Dr. Vincenzo Sellaro Award - 2017 Honoree
William (Bill) Zuppa William, or “Bill” as he is known to OSIA members, was born in Brooklyn, New York, and was one of seven children born to Michael Zuppa (Capua, Campania) and Giovanina Molino (Eboli, Campania), who came to the United States in 1915 and 1919, respectively. He is a Charter member of the Joseph B. Franzalia Lodge #2422 and has been a member of that lodge since 1978, serving as President, Treasurer, and Financial Secretary. He has also held several offices in the Grand Lodge of Florida, including Financial Secretary (2007 – 2011), Second Vice President (2011 – 2015), and First Vice President (2015 – 2017). Bill served twenty years in the United States Air Force (1953 – 1973), retiring as a Senior First Sergeant. Over the course of his service, Bill received numerous distinctions, including the Bronze Star, Korean Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Air Force Good Conduct Medal, United Nations Service Medal, and National Defense Service Medal. True to his service roots, Bill served as President, Past President and Charter Founder of the Veterans Tribute Tower Memorial, a memorial in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. The Memorial Tower is dedicated to all past, present, and future veterans. In addition he played a key role in helping raise more than $250,000 for the memorial, which was officially dedicated on Memorial Day 2016. Bill continues as a board member of the Veterans Memorial Tower. In addition to serving as a volunteer little league baseball coach, he also played a key role in the organizing/founding of the Shalimar Florida Little League Baseball Program. Bill is the consummate OSIA member. A Charter member of the Joseph B. Franzalia Lodge #2422 for thirty-nine years, he was instrumental in acquiring land and overseeing construction for the lodge’s building—one of just five lodge buildings in Florida. In addition to serving as the lodge’s President, Treasurer, and Financial Secretary, Bill was a co- founder/organizer of the lodge’s Festa Italiana as well as a Charter/Founder of the lodge’s Amici d’Italiani golf tournament. He is a founder of three OSIA lodges, all located in Northwest Florida—Buona Fortuna Lodge #2835 in Pensacola (2006), William Zuppa Lodge #2845 in Panama City (2008), and Richard A. Capozzola Lodge #2865 in Crestview (2010). Bill then mentored and counseled these fledgling lodges to ensure their success and survival. Bill has also been integral to bringing the Grand Lodge of Florida accounting programs online. He is the founder and webmaster of the Grand Lodge of Florida Website (www.osiafl.org). A loving husband of more than sixty years to his wife, Chiyoko, Bill met his wife when he was stationed in Okinawa. He is the proud father of three (Dr. Jim Zuppa, Attorney Donna Ansell, and Security Consultant/Entrepreneur Joseph Zuppa), grandfather of six (Jessica, Jenna, Jovonna, Ryan, Alyssa, Michael), and great-grandfather of three (Ellen, Vera, Rowley). 8
Order Sons of Italy in America®
