Wisconsin's recently launched Italian American Chamber of Commerce, which works in collaboration with the Chicago branch, held its first event Wed., June 25 when the Port of Milwaukee hosted a group of representatives from the port of Cagliari on the Italian island of Sardinia.

Sandro Usai, president of the Consorzio Area Sviluppo Industriale Cagliari (Cagliari Industrial Development Area Consortium), and CASIC promotions director Massimo Loi met with local business leaders and representatives from the Wisconsin World Trade Association and the state's Deptartment of Commerce and gave a presentation on the benefits of working with Cagliari's port.

Giuseppe Pinna, Executive Director of the Chicago IACC, was also on hand at the presentation and the lunch which followed.

The port, which also has a large and active business park -- home to a major campus of buildings housing Tiscali, Europe's largest Internet service provider, as well as a petroleum refinery and other businesses -- is one of the largest in the Mediterranean and is a gateway to Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

"Hopefully this will be the beginning of a fruitful relationship, said Wisconsin IACC President Al Rolandi, who is also active in WisItalia, a statewide organization that promotes the teaching of the Italian language in public and private schools and universities.

Plans were also discussed to lead a group of Wisconsin business people on a mission to Cagliari in October.

For more information on the IACC, visit www.italchambers.net/chicago. For more on the business mission, contact Marie Gaudette at mgaudette@mlgassoc.com or (312) 236-2660.