Vito Giannola, the vice president and Treasurer North America for Luxottica Group, a world leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of fashion, luxury, sports and performance eyewear, has been named Chairman of the American Heart Association’s 2018 Long Island Heart Walk. This year’s walk will be taking place on Sunday, Sept. 16, at Jones Beach in Wantagh.
In his current position, Giannola leads the North American Corporate Treasury function, managing Luxottica’s portfolio of investments, risk and liquidity. In addition to his role as treasurer, over his 32 years at Luxottica, Giannola has held many director and executive level roles. In the early part of his career he managed the finance, operations and distribution divisions of the wholesale business, and was instrumental in developing the processes and policies necessary to address a business tripling in size. During this time, he was routinely called on to present earnings results to Luxottica’s largest global investors. Later on, Giannola managed the M&A activities critical to Luxottica’s growth in North America. In 1995, there was the $1.5 billion acquisition of The U.S. Shoe Corporation, the parent company of Lenscrafters. Four years later, an asset purchase of the eyewear business of Bausch and Lomb, brought the iconic Ray-Ban brand to the Luxottica portfolio; and in 2001, Luxottica concluded the stock purchase of Sunglass Hut.
“I am honored to serve as the 2018 Long Island Heart Walk Chairman,” said Giannola. “I look forward to working with Executive Leaders across Long Island to help raise awareness and funds for the American Heart Association to continue its mission to build healthier lives.”
The Long Island Heart Walk supports a ground-breaking national American Heart Association movement to get America walking to live longer, heart-healthy lives.
The annual success of the Long Island Heart Walk is due in part to Life Is Why Sponsors: Bradley & Parker, Inc. & Petro Home Services. Local sponsors include Geico, Voxx, TD Bank, Bethpage Federal Credit Union, Catholic Health Services, NYU Winthrop Hospital, Chase, Zwanger Pesiri Radiology, CohnReznick, Luxottica, Americana Manhasset and Deloitte. Local media sponsors are Cox Media Long Island and Connoisseur Media.
Giannola lives on Long Island with his wife Caterina and three children; Gabriella, Olivia and Nicolas.
For more information about the Long Island Heart Walk, call the American Heart Association at 516-962-0797 or visit www.longislandheartwalk.org.
—Submitted by the American
Heart Association
