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My name is Truby Chiaviello and I am the publisher and editor of PRIMO. It is a great honor and pleasure for me to publish this magazine.
There are many different reasons why PRIMO readers read the magazine. Some readers like to read about notable Italian Americans and past events that affected the Italian American community. Some readers prefer to read about Italy's contribution to America in the way of art, architecture, music, science, literature, language, history, politics and philosophy. Other readers want to be apprised as to the continuing current status of Italian Americans. They enjoy reading about the latest accomplishments and current events of the Italian American community. Finally, some readers just enjoy reading about Italian food, wine and unique travel destinations in Italy.
Therefore, my editorial goal has to be to satisfy the dynamic demands of our readers. PRIMO shall provide articles to fulfill all readers' interests. In order to achieve this task, my staff and I will work hard providing well-written and well-researched articles that will convey the complete picture of the Italian American experience. These articles shall educate, entertain, and enlighten readers. I am confident that every issue of PRIMO will be cherished and enjoyed by you and your entire family. I hope PRIMO will be another means to inspire greater pride among Italian Americans about our shared heritage and progress and to enhance a greater appreciation of the continuing legacy of Italy.
As you can tell from my last name, I am of Italian descent. I am no stranger to the Italian American experience and Italy's outstanding history and culture. What does my last name mean in Italian? The root word of my last name chiavi is the plural of the word "key" in Italian. Usually in Italian, the last four letters of one's last name that ended e-l-l-o usually meant "little" in Italian. It was sometimes an affectionate reference by fellow Italians to a particular craftsman. My presumption is that one of my ancestors had an occupation as a key maker in Italy and hence my family was given this last name. I would like to think that Chiaviello (little keys) was an affectionate name given by villagers to a well-liked key maker many years ago.
My grandfather Samuel Chiaviello came to America from a small village, Sera, in the late 1800s. He was just a boy and lived for much of his early life on his own in lower Manhattan.
My grandmother Fanizzia "Fannie" Passanante came from Avellino, a mid size city in Campania region in Italy. One PRIMO reader, Joann Primamore, told me during a recent phone conversation that her family also came from Avellino. She says that Avellino has had a strong historic connection to Germany and many Germans settled in the city throughout the years. For much of my life, I thought that my fair skin and tall frame came from my mother's Anglo side of the family. But Mrs. Primamore says many Italians who hale from this region resemble Germans. Her input made me realize that it may be due to my Italian side of the family as to why I am six feet tall and sunburn easily.
My grandmother was one of three children who settled in America with her father and mother. She and my grandfather had five children: Philip, Anthony, Anna, Helen and my father Robert.
My father and mother, Esther, raised my family and me in Rutherford, New Jersey. My hometown is one of many small towns just west of Manhattan. The small towns are like large ethnic neighborhoods of New York. Hundreds of thousands of Italians live there and to this day when I visit I cannot get over the number of Italian names on storefronts throughout the area. Like the northern New Jersey area where I grew up, I attended college in an area of Pennsylvania with a high concentration of Italian Americans. My alma mater is Washington & Jefferson College, located in Washington in the area of western Pennsylvania where PRIMO began. As so many PRIMO readers who live in Pennsylvania can testify, that area also consists of hundreds of thousands of Italian Americans. Indeed, my personal experience has put me in contact with all kinds of different people of Italian ethnicity.
Ever since graduating from college, I have been employed in the publication business in a variety of positions. I know and I like the publication business very much. I have worked as a beat reporter, assistant editor, advertising salesperson, circulation manager and administrator for several newspapers and magazines.
In both my personal and professional experience, I believe I come to the job as publisher and editor of PRIMO well qualified. I am very proud of my Italian heritage and my goal is to convey that pride through the example of making PRIMO the best magazine it can be. Thank you for reading PRIMO and with God's blessing, may you, your family and friends continue to enjoy the magazine for many years to come.
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