Biographies
William Bongiorno, President
William Bongiorno is president of Blue Chip Public Relations, Inc. He has been a public relations counselor to the financial services industry and worked with the media for the last 14 years.
Prior to practicing public relations, he was a senior editor and writer at a leading financial newswire for four years.
Mr. Bongiorno is the author of Financial Public Relations 101 and was a contributor to the marketing book, Credibility Marketing. He is also the author of a chapter in the new book for 2008, Building Customer Relationships Through Public Relations, published by Aspatore Books.
He has authored articles for Investment Advisor, Investment News, Research, Registered Rep. magazines, and The Westchester County Business Journal. He's been quoted on CBSmarketwatch.com, in Investor's Business Daily, and TV Guide, while being featured in The Journal News, PR Week, and Ragan's Media Relations Report. He's also been a guest on News 12 Connecticut TV and Business Talk Radio Network, a nationally syndicated radio network.
Mr. Bongiorno has spoken at industry conferences including at ING Multi-Financial, and FPA events. He will be moderating a panel for the Center for Due Diligence Conference in 2008.
He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from the State University of New York at Buffalo.
Claudio Pannunzio, Vice President
Mr. Pannunzio possesses a decade of experience in public relations for premiere clients in the financial services industry.
He also has over 20 years of experience working in the financial services industry that includes portfolio management, currency and bond trading, and financial product development.
Prior to joining Blue Chip Public Relations, he served as Vice President and Financial Practice Leader at Gibbs & Soell, Inc., the seventh largest independent public relations firm in the United States. Previously, he was Senior Vice President of the New York-based public relations agency of Stan Adler Associates, where he managed global accounts including Citigroup, Deutsche Bank, Morgan Stanley, and Bessemer Trust.
Mr. Pannunzio was a Portfolio Manager and Marcom Director at Europe-based investment firm ICAM, where he managed a $2.5 billion portfolio of currency and bond overlay exposures and yield-enhancing strategies. He also served as Vice President of currency trading, marketing, and sales at Credit Suisse-First Boston in New York and at Republic National Bank of New York (currently HSBC Bank).
Mr. Pannunzio earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics from The University of Rome, in Italy, as well as a degree in Public Relations and Marketing from New York University in New York.
He is fluent in Italian and Spanish.
Desiree Lombardo, Chief of Administration/Marketing
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Lombardo had six years of experience in administration and marketing at a leading financial public relations firm in New York.
She is in charge of administrative support, as well as marketing for the firm.
She earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Alfred University.