Notre Dame alum named LLS National Man of the Year

Nationally recognized Andiamo founder and owner helped raise $177,000 toward cure for blood cancers. 

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) announced this week that Joe Vicari, a Notre Dame alum from the Class of 1975 and owner of Andiamo Restaurant Group, has been named its 2016 National Man of the Year. 

Vicari participated as a national nominee for the organization’s largest annual fundraiser, the Man & Woman of the Year competition. Today, organizers at LLS announced that Vicari’s participation encouraged more than $177,000 in donations. The money raised supports efforts – locally and nationally – to fund blood-cancer therapies. 

“I want to thank all who generously donated to support this effort,” said Vicari. “While it is an honor to earn this title, it means even more to know that all donations to this effort will help us toward a world free of blood cancers.” 

Vicari participated in the Man & Woman of the Year program in honor of his close friend, James Giftos, who passed away in 2011 after a long battle with multiple myeloma, a blood cancer related to leukemia. Giftos founded National Coney Island and was an esteemed figure in Detroit business. 

Andiamo locations and its visitors across metro Detroit helped to support this effort. On June 11, the Andiamo Celebrity Showroom in Warren served as the setting for the 2016 Man & Woman of the Year gala. 

From March 30 to June 10, 2016, all nine Andiamo locations and Joe Muer Seafood served as donation drop-off locations. Many individually hosted special events also were held to support the effort and mission of LLS. 

In Royal Oak, Andiamo General Manager Patti Mooradian and Beverage Manager Chris LaMacchio co-hosted a celebrity bartender night that raised more than $2,700 alone for LLS, while Andiamo locations in Sterling Heights and Livonia reported more than $5,000 toward the cause and in Warren, $4,000 was raised over the course of the effort. 

For every dollar raised on behalf of any Man & Woman of the Year candidate, one vote was given to that candidate toward earning the title of Man or Woman of the Year. While Vicari has participated and supported the LLS effort in the past, this marks his first year as a national candidate, and national Man of the Year recipient. 

About Andiamo Restaurant Group: 
Andiamo founder and CEO Joseph Vicari knows what it takes to build a restaurant group based on three simple Italian principles – great food, great family, and great zest for life. Over the last 26 years, Vicari has developed nine Andiamo Restaurants which have redefined Italian dining in metro Detroit, as well as one location in Las Vegas and one inside Detroit Metro Airport. Vicari, who also owns the award-winning Joe Muer Seafood, has 17 restaurants in his restaurant empire. For locations, hours, menus and more information, visit www.andiamoitalia.com. 

About the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: 
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer. The LLS mission is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. The organization funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services. 


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About Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy

Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. The school's upper division enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's middle and lower divisions enroll students in jr. kindergarten through grade eight. All three divisions are International Baccalaureate "World Schools." The Marist Fathers and Brothers sponsor NDPMA's Catholic identity and manages its educational program. Notre Dame is accredited by the National Association of Independent Schools, the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org.



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