Joseph DiTrapani following in the footsteps of his beloved father Sam DiTrapani has been active in the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA) for over 48 years. Joseph became National President in 2009, during the 51st Biennial National Convention in La Jolla, California. In August 2011 he was re-elected by acclamation to serve a second two-year term as National President.
Born in Brooklyn, he was one of four children in a family with roots in Sicily and Calabria. Soon after receiving his Bachelor of Business Administration from the prestigious College of Insurance, he began his professional career at Washington National Life Insurance Company. A year later, he joined Dascit/White & Winston, New York State’s largest life, health and pension brokerage agency and rose to the position of Vice President in 1986. In 1989, Joe acquired Dascit/White & Winston serving as its President and CEO where he continued his successful career in the Insurance industry until his retirement in 2017.
As the National President of the Order, Joe brought a new vision to the organization with his ease in leadership and approachability. As President, Joe helped raise funds for a center for autistic children which was devastated by the April 2009 L’Aquila earthquake. In September of 2010 in coordination with SIF President Vincent Sarno, he traveled to Italy to bring $235,000 of SIF funds to the center in L’Aquila, Fondazione Il Cireneo Onlus per L’Autismo.
After completing his four years as National President, Joseph DiTrapani’s service to the Order did not come to an end. In August 2013 he was unanimously voted to serve as the President of the National Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF) and worked diligently to secure funding for this charitable organization. In 2016, on behalf of the SIF, Joseph once again traveled to Mucci, Italy to present a $100,000 donation to the Andrea Bocelli Foundation to assist in the reconstruction of the “E. De Amicis” pre-school and elementary school which had been rendered unfit for use by the disastrous earthquake swarm in 2016. For the 2019-2021 biennium period, Joe served as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for the National Office during a period of transition in the lead position and absence of an executive director.
In December 2005 Joseph DiTrapani was presented with the title of Cavaliere through the Chancellery of the Savoy Orders in Geneva, an honor that is bestowed upon persons of importance in the Italian American community. At the present time, Joe holds two prestigious titles of Ufficiale in the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus and the title of Commendatore that he received directly from the President of the Republic of Italy.
Joseph and his wife Carol of 51 years are truly blessed with a wonderful family and find joy with their six beautiful grandchildren. They are inspired each and every day by their loving children Scott and Lauren, Matthew and Taylor, Todd and Suzanne, who have all excelled in their professional careers. Whenever called upon, the DiTrapani family have contributed generously to charitable causes of the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America and take great pride in their role in the Order.
A dynamic leader, Joseph DiTrapani united and inspired many to take the next step together, always, confident in the future, confident in the ability to make the Order stronger and more productive than it had ever been. As someone once said, “Blessed is the leader who seeks the best for those he serves!”
