alive. Our best performing properties are Villa I Broi in Lake Garda, Villa Limonta In Lake Como and Villa Falcone in Lake Maggiore.

BAIA supporting members get a 10% discount all season long on any villa rental. (Learn how to become a BAIA supporting member: click here). Based on your experience, what are the top three things our readers should know about renting a villa? What can they do to get the best experience possible?

It’s very important to know what to do when you're on holiday! Our best suggestion is to choose which Italian region to visit and combine your stay with cultural, food and wine tours along your villa rental: this way you can improve your holiday's value. We also suggest choosing a different Italian region every year to discover the real Italian lifestyle, with its different shades of taste, traditions and landscapes.

For more information on Ville in Italia visit http://www.villeinitalia.com/. For any questions on becoming a BAIA supporter email us at membership@baia-network.org

A special thanks to Luciano Fiaschi and Angela Chiummo for their time and support for BAIA and our community.

Sergio Mandrone

BAIA Dinner #4: A Conversation about Women and Work

2013-03-08T21:47:51-08:00

To celebrate women in March, our fourth BAIA Dinner: A conversation about Women and Work will take place in San Francisco on Tuesday March 26^th, at 7:00 pm.

It’s the 21^st Century and we are bombarded daily with articles about women and work: how close are we to achieve full equality in the workplace? How can we navigate the realities of today’s economy and gender politics while advancing in our careers? What do we need to do so that in 5, 10 or 20 years we won’t have to discuss “women and work” anymore?

We invited three successful professional women to share with us their journey to the top, what they learned along the way, and what they wished they had known all along.

The price to attend the BAIA Dinner #4: A Conversation about Women and Work is $51.67 per person. This includes the meal, tip and tax at the wonderful Amarena Italian Restaurant. It doesn’t include other drinks. And the entire amount can be used towards purchasing or renewing a BAIA Membership at the Individual Level or higher. Because there are only 6 seats available, make sure to request your seat fast (see instructions below)

About the Speakers:

Robin Nebel has over 25 years of experience as a CFO, COO and President of high-tech start-ups. She’s currently CFO of Technorati Media overseeing their finance and accounting, ad operations, publisher development, human resources and administration departments. Prior to joining Technorati, Robin was President at InStore Broadcasting Network and Ellie Mae, CFO and COO at Ensenda and 800-Software. Robin has MBA and BS degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business.
Leigh Marriner is an SVP at Added Value Cheskin and leads the business consulting practice. She is especially interested in how the evolution of consumer technology creates new opportunities. She has led numerous market opportunity assessments in digital photography, digital music, digital communications, mobile devices, apps, interactive kiosks, etc. Leigh has over 25 years of experience in business strategy consulting and has worked with a variety of leading Fortune 1000 companies. In addition, Leigh co-taught the Entrepreneurship course in the MBA program at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to joining Cheskin, Leigh was a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group, and a Product Manager at WordStar. She was Vice President of Marketing for Broderbund Software before starting her own consulting firm which she ran for another 10 years. Leigh holds a Bachelor’s Degree with honors in Economics from Wellesley College, and an MBA with honors from Harvard University. Leigh escapes from her laptop on the seat of her bike, strategically navigating the hills of Marin and counting her blessings to live in such a remarkably beautiful place.
Elisabetta Ghisini is the founder of Verba – International Communications. A communications consultant with 20 years of experience worldwide, she works with European startups to shape their brand and reputation in the US. Recently she has successfully orchestrated the Silicon Valley launch of an Italian venture incubator and of two European startups in the healthcare sector. Elisabetta currently also teaches management communications at the Masagung Graduate School of Management at the University of San Francisco. Prior to that, Elisabetta was an instructor at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University and in her corporate career, Elisabetta was a Director in the Technology Practice of the public relations firm Burson-Marsteller, where she orchestrated the worldwide media launch of Agilent Technologies, HP’s successful spin-off. Previously, she was Manager of Communications with the international consulting firm McKinsey & Co. (Milan and San Francisco offices). During her ten years at McKinsey, Elisabetta provided strategic communications advice to multinational clients in the high tech, retail, and banking industries. Elisabetta is a member of the Governance Board of BAIA (Business Association Italy America); she previously served as a board member for IABC SF (International Association of Business Communicators). A native of Italy, Elisabetta holds a graduate degree in German Literature from the Universita’ degli Studi di Milano (Dottore in Letteratura Tedesca). She speaks four languages and is the author of Communicating the American Way, a guide to U.S. business communication for international executives (Happy About Press).

How do I attend? Send us a request!

