‘One of my greatest honors’: Jim Mazzo awarded Ellis Island Medal of Honor
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Key takeaways:
- Jim Mazzo was named an Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipient.
- “[Ellis Island] represents how immigrants have been able to realize their dreams of freedom, safety and opportunity,” Mazzo said.
Jim Mazzo, executive chairman of Neurotech, received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in a ceremony on the island, a memorable evening for the 4-decade industry executive of the ophthalmic industry.
“It was one of my greatest honors,” Mazzo told Healio/OSN.
Since 1986, the award has been presented annually to immigrants and their descendants who have shown an outstanding commitment to serving the nation professionally, culturally or civically, according to the Ellis Island Honors website.
Behind the award, Mazzo saw the hard work of his grandparents — the Mazzos, Caliguris, Casa Di Baris and Guaggentis — all of whom immigrated to the U.S. from southern Italy between 1910 and 1920.
“They actually all came through Ellis Island,” Mazzo said. “They all stayed and became Americans.”
Their ocean crossings laid the foundation, decades later, for Mazzo’s long and distinguished ophthalmic industry career, during which he has led multiple companies. Currently, he leads the board at Neurotech, a biotech company focused on treatments for chronic eye disease, and holds board positions at other companies.
“I think about how far the American health system has come since my grandparents first arrived. The American Foundation for the Blind had just been created, and there was a large population of visually impaired. Fortunately, due to research developments of those who came before us, there has been a huge reduction in the proportion of people with visual impairment and blindness worldwide,” Mazzo said.
Mazzo said that he and his wife, Kelly, focus their philanthropic efforts toward improving health with an emphasis on improving vision care.
He appreciated the patriotic nature of the ceremony, during which he said members of the 82nd Airborne Division chorus sang “God Bless the U.S.A.”
“I don’t think there was a dry eye in the audience,” he said of that moment.
Mazzo was one of eight award recipients selected to give a brief speech. His father was a professional trumpet player, so Mazzo ended his speech with a quote attributed to Frank Sinatra: “If you don’t know the guy on the other side of the world, love him anyway because he’s just like you. He has the same dreams, the same hopes and fears. It’s one world, pal. We’re all neighbors.”
Mazzo accepted the honor on behalf of his parents and grandparents.
“Ellis Island was an important part of my family’s history. It represents how immigrants have been able to realize their dreams of freedom, safety and opportunity,” Mazzo said.
References:
- About us. https://www.eihonors.org/about. Accessed May 18, 2023.
- James Mazzo. https://www.neurotechpharmaceuticals.com/board-of-directors/james-mazzo. Accessed May 17, 2023.
- Mission & vision. https://ophthalmologyfoundation.org/about/mission-vision-values/. Accessed May 19, 2023.
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