Mr. Sodano was nominated for the "Special Achievement Award in Business" by New York Stock Exchange Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Richard A. Grasso, who serves as vice chair for the NIAF and who presented the award to Mr. Sodano.
The National Italian American Foundation is a non-profit organization that has honored some of the most prominent business leaders and entertainers of Italian descent over the past 27 years. Proceeds from the Gala will benefit education and scholarship programs, as well as help support "Gardens of Hope," an NIAF urban garden project which provides food to the homeless and those living in inner-city shelters.
Mr. Sodano was elected chairman and chief executive officer of the American Stock Exchange in September 1999; he had been acting president of the Amex since March 1999. Mr. Sodano was an integral part of the American Stock Exchange acquisition team and led its integration into the NASD in 1998. Since then, Mr. Sodano has guided the Amex through a renaissance - reengineering the Amex into its three strong core businesses: equities, options and exchange traded funds.
Mr. Sodano has served in a variety of capacities for the NASD since 1997, and continues to serve as vice chairman of the NASD and as a member of its Board of Governors. Prior to the NASD, Mr. Sodano was chief manager and principal operating officer of Westpac Banking Corporation's Americas division. Mr. Sodano has also held key positions at Bankers Trust Company, Price Waterhouse and Morgan Guaranty International Finance Corporation.
Mr. Sodano received his bachelor's degree in accounting and economics and his master's degree in finance and investments from Hofstra University. He was elected as Chairman of the Board of Trustees in October 2002. Prior to that, Mr. Sodano was co-chair of Hofstra's Endowment Committee and a member of the Finance and Development Committees.
Mr. Sodano has been recognized for numerous personal and professional achievements. In May 2000, he received the prestigious Ellis Island Medal of Honor award. In April 2001, Mr. Sodano was named to the distinguished post of knight for the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of Saint George, and later in January 2003, as a knight in the Sovereign Military of Malta. In May 2001, he was appointed by the Mayor of Beijing to serve on the Chinese Economic Zone Advisory Board for Zhongguancun Science Park, China's premiere high tech development zone, and in April 2002, he was appointed to the FTSE/Xinhua Index Committee, which oversees the FTSE/Xinhua China series of domestic indexes for Mainland China. Mr. Sodano is also a member of the Financial Services Firms Advisory Council of the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation and The Economic Club of New York.