Anybody can request to attend a BAIA Dinner. The price to attend the BAIA Dinner #4: A Conversation about Women and Work is $51.67 per person. (And the entire amount can be used towards purchasing or renewing a BAIA Supporting Membership). This strictly covers the cost of the meal, tip and tax. It does NOT include drinks. The dinner will take place in San Francisco on March 26^th, at Amarena Italian Restaurant. Tickets are non refundable.

If you'd like to request to attend, please send an email to Aurora at ameneghello@baia-network.org with the subject line "BAIA Dinner #4" answering succinctly to the following 3 questions:

Why do you want to attend this BAIA Dinner?
Your Linkedin profile or link to your online bio.
Describe yourself in 140 characters.

What Next?

We will process your request and confirm your invitation on a first-come, first-serve basis. Because there are only 6 seats available, make sure to not wait! Participants will be selected with the objective to maximize the mutual learning and mentoring value of BAIA Dinners to all participants. Finally, priority will be given to current BAIA Supporting Members.

Do you have a topic or industry in mind for the next dinner? Let us know, email Aurora Meneghello at ameneghello@baia-network.org with your ideas.

BAIA Mix: Interview with Nicola Farinetti of Eataly

2013-03-04T08:12:03-08:00

After many successful initiatives, BAIA launches BAIA Mix in Italy, a monthly appointment for the BAIA network of professionals, entrepreneurs, researchers and innovators that offers an opportunity to meet in an informal setting and connect and network, Silicon Valley-style.

Enabling the creation and exchange of business relationships in key industrial and commercial sectors are key objectives of BAIA's activity as they help members of the community to meaningfully discuss and share their ideas with professional peers.

BAIA Mix is not only a networking event, but also an opportunity to explore specific business topics and current issues thanks to the contribution of BAIA's guests and speakers. BAIA Mix is able therefore to present great and novel content thanks to new experts and speakers each month.

BAIA Mix events take place every third Tuesday of the month at Eataly. BAIA is honored of this partnership with Eataly, a successful Italian brand in the world and an organization that shares BAIA's value of "taking what's good in a country and promote it."

Nicola Farinetti, CEO of Eataly Roma, after having spent two years in New York to manage the US launch of Eataly, tells us about his experience and about the bridge tea has built between Italy and the US.

Q: How do you manage your days to manage the business in different countries?

A: We opened in New York two years ago. I lived there in the beginning, but now after two years of work, they can go on autonomously. I try to travel to New York every couple of months, but I talk with the store director on the phone. Our manager there is Alex Saper who manages the store in New York City. He takes decisions in full autonomy. I think it is important avoiding to concentrate all the work in one's hands and instead share responsibility, it is important to move forward.

Q: What is your advice to Italian entrepreneurs who would like to go international as you did?

A: When you go in "foreign" country, it is important to find a local partner. Someone who knows the local environment and that is able to teach you how business is done there. You should never make the mistake of assuming you are so good that you can go somewhere and teach in someone else's home. With a local partner everything becomes easier and more exciting.

Q: What are the most important business lessons you learned in the US?

A: I learned a lot. Americans are great at business (fast, courageous,) excellent in developing business. They are not afraid to take risk and invest. They are apt at building a team and give responsibility to people so that they can delegate a lot. At the same time, they place too much value on money. Business is not just about profit. It is something else.

Q: Do you think that "Made in Italy" has a role/meaning in a world of global sourcing of products?

A: We certainly should focus on our natural strengths. Food, fashion, tourism. Not always "Made in Italy" makes sense because it is actually made in Italy. I'd like to see massive investments in local production with the objective of global export, to reach all across the world and create movement that helps also the tourism industry.

Q: What can we still export int the world competitively?

A: The usual things: Food, Culture, Fashion, Design, creativity... A lot of creativity!

Many thanks to Nicola Farinetti on behalf of BAIA for taking the time to share his experience with the BAIA community.

Flavio Notari

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Dopo il successo delle prime iniziative, BAIA propone in Italia il BAIA Mix, un appuntamento mensile in cui BAIA offre al proprio network di professionisti, imprenditori, ricercatori ed innovatori la possibilità di incontrarsi in un ambiente informale e svolgere attività di “open networking” in stile Silicon Valley.

La creazione e lo scambio di relazioni nei principali settori commerciali ed imprenditoriali sono pilasti dell’attività di BAIA, e consentono, a chi partecipa alle attività del network, di condividere e discutere le proprie idee con interlocutori di elevato profilo professionale.

BAIA Mix rappresenta non soltanto una opportunità di networking ma anche una occasione di approfondimento su tematiche di interesse e attualità grazie agli interventi di ospiti qualificati. In questo modo il BAIA Mix si arricchisce di esperienze diverse e si caratterizza per la presenza di sempre nuovi interlocutori.

