History

 

In February 2000, CIBPA Niagara, the official chapter of CIBPA National, was founded by Mr. Lillo Puma, the Italian Vice-Consul of Niagara Falls. With a small group of local professionals and businessmen, Puma began hosting bi-weekly meetings in his office. The chapter's first public meeting was held in June 2000, and hosted over 75 Italian-Canadian business professionals from across Niagara, all of whom were eager to grow the organization. Together, these men and women formed a steering committee with Mr. Dan Finora as the chapter's President. In November of the same year, CIBPA Niagara hosted its first, formal dinner meeting at Club Italia Banquet Center, which was sponsored by Royal Bank of Canada. By year-end, CIBPA Niagara was incorporated, and it began 2001 as an official association with monthly dinner meetings. Now in its 20th year of operations, with hundreds of members across the Niagara Peninsula, CIBPA Niagara continues to pride itself on professional networking opportunities, fundraising events, and cultural celebrations.