John Salamone came to Washington DC more than 40 years ago to work as an Executive Assistant in the United States Congress. After 10 years he moved to the Department of Justice, where he served as Congressional Liaison at INS. For five years he worked with the White House, the Congress and the business community on issues relating to our U.S. immigration policies. After nearly 15 years in the government, in 1984 Salamone moved to the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), a young Washington-based non-profit organization providing educational opportunities for young people and serving as a business, cultural and political link between Italy and the U.S. Salamone immediately made his mark as a skilled fundraiser by combining his network of business, political and entertainment contacts, and doubling NIAF's revenues during his first year. Since that time he built the NIAF Washington Gala into one of the most successful annual events in the nation, raising millions of dollars each year to support the organization's programs. He also used his skills to build the Foundation's endowment through direct mail campaigns, major gifts, website development, product endorsement and royalty income. Over a 25 year period he brought the organization to a Four Star Charity Navigator rating, and a healthy endowment to support its programs. While he built NIAF revenues, Salamone also help raise millions of dollars for other groups, including Larry King and his Cardiac Foundation, the Barbara Sinatra Center for Abused Children, UCLA Children's Hospital, the Andrea Bocelli Foundation, the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center, the MDA, the Tyler Robinson Foundation for pediatric cancer research, and many others. He is especially proud of the significant funds he raised for the Sabin Vaccine Institute, since his only son, David, was afflicted with polio as an infant. In November 2008, John Salamone established Salamone Associates LLC. This company brings together more than three decades of his experience in raising funds for non-profits through events and other creative fund development initiatives. His success draws from his personal relationships with CEO's of Fortune 500 companies, political leaders, and members of the entertainment community. He and his team bring experience and dedication to every client and project creating a winning formula for success. He is a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor. In 2008 Mr. Salamone was presented by Ambassador Giovanni Castellaneta with the Commendatore Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana, and in 2007, he was invested as a Knight within the Order of St. John.