Gli incontri dei BAIA Mix si terranno ogni terzo martedì del mese, presso Eataly. BAIA è particolarmente orgogliosa della sinergia con Eataly, poiché Eataly, come BAIA, condivide il valore di “prendere ciò che di buono si trova in un Paese e propagandarlo”.

Nicola Farinetti, Amministratore delegato di Eataly Roma, dopo aver seguito per due anni lo startup della filiale newyorkese di Eataly ci racconta la sua esperienza ed il “ponte” tra l’Italia e gli Stati Uniti che ha costruito.

Come organizza le sue giornate per gestire il business in diversi paesi?

A New York, abbiamo aperto due anni fa. Sono stato lì nel primo periodo, e ora dopo due anni di lavoro vanno avanti autonomamente. Cerco di andare a New York ogni due mesi ma comunque ci sentiamo con il responsabile del negozio al telefono per dei feedback. Il nostro uomo di fiducia è Alex Saper che si occupa del negozio di New York City. Le sue decisioni le prende in autonomia. Penso che sia importante non accentrare il lavoro nelle mani di una sola persona, ma condividerlo, è importante per andare avanti.

Quali suggerimenti ha per imprenditori Italiani che vogliano fare un simile passo di internazionalizzazione?

Quando si va in un paese “straniero” è importante trovare sempre un partner locale. Che conosca il territorio e ti insegni il business dei paesi ospitanti. Non bisogna mai cadere nell'errore di credere di essere cosi bravi da poter andare ad insegnare a casa degli altri. Con un partner locale è tutto più semplice e più interessante.

Quali sono le cose più importanti che ha imparato sul business negli USA?

Sono tante le cose che ho imparato. Gli americani sono bravissimi a fare businnes (veloci, coraggiosi, ) fortissimi nello sviluppo. Non hanno paura di rischiare ed investire. Abili nel creare team nel responsabilizzare le persone in modo da poter delegare molto. Allo stesso tempo hanno un valore dei soldi troppo alto. Il business non è solo guadagno. Il business e' un altra cosa.

Pensa ancora che il Made in Italy abbia un senso/ruolo in un mondo di sourcing globale?

Certamente dobbiamo insistere sulle nostre vocazioni. Cibo, moda, turismo. Il made in Italy non sempre ha senso perché fatto in Italia. Mi piacerebbe vedere grandissimi investimenti nella produzione locale con l'obbiettivo di una esportazione globale, per coinvolgere tutto il mondo e creare movimento aumentando così anche il turismo.

Cosa possiamo ancora esportare nel mondo in modo competitivo?

Le solite cose: Cibo, Cultura, Moda, Desing, creatività...tanta tanta creatività!

Da parte di BAIA ringrazio Nicola Farinetti per la cortesia e la disponibilità dimostrata nel condividere con il nostro network la sua esperienza.

Flavio Notari

Event Recap: Europe and the US: The Next Four Years

2013-02-16T16:04:18-08:00

On February 5th, 2013, BAIA held the much awaited Europe & The US: The Next Four Years panel event with Consul Generals in San Francisco Mauro Battocchi (Italy), Priya Guha (Great Britain), Jorge Montealegre (Spain), and Peter Rothen (Germany) and moderated by Dana King, award winning broadcast journalist.

More event photos: http://on.fb.me/UswrGT

With a record attendance of nearly 200 attendees and supporters, the event was a great success, held at the offices of Squire Sanders in downtown San Francisco and sponsored by Sotheby’s International Realty, Squire Sanders, and Bank of the West. The evening was a unique opportunity to meet and get to know the four Consuls with ample time for quality networking and a nice prelude to the panel discussion.

Panel Agrees: EU-US Relations Are Getting Stronger

The lively panel discussion was primarily focused on the economic relations and trade agreements between the European Union and the US in the next coming years. A key highlight from the panel was that the bilateral relations between the EU and US are getting stronger – not weaker – even despite the fact that developing countries, namely BRIC, are also building stronger relations. The panel’s view was unanimous: the EU-US ties in the next years are going to grow and the effects from developing countries should not be looked as subtractive to EU-US bilateral relations. In terms of foreign trade, Germany, the UK, and Italy all rely substantially on the US market both in terms of imports and exports. So much so, that the four Consuls stressed on the importance of establishing a free-trade agreement between the European Union and the US for the future.

For a synopsis, view the evening highlights:

On behalf of BAIA, I’d like to thank Consul Generals Mauro Battocchi, Priya Guha, Jorge Montealegre, and Peter Rothen. Consul General of France, Romain Serman, was unable to attend. A special thanks to Dana King and Grazia Bennett for making this event a success!

