MILFORD COLUMBUS COMMITTEE
MILFORD COLUMBUS COMMITTEE
NEWS & EVENTS
The Milford Columbus Committee
2022 Dinner Dance
Saturday, October 15, 2022
2022 Award Recipients
Italian American of the Year
Dr. David Esposito
Dr. David Esposito, M.D., FACS, FCCP, is a native of Milford. Dr. Esposito graduated from Foran High School and then from Yale University with a degree in Chemistry. He received his medical training at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina in 1994, and completed a general surgery residency at Rush-Presbyterian St. Luke’s Medical Center and Cook County Hospital in Chicago.
Dr. Esposito completed fellowships in vascular surgery and cardiothoracic surgery at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. He also earned a master’s degree in business administration from the Yale University School of Management in 2007. He is one of only approximately 130 surgeons in the United States to be Board Certified in 3 specialties: General surgery, Vascular surgery, and Cardiothoracic surgery. Dr. Esposito is a fellow of the American College of Surgeons and of the American College of Chest Physicians, as well as a member of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the Society for Vascular Surgery. He enjoys hospital privileges at the nearby Milford Hospital, where he is the Chairmen of the Department of Surgery and Chief of Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery.
In his free time, Dr. Esposito is active in the community as a member of the Milford Columbus Committee, the Milford Rotary Club, and the United Way of Milford. He is on the Board of Trustees of the Milford Bank. He has a lifelong love of sports, and was captain of the Yale Varsity baseball team in 1990. He is the Head Wrestling coach at his alma mater, Foran High School, and led them to State Championships in 2016 and 2018. He lives in Milford with his wife Suzanne. Between them they have seven children and one grandchild!
Special Achievement
Paige Miglio
A Milford resident for over 25 years, Paige Miglio grew up along the CT shoreline in Madison and Old Saybrook. Paige attended the Rhode Island School of Design with a BA in Illustration. She worked as an art director at Houghton Mifflin and DC Heath’s elementary publishing departments, and was the manager of Studio Goodwin Sturges, an international stable of illustrators and writers of children’s literature in Boston for eight years.
After moving to Milford in 1997, Paige illustrated a series of successful books (the Bunny books), written by Rick Walton with Houghton Mifflin, while raising her two children who attended Milford public schools. She served as Simon Lake PTA President, wrote her first state grant for an elementary reading program, served as an Officer of the Milford Yacht Club, served as MRCC Board Chair from 2020-2022 and volunteered for various community events before and during her tenure as the Executive Director of the Milford Arts Council, the MAC.
Since taking the helm at the MAC since 2013, Paige has rebranded the organization, strengthened its visibility and built public awareness, reworked its programming, overseen extensive renovations to both venues, supported fellow non-profits by collaborating and hosting fundraising events, worked closely with the City and business districts as a partner to improve our economic bottom line, impact as a tourism destination, and to help create a community that all of Milford can feel pride in.
Paige is honored by this award; to be seen as a community advocate, partner, and supporter.
Special Recognition
Gary Johnson
Born in New Haven and a resident of Milford since 1976. Gary Johnson has served as President and CEO of United Way of Milford since January 1986. He joined the non-profit organization on March 18, 1978.
A licensed attorney, Gary practiced law in the 1980’s along with doing the work of the United Way. He holds a B.A. Degree from the University of Connecticut (1974) and a J.D. from Quinnipiac University School of Law(1981). His community involvement over the years includes membership with Milford Rotary and the Milford Technology Advisory Committee, an organization dedicated to donating refurbished computers to families in need. Gary was a member of the Board of Directors of the Milford Human Services Department and the Senior Wish Society and a former member of the Saint Mary’s School Board, Boys & Girls Village Advisory Board, Milford Jaycees and the Milford Pension and Retirement Board. He also serves as a corporator for the Milford Bank and formerly served as a corporator with Milford Hospital. He is a Board Member of the Milford Regional Chamber of Commerce. Gary is also a Board member of the newly organized Subway Cares Foundation. He received the Robert Kapusta Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021 from the Milford Chamber.
