An intimate but meaningful dinner in Toledo celebrated the work carried out over the past years by Italy’s Consul in Detroit, Allegra Baistrocchi, who is nearing the end of her mandate. The event was organized as a tribute by the partners with whom the Consulate has built projects, institutional relations, and economic initiatives that have strengthened the Italian presence in Ohio.
The evening was hosted by Louis Tosi, a lawyer highly active in the local community, a member of the NIAF board, and one of the founders of the Italian Bowl in Toledo. Alongside him were his partner Mary Ellen and several of the people who, in recent years, have collaborated with the Consul in developing ties between the region and Italy.
Among those present were key figures from the civic and economic life of the area: Toledo’s Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz, with whom the Consulate has worked on several initiatives; the president of the University of Toledo; the president of the Regional Growth Partnership, the area’s economic development agency; and Pat Tiberi, former Ohio Congressman and now head of the Ohio Roundtable, an association bringing together CEOs of the state’s largest companies (with a combined revenue of over $2.5 trillion).
Also in attendance were members of the Italian community: Nick Eyde, one of the promoters of the Italian Bowl project in Toledo, joined by his Italian wife Gaia; chef Francesco Del Noce, involved in Italian Cuisine Week initiatives; and other collaborators and friends of the Consulate.
The Keys to the City: a rare honor
The most meaningful moment of the evening came when the mayor announced that Consul Baistrocchi would receive the Keys to the City of Toledo, an honor granted to very few individuals.
“What can you give a woman who already has everything? Well, she definitely didn’t have this,” the mayor said while presenting the award, noting that previous recipients included President Nixon.
The Consul accepted the recognition with emotion: “This honor celebrates work that goes far beyond Detroit: it’s the result of a consistent effort to represent Italy across the region… and it reached Toledo strongly, thanks to this fantastic community of Italians but also lovers of Italy, many of whom are gathered in this room.”
Governor DeWine’s letter
Former Congressman Pat Tiberi added a second tribute of great prestige: an official commendation letter from Ohio Governor Mike DeWine. The gesture, Tiberi explained during the dinner, came spontaneously from the Governor’s enthusiasm, especially following their recent remarks at the inauguration of a new Italian manufacturing facility—Westrafo—in the state.
The investment, roughly $15 million for 279 newly created jobs, is one of the latest examples of growing interest from Italian companies in Ohio. The Consulate has played an active role in this trend, facilitating institutional meetings and opportunities for collaboration.
Another announcement added to the evening’s focus on Italian presence in the Midwest: the president of the regional economic development agency revealed that La Linea Verde, another Italian group, had signed an agreement that very day to invest around €10 million in the Toledo area. “In this case as well,” said RGP President Dean Monske, “the Consulate played an active role in helping convince the company to choose the Toledo area.”
What began as a simple gesture of friendship became a full institutional tribute to the work carried out by Consul Baistrocchi in Ohio—work that has brought investments, university partnerships, political relations, and cultural initiatives, now recognized through the words of public officials and the testimonies of those who worked closely with her.
“Toledo will always have a place in my heart—not only for the great honor of receiving the Keys to the City, which fills me with pride, but also and above all for the genuine friendships and the enthusiasm for Italy that I have always experienced here,” Baistrocchi said.
A sentiment widely reciprocated, as shown by the affection and gratitude of a community that came together to celebrate not only the end of a mandate, but the beginning of a legacy destined to endure.