Sergio Mandrone

Additional References:

View Event Photos

View Event Video

Read Consul General Battocchi's blog post & comments

From the press: Italiani all’estero, l’Europa vista da qui: dibattito tra diplomatici europei della Bay Area - di Serena Perfetto

BAIA Upcoming Events: http://link.baia-network.org/events

BAIA Dinner: Meet Three Owners of Self-Funded Businesses

2012-12-25T07:19:28-08:00

The third BAIA Dinner #3: All about Self-Funded Businesses will take place in San Francisco on Tuesday January 22^nd, at 7:00 pm.

We often hear about large amounts of investment capital that enable a business to take off and become profitable. This is however just one scenario: sometimes entrepreneurs found and grow a business without that kind of investment, but through determination and ingenuity, using only the resources at hand. We will hear from Cristiano Sacchi about how he started and grew Novedge, to become the leading online reseller of software for design professionals. We will hear from Shelley Costantini about how she followed her passion and grew BellaPelle Skin Studio into a retail space in Union Square and from Cheri Larsh Arellano how she founded the first certified green business in San Francisco, Conscious Creative.

The price to attend the BAIA Dinner #3: All About Self-Funded Businesses is $51.67 per person. This includes the meal, tip and tax and a glass of Prosecco and the wonderful Amarena Italian Restaurant. It doesn’t include other drinks. And the entire amount can be used towards purchasing or renewing a BAIA Membership at the Individual Level or higher. There are only 6 highly sought-after seats, so send in your request to attend right now!

The Experts:

Cristiano Sacchi has always been passionate about science, engineering and technology. In his quest to make complex technology accessible to the largest possible number of people, he co-founded Actify in 1997, followed by Novedge in 2003. At Novedge, he leads a team of dedicated professionals, going to great length to find complex design software products and making them available to design professionals in North America. Cristiano Sacchi has a Ph.D. in Information Engineering from the Polytechnic of Milan and, when not at work, he can be found skiing, and sailing in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Shelley Costantini began beautifying the world one face at a time as a make-up artist in the Washington DC area. After becoming a licensed Cosmetologist and Esthetician, Shelley chose skin care as her focus and developed a cult-like following and clientele that included politicians, actresses and CNN on-air talent. She also diversified her experience, participating in the product development for a cosmetics line. After relocating to San Francisco, Shelley rapidly established a diverse and loyal following. As a result she founded BellaPelle Skin Studio in 2002 and then, topped her achievements in 2004, by launching the BellaPelle Skin Care line of products focusing on anti-aging and acne treatments, incorporating botanically-based and pharmaceutically-purified products. BellaPelle Skin Studio has been acknowledged in Allure, InStyle and Lucky magazine.

As the founder of Conscious Creative, Cheri Larsh Arellano primarily serves as its creative director and photographer. After several years as a professional photographer in Miami, she moved to Los Angeles where she attended UCLA for graphic design while working as a freelance designer, mostly on entertainment and corporate design. She has been a graphic designer and a photographer for over a decade, and has worked for and with such companies as Warner Brothers, DreamWorks, Universal, Disney and AT&T. Upon realizing that these corporate markets did not satisfy her soul, the idea for Conscious was born. In 2001, Cheri moved to the Bay Area and started Conscious Creative. Today, she enjoys helping organizations like Marin County Parks, Midpeninsula Open Space, Hosteling International and NeighborWorks America. She is committed to increasing awareness around sustainable business practices, saving trees and is an avid animal lover. You can view her personal photography website at cherilarsh.com

How do I attend? Send us a request!

Anybody can request to attend a BAIA Dinner. The price to attend the BAIA Dinner #3: All About Self-Funded Businesses is $51.67 per person. (And the entire amount can be used towards purchasing or renewing a BAIA Supporting Membership). This strictly covers the cost of the meal, tip and tax. It does NOT include drinks, except a complimentary glass of Prosecco. The dinner will take place in San Francisco on January 22^nd, at Amarena Italian Restaurant. Tickets are non refundable.

If you'd like to request to attend, please send an email to Aurora at ameneghello@baia-network.org with the subject line "BAIA Dinner #3" answering succinctly to the following 3 questions:

Why do you want to attend this BAIA Dinner?

Your Linkedin profile or link to your online bio.

Describe yourself in 140 characters.

What Next?

We will process your request and confirm your invitation on a first-come, first-serve basis. Because there are only 6 seats available, make sure to not wait! Participants will be selected with the objective to maximize the mutual learning and mentoring value of BAIA Dinners to all participants. Finally, priority will be given to current BAIA Supporting Members.

Do you have a topic or industry in mind for the next dinner? Let us know, email Aurora Meneghello at ameneghello@baia-network.org with your ideas.

Introducing our great new sponsors: Indoona, Squire Sanders and Bank of the West

2012-12-16T21:02:47-08:00

BAIA is an independent organization run by volunteers and supported by its members and sponsors. Without the individuals and companies that support us, BAIA would not be able to operate. That's why we are very excited to introduce three of our most recent sponsors.