Gary and his wife Beverly have been married 45 years and are the proud parents of Brooke, Terra and Brent and the grandparents of Noella & Sailee.
Scholarship Recipients
Anthony Giordano - John and Grace Esposito / Frank and Sunda Longo scholarship
Anthony Giordano will be a 2022 graduate from Foran High School. At Foran, Anthony was a Natural Helper officer, Business Editor for the Mane Street Mirror, and part of the mentorship program. Anthony was the Captain of the Foran Wrestling Team his senior year and wrestled both on and off-season during his high school years. For work, Anthony spends summers running a Boat Cleaning business where he uses his scuba diving certification to work under boats in the water. Other work experience includes a Barista at CappuGinos and is currently interning at Porch and Patio learning the business. Anthony will be attending the University of South Carolina in Columbia this fall and majoring in business at the Darla Moore School of Business. Anthony appreciates the opportunity that this award will provide.
Jack Weber
Jack Weber is a senior scholar-athlete from Milford, CT, graduating from Notre Dame HS in West Haven in May. In the fall, he will attend St. Michael’s College in Vermont on both academic and athletic scholarships, where he will study Health Science in the Honor’s Program and play baseball for the Purple Knights. Jack is a proud member of the National Honor Society, English Honor Society, Math Honor Society, and the Spanish Honor Society. Jack also received the National Seal of Biliteracy and was selected as a Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership seminar delegate in his Sophomore Year. He will graduate with a cumulative GPA of over 4.25, having taken seven Advanced Placement courses, four UCONN ECE courses, and completing Notre Dame’s Sports Medicine Program. In addition to his time at 3rd Base for the Green Knights, Jack is a member of BRO (Brothers Reaching Others), TEAM ND, Interact Club, Intramurals, a Green Machine pep squad leader, the Green Knight News Network, and a Peer Counselor. Outside of school, he has donated his time to a number of altruistic endeavors including Westies on Wheels, W.H.E.A.T., Nourish of Bridgeport, and Camp Rising Sun. Jack credits his parents and his older sister as his role models both in and out of the classroom and is extremely grateful to the Milford Columbus Committee for their recognition and generous award.
Natalie Roney
Natalie Roney is a graduating senior at St. Joseph High School in Trumbull, CT. She has been involved in softball, volleyball, and many other clubs and activities. She was selected as a member of the National Honor Society and Italian National Honor Society. Natalie was the St. Joseph High School’s Italian Club president, served on the Executive Board for Student Ambassadors, was a Writing Center Tutor, and regularly tutored underclassmen in biology. In addition, she founded the Future Healthcare Providers Club, which provided students with insight into different professions in the medical field. Outside of school, Natalie volunteered with Youth United Coastal Fairfield County and served as Secretary and Vice President. She also volunteered with Bridgeport Hospital- Milford Campus, Yale-New Haven Health System, and the Audubon Society. In 2021, Natalie earned her Girl Scout Gold Award for over 85 hours of service for her sustainable projects, which promoted ocean conservation. She has worked at Colony Grill in Milford as a hostess and plans to continue to work there this summer. This fall, she will attend Villanova University, where she will study nursing. She is very excited about everything to come and incredibly thankful for this scholarship opportunity.
Jamie Andrade - Excellence in Sports
Jamie Andrade will be attending Boston College in the fall, majoring in Business. She attended St. Joseph High School in Trumbull, CT and excelled in both their academic and extra-curricular offerings throughout her four years there. Jamie was a member of the Debate Team, a Student Ambassador, a Peer Minister, a Writing Center Vice President, and she served as President and Co-Founder of the Future Healthcare Professionals Club. In the classroom she took advantage of the resources offered to her, becoming both a Physics Subject Award recipient and a Mandarin Subject Award recipient as well as earning a place in the National Honors Society, Foreign Language Honor Society, and Math Honors Society. Outside of school she was a member of Varsity Golf all four years of high school and earned All-State titles her Junior and Senior seasons. These achievements on the golf course are even more meaningful to Jamie as she has a paralyzed arm and has worked through her physical ailment to earn these titles for her school.