Italians of the Year to be honored in Norwich
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Aug. 27—NORWICH — A longtime pharmacist and the co-owner of the popular meat store, Salem Prime Cuts, have been named Italians of the Year by the Italian Heritage and Cultural Committee of Norwich.
The committee will honor pharmacist Daniel C. Leone and Salem Prime Cuts co-owner John L Fusaro Jr. at a banquet at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 13, at the Holiday Inn in Norwich.
Both recipients have long records of civic involvement in the Norwich area and the state of Connecticut.
Fusaro graduated from Norwich Free Academy in 1961 and started working immediately as a meat cutter at Melvin's Shop Rite in Norwichtown. He worked in several local grocery stores and meat companies before becoming a food inspector in 1970 for the state Department of Consumer Protection. He then worked as a meat inspector for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
In 1986, Fusaro and fellow meat inspector Tom Rozanski bought the Salem meat store, Lecce's, and changed the name to Salem Prime Cuts. Since Rozanski's retirement, Fusaro runs the business with his son, John Fusaro III, his wife Nanci Fusaro and his grandson John Fusaro IV.
Fusaro has been active with youth sports in both Norwich and Salem, and was a longtime member of the East Great Plain Volunteer Fire Department and a lifetime member of Norwich Elks Club. He is a member of the United Italian Society and The Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce.
Leone graduated from NFA in 1949 and earned his bachelor's degree in pharmacy at the University of Connecticut in 1953. He returned to Connecticut after two years serving in the Army Medical Service School and joined his father at Leone's Pharmacy in Norwich and managed the business after his father died in 1961.
In 1975, Leone sold the pharmacy and became executive vice president of the Connecticut Pharmacists Association.
Leone served on numerous Norwich city and civic organizations and was appointed to the state Commission of Pharmacy in 1972. After assuming the position of executive vice president of CPA, Leone was active in state and national health issues.
Tickets for a buffet dinner are available at The Liberty Store, $40 at the Liberty Store, 426 E. Main St., Norwich, phone, (860) 889-1369, or call Frank Jacaruso at (860) 889-0864. No tickets will be sold at the door.