Indoona - Tiscali Group

Indoona is one of the latest ventures of Tiscali. Tiscali launched Indoona in December 2011.

Its new version, Indoona 2.0, is the social evolution of new mobile services, offering a wide range of communication tools: voice calls, video calls and multimedia messaging.

Indoona allows users to share their most important life’s moments (photos, audio and video files) with the contacts on their address book. With Indoona you can communicate with other indoona users for free. You can also save on international roaming charges and calls to traditional landline and mobile operators. Indoona adds new ways to share and stay in touch, with real time transmission of video directly from your smartphone or from the web. Indoona (“all in one” in Sardinian) is the first app integrating interchangeable communication needs: personal, social and sharing.

Indoona is available as a free app for Apple and Android smartphones and tablets and is also accessible on the web at www.indoona.com

Squire Sanders

With over 1,300 lawyers spanning 37 offices in 18 countries, Squire Sanders is one of the world’s strongest integrated legal practices.

The client base of the Firm spans from Fortune 100 and FTSE 100 corporations to emerging companies and from individuals to local and national governments. In the private sector, the Firm provides the full range of legal advice required to implement practical strategies and resolve disputes. In the public sector, it counsel governments on privatization of whole industries and on establishment of regulatory systems under which new private businesses can compete.

Squire Sanders also has strong working relationships with independent firms in Europe and the Middle East, as well as the Squire Sanders Legal Counsel Worldwide Network, which includes independent firms across Latin America.

Bank of the West - BNP Paribas Group

In 1874, Bank of the West opened its doors on the California frontier as Farmers National Gold Bank. One of just 10 banks nationwide authorized to issue paper currency backed by gold reserves, the San Jose bank helped people build homes, finance farms, and grow their businesses.

Today, Bank of the West has customers in all 50 states and operates more than 700 branch banking and commercial office locations in 19 Western and Midwestern states. Prudent credit underwriting, a diversified loan portfolio, and careful risk management have allowed us to grow to more than $62 billion in assets. It is one of the nation’s largest banks, yet it preserves its local feel and its award-winning style of relationship banking that ensures superior customer service.

BNP Paribas is one of the six highest rated banks in the world according to Standard & Poor's. Present in more than 85 countries, the company has more than 200,000 employees. BNP Paribas has a significant presence in the United States and Europe and strong positions in Asia and the emerging markets.

Want to learn more about BAIA Sposnsorhip opportunites? Click here.

An Interview With Francesco Rovetta On Summit Stories

2012-11-28T09:00:00-08:00

Francesco Rovetta, founder of Summit Stories and a close friend of BAIA, told us recently that "reaching a summit, whether on a mountain or in life, means overcoming tremendous challenges: the journey is even more enriching when it is done with and for others." For the next two years, Francesco will embark on a new journey, a lifelong goal close to his heart: Summit Stories, a journey across the seven continents to climb the highest mountains and help local communities. We sat down with Francesco for an interview. Enjoy!

Francesco, tell us a bit about yourself and on your new project Summit Stories.

Born and raised in Milan, my penchant for traveling the world and climbing mountains came at a young age. After working in Europe and Asia for technology companies such as Hitachi, Alcatel, Skype and PayPal, I decided to make San Francisco my home because there are so many natural wonders in the Bay Area. It’s perfect for someone who enjoys the outdoors as much as I do.

My new project Summit Stories is a journey across the seven continents and their highest mountain peaks to help bring educational opportunities to underprivileged youth and local communities. While completing high-altitude mountaineering expeditions, we are raising funds for selected local non-profit organizations in collaboration with supporters and corporations.

What was the driving factor that led you to dedicate the next two years of your life on something "unique, breathtaking and soul-enlightening" as Summit Stories?

Guido Rey, an Italian climber and writer from the beginning of the last century said “I believed, and believe, the fight with the Mountain to be useful like work, noble like arts, wonderful like faith”. I nurtured the idea of combining my passion of the mountains and outdoor adventures with the pursuit of a greater cause and thus a philanthropic outdoor project was born.

On your website http://www.summit-stories.com/ you write that "while I prepare and climb mountains, I will also help bring education opportunities to underprivileged youth and foster entrepreneurship amongst local communities." How does preparing to climb the highest peaks interplay with helping the local communities?

I see climbing a summit as a catalyst for a broader experience that will help benefit a greater cause. Summit Stories will raise funds for selected local non-profit organizations and involve individuals and corporations to collaborate on the project and support the specific local programs.

For example, as I climb Aconcagua in January, I am supporting Fundación Leer, the leading Argentine NGO that provides literacy to under-privileged children. We are currently raising funds on our website and through social media to help Fundación Leer finance a project to train educators for children under 5 years of age and to create libraries for the children.

