Italian culture in the spotlight at Borough Hall

Brooklynites joined Borough President Marty Markowitz in a celebration of Italian American heritage and culture at Brooklyn Borough Hall on Thursday, October 10.

Many came out to enjoy the festivities that included performances by award-winning singer and PBS Host Cristina Fontanelli and the Figli Maria S.S. Addolorata Folkloristic Dancers, as well as to recognize Diane and Frank V. Carone, the latter a partner at the law firm Abrams Fensterman, LLP and a commissioner at the Taxi and Limousine Commission.

Frank Carone was born and raised in Brooklyn, where he graduated from St. John’s University cum laude in 1991 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Finance. He received his Juris Doctor at Brooklyn Law School, where he graduated in the top of his class in 1994. Carone was appointed by Mayor Michael Bloomberg to the NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission and his appointment was approved unanimously by the NYC Council on March 2, 2011 for a term through January 31, 2015.

Carone said he was very appreciative of having being honored at the celebration. He was even happier to have his wife honored along with him. “To see my wife recognized as well, her family and my family, in attendance was very special” said a grateful Carone, who noted, “Looking at the attendees, it was like having a toast during the holidays in a room filled with friends and family.”

Honoring members of Brooklyn’s many ethnic communities is something that Markowitz has done ever since taking office, and Carone said that the event – like the many others that preceded it — was “a testament to Marty Markowitz’s leadership and his passion to bring the diverse richness of this borough together.”

Carone is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the Brooklyn Bar Association, the American Association of Bank Directors, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Kings County Criminal Bar Association and the Columbian Lawyers Association.

He encourages young Brooklynites not to waste time in life, urging, “Have a plan and follow your heart. Every day is a gift; don’t waste them and you’ll see how your dreams become reality.”