Other initiatives we are putting in place for future expeditions include volunteering programs, whether on site or remotely, donation matching from corporations, in-kind donations and marketing programs aimed at increasing awareness for the project and the selected non-profits.

Mount Aconcagua (altitude: 6,962 meters) will be your first climb and Fundación Leer will be the first non-profit organization to benefit. Why did you chose Argentina as your first destination?

The access to most mountains, given their high elevation, geographic position and seasonal patterns, is very dependent on weather conditions and often that translates into a relatively narrow window. Planning with this requirement in mind allows the best chance of success with the maximum safety standards. The window for Aconcagua is typically between November and February.

"The greatest accomplishment is sharing it with others" is prominently shown on your website. What does this quote mean to you?

I feel very fortunate for the life I’ve lived so far and the opportunities I have had. Summit Stories is a way to socialize a mission and its goal to benefit children who can help build a better world if they are given the opportunity and help of supporters who share similar beliefs.

Reaching a summit, whether on a mountain or in life, means overcoming tremendous physical and mental challenges with training, practice and motivation: the journey is even more meaningful and more enriching when it is done with and for others. This is our core principle and what drives Summit Stories.

Who can participate in climbing the highest peaks across the seven continents with you and help the local communities? How can BAIA readers contribute?

Summit Stories is very much about getting people involved. This can be done by joining us on one of our climbing expeditions, volunteering for one of the non-profit associations we support, or contributing with donations.

All expeditions require a good level of fitness and the desire to push your limit a little bit further: some involve trekking for one to up to several weeks, others are more technical and require climbing experience, either on rock or on ice.

On site volunteering with the local non-profits is specific to the needs of the associations (in some cases helping build a library or a gym, in some others teach a language or a sport or provide professional expertise like accounting, design, or legal advice) and can be one to several days long.

Corporations can join Summit Stories by sponsoring a Summit Stories Climb, participating in Summit Stories marketing activities and promoting Summit Stories in their internal and external programs.

Of course, we welcome any type of support, feedback and suggestions!

And…Buone scalate sulle montagne e nella vita!

On behalf of BAIA, I would like to thank Francesco for taking the time to share with us his great new adventure! If you are interested in contacting Francesco, you can send him an email at francesco@summit-stories.com

As Mt. Aconcagua is 6,962 meters above sea level, let's help Francesco raise a dollar for each meter in support of Fundación Leer. Visit http://fundrazr.com/campaigns/bNR9a and donate graciously!

Sergio Mandrone

Event Recap: Italian Community Services Honors BAIA at 96th Anniversary Dinner

2012-11-18T11:44:43-08:00

We at BAIA wish to express our deepest appreciation to Italian Community Services (ICS) for honoring our business association at their 96th anniversary dinner on Sunday Nov. 4th at the Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco. A special thanks to Executive Director Anna Maria Pierini and Elena Angeli for acknowledging how both BAIA and ICS maintain a strong commitment and passion for strengthening the Italian community, “from new immigrants to those who are Italian at heart.”

(Left to right: Matteo Daste,BAIA Co-Founder, Lugi E. Pinotti, ICS President, Romana Bracco, ICS Chairman, Giorgio Ghersi, BAIA Co-Founder)

For the past 7 years, BAIA has strived to establish an active business community of Italian professionals and entrepreneurs in the Bay Area thanks to the gracious goodwill and dedication of co-founders Matteo Daste, Giorgio Ghersi, Michele Ursino, our Board of Directors and Governance, our interns, and all our volunteers. We share this same dedication with ICS. For nearly a century they have improved the lives and welfare of Italians and Italian-Americans through “communication, cooperation, and commitment” as Donald (Don) Parachini, ICS Executive Committee member, said during his anniversary dinner speech. Our association also embraces Don’s 3 Cs.

Communication: Social Media, Networking, and Insights

Today, BAIA has multiple touchpoints, both online and offline, for our community to network and share ideas and opportunities. Through our online community, BAIA Link, the geographical barrier is lifted and anyone in Italy, in the US, and worldwide, can openly contribute. The same is true with BAIAbase, a business directory of Italian companies in the US and American companies in Italy. With close to 1,500 fans on Facebook, 1,000 group members on LinkedIn, and 1,100 followers on Twitter, social media truly allows us to communicate with our community in a matter of seconds and build relationships across borders.

In addition to year-round content-rich events, BAIA Aperitivo, held every first Wednesday of the month at different San Francisco locations, is the place for Italians to network, from Italian-Americans, Italians working in the Bay Area, to Italians visiting for business or pleasure.

Cooperation: The Italian Way

The way in which BAIA operates, both within the Governance and Board of Directors, is such that we strive toward cooperation and decisions are taken collectively, weighed on each member’s area of expertise. BAIA, along with its Italian counterpart BAIA Italy in Rome, cooperates with numerous other business associations, Italian and European, in the San Francisco Bay Area and in Italy to organize events and better serve our community.

Commitment: It’s Not Enough To Rely On Our Culture

As Consul General of Italy in San Francisco, Dr. Battocchi pointed out, it’s “not enough to rely on our culture, we must continue and strive forward.” Both ICS and BAIA know this well.

Since 1916, when it was founded by A.P. Giannini, founder of Bank of America, Marco Fontana of Delmonte Corp., Andrea Sbarbaro of Italian Swiss Colony, and Domingo Ghirardelli of Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory, Italian Community Services has renewed itself throughout generations thanks to the commitment and hard work of its members.

BAIA shares this same commitment. Every two years, our governance elects a new Executive Director. With a new executive director come new projects and a new chapter is written. Giorgio Ghersi, our first Executive Director, took on the challenge to build the foundations of present day BAIA. Following Giorgio, Matteo Fabiano achieved to grow BAIA’s visibility to new heights. In September of 2010, through Elisabetta Ghisini’s leadership, BAIA’s core mission to create an open, professional business network for Italian expats was achieved.

Introducing BAIA’s New Executive Director: Veronica Rosso

For 2012 and beyond, our association has broadened its vision to expand our network beyond the Italian and the Italian American community and include more proactively the local community of American professionals in the Bay Area.

With our renewed mission, we at BAIA are very pleased to introduce Veronica Rosso as BAIA’s Executive Director. Please join us in congratulating Veronica! Since 2008, Veronica has shown her commitment to BAIA and, under her leadership, we see a bright future ahead.

Through communication, cooperation, and commitment, both BAIA and Italian Community Services maintain a passion for helping and furthering the Italian and American community. In closing, please consider supporting BAIA, a non-profit organization, as we rely completely on the goodwill and support of our volunteers, members, and sponsors, as well as on the generosity of our donors. Your donation goes a long way in helping your Italian community strive.

Feel free to comment or contact us at membership@baia-network.org and connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Sergio Mandrone & The BAIA Team

BAIA Dinners: Meet Three Recruiting Pros

2012-09-28T11:22:51-07:00

The second BAIA Dinner #2: All About Recruiting will take place in San Francisco on Tuesday October 23rd, at 7:00 pm.

Few people realize the complexity of the recruiting ecosystem: who better to share their knowledge on the topic than three veteran recruiters. We'll ask Lou Sarto, Robert LoPresto and Mike Loscavio about the different models of recruiting and their best practices. This dinner will appeal to many people including managers who use recruiters to fill critical positions, executives who are contacted by recruiters in their career progression and other recruiters comparing evolving methodologies. Join us to discuss the complex practice of talent acquisition.

The price to attend the BAIA Dinner #2: All About Recruiting is $53.65 per person. This includes the meal, tip and tax. It doesn’t include drinks. And the entire amount can be used towards purchasing or renewing a BAIA Membership at the Individual Level or higher. Because there are only 6 seats available, make sure to reserve you seat fast! See below.

Since 1999, Lou Sarto has served as president of Sarto Associates Inc. Prior to founding Sarto Associates, Mr. Sarto joined a prestigious Silicon Valley executive recruiting firm as Partner in 1995. Previous operational roles in high technology include Director of World Wide Marketing for a subsidiary of Pacific Scientific, a $250 million NYSE company whose products included multiple lines of test and measurement instrumentation for semiconductor fabrication. Mr. Sarto also served as Director of Executive Recruitment for NexTag, a web comparison shopping startup which had an $850 M liquidity event in 2007. As an active member of his community, Mr. Sarto has served on the Board of Directors of the Telegraph Hill Dwellers, a prominent San Francisco neighborhood organization as well as Treasurer and subsequently President of the historic Upper Grant Avenue Fall Art Fair, the successor to the oldest outdoor art event in San Francisco. Mr. Sarto holds a Doctorate in Chemistry from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Robert L. LoPresto is Managing Partner of the Retained Executive Search Practice at Duran Human Capital Partners. Duran HCP has been ranked among the top 300 Hispanic owned businesses in the United States. Bob serves clients in a broad range, from start-ups to Fortune 100 companies. He has participated in placing over 1,000 senior executives in his 50 years in executive search and corporate human resources management. He was formerly President of the High Technology Practice at Rusher, Loscavio & LoPresto. Bob was a co-founder and past President of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG), Silicon Valley Chapter and has been honored with lifetime membership and Board Emeritus. He is also on the Board of Directors of Silicon Valley FACES. He previously served on the boards of the Institute for Research on Women and Gender at Stanford University, the Career Action Center (formerly the Resource Center for Women), the National Consortium for Black Professional Development, and chaired the board for the Committee for Jazz at Stanford University. He has served on the Advisory Board of the Silicon Valley Association of Startup Entrepreneurs. Bob was a founding member of the Employment Management Association (EMA) in 1969 and served on EMA’s Board of Directors and as President. In 2002, he was honored by EMA and SHRM granting him lifetime membership for his leadership roles in both organizations. In 2005, Bob was also granted lifetime membership for his 18 years of leadership in NCHRA. Bob is co-author of the Reference Checking Handbook for SHRM and the Handbook of Human Resources Administration by McGraw-Hill. Bob received his B.A. in Business from Rutgers University and his M.A. in Psychology from Seton Hall University.

As President at Rusher Loscavio executive search firm, Michael Loscavio conducts searches in the financial services, high technology, venture-backed staffing and nonprofit practice areas. He has participated in placing over 300 senior executives domestically and internationally. Michael has completed searches for chief executive officers, chief operating officers, chief financial officers, vice presidents in most functional areas and board members. Michael co-authored Strategic Board Recruitment: The Not-for-Profit Model, an examination of the changes taking place in board development and a model for board-building for not-for-profit organizations. Prior to joining the firm in 1977, Michael began his search career as a consultant in 1974 with Spencer Stuart in Chicago. In his previous career in the U.S. Navy, Michael served as Commander and aviator. He was a strategic planner and project manager for the National Scientific Advisory Group where he consulted on domestic and foreign nuclear systems. He also served as the United States representative and foreign liaison officer to the United Nations Command in Tokyo where he interfaced with the Japanese Foreign Office and major foreign embassies. Michael has a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from San Diego State and a Master's degree in Management from the University of Nebraska. A faculty member in Golden Gate University's Executive MBA program for over 20 years, he was the program's Director in San Francisco from 1994 to 1998. Michael coordinates and leads the University's EMBA International Study Tours with businesses and government agencies in Europe, Asia and South America.

How do I attend? Send us a request!

Anybody can request to attend a BAIA Dinner. The price to attend the BAIA Dinner #2: All About Recruiting is $53.65 per person (And the entire amount can be used towards purchasing or renewing a BAIA Supporting Membership). This strictly covers the cost of the meal, tip and tax. It does NOT include drinks. The dinner will take place in San Francisco on October 23rd at 7 pm, and the restaurant and exact location will be communicated to participants only.

If you'd like to request to attend, please send an email to Aurora at ameneghello@baia-network.org with the subject line "BAIA Dinner #2" answering succinctly to the following 3 questions:

Why do you want to attend this BAIA Dinner?

Your Linkedin profile or link to your online bio.

Describe yourself in 140 characters.

What Next?

We will process your request and confirm your invitation on a first-come, first-serve basis. Because there are only 6 seats available, make sure to not wait! Participants will be selected with the objective to maximize the mutual learning and mentoring value of BAIA Dinners to all participants. Finally, priority will be given to current BAIA Supporting Members.

Do you have a topic or industry in mind for the next dinner? Let us know, email Aurora Meneghello at ameneghello@baia-network.org with your ideas.

Mauro Battocchi to start mandate as new Consul General in San Francisco

2012-08-31T13:03:21-07:00

We are pleased to republish a press release issued by the Consulate General of Italy in San Francisco.

San Francisco, August 31, 2012 - Italy will have a new Consul General in San Francisco starting on September 4th, when Mauro Battocchi, 45, takes office at 2590 Webster Street. Battocchi is back on the diplomatic track after four years at a multinational power company, Enel, as head of governmental affairs. "Italy is a world leader in renewable energies and smart-grid technologies," he said in Rome before departing for San Francisco. "I am committed to showing Italy's advancement in sustainability and technology to our San Franciscan and North-Western friends," he added. Previously, he supported the international expansion of Italian firms at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was also the head of the economic section of the Italian Embassy in Tel-Aviv (1999-2002) and served at the financial section of the Italian Embassy in Bonn (1995-1999), taking part in the negotiations for the beginning of the European Monetary Union. Mr. Battocchi graduated in economics at Bocconi University, Milan, and received a Master’s degree in public policy at Princeton University. Born in the Alpine region of Trentino, he would welcome suggestions for the best hiking and skiing spots in the San Francisco area.

On Tuesday September 4, Mr. Battocchi will inaugurate a new Italian institution in town: la nuova scuola internazionale di San Francisco (www.iissf.com/about-us). This is an evolutionary step of the Piccola Scuola Italiana that brought the Reggio-Children model of preschooling to the Bay. Out of its success, it is now offering also elementary schooling. This is modern Italian culture at its best, deep humanistic tradition embedded in modern education methods.