COMMITTEE

Luciano Volpe

Luciano is the Owner and Managing Partner of SLV International, a Toronto-based company, which specializes in managing and developing its high quality food brands within the Canadian market and various overseas markets. In 2009, SLV launched its brand line of premium Italian products called CasaSana. In 2011, SLV officially launched its brand line of unique Canadian food products, under the label can-Natur. Today, can-Natur products can be found at major retail chains and national hotel chains in Canada. In late 2013, the brand will debut both in the US and Mexican markets.

Luciano is also a Founding member and acting Chair of a unique not-for-profit called INSPIRE. INSPIRE's mission is to empower Canada's young adults and future leaders through conference-based events profiling current successful Canadian leaders. Founded in 2011, the Founding Committee consists of five Canadian entrepreneurs who have dedicated their time and efforts to growing INSPIRE into a true Leadership program. The INSPIRE Advisory Committee consists of 8 multi-talented and successful Canadian leaders: Enrico Colantoni, Rita DeMontis, Alex Rechichi, Rick Campanelli, Jason Polsinelli, Mary Dalimonte, Frank Ferragine "Frankie Flowers and Carmela Laurignano.

In 2012, Luciano also co-developed and co-produced two radio morning shows - "Amici" and "The F-Squad". The "Amici" program was designed to celebrate the successes of members within the community in Toronto and showcase their accomplishments through one-on-one live in-studio interviews. The "F-Squad" program is a unique format that has showcased six personalities live in-studio and was designed to re-engage a larger audience with entertaining dialogue and positive community messages.

For the last nine years, Luciano has also acted as a part-time instructor at York University and Rotman Commerce in Toronto, specializing in International Business and Marketing. He holds an International MBA (1999) from the Schulich School of Business in Toronto, which included a year of study and work in Milan, Italy.

Luciano also remains involved in the community as an active Mentor to University of Toronto and York University business students and alumni and he is the Founder and organizer of a successful annual professional speaker series focused on providing career guidance to graduating high-school students at St. Michael's College in Toronto.

Gianni Creta

Gianni currently serves as the Vice President of Globalive Communications, a telecommunications company with brands including YAK, WIND Mobile, and OneConnect. In his role, Gianni manages the OneConnect division and is responsible for interacting with existing and new customers to deliver products and services customized to suit their needs. Using the experience he's gained at Globalive, as well as over ten years in the telecom industry, Gianni brings together the variety of products and services offered by Globalive and its affiliate companies to satisfy customer demand.

Prior to his current position, Gianni acted as Chief Technology Officer for both Globalive and OneConnect. In that capacity, Gianni developed Globalive's proprietary softswitching and application technologies, built new applications, and established Globalive's technology roadmap and strategy.

Gianni is an Honours graduate from the University of Toronto's Computer Engineering Program and helped to launch Globalive in 1998.

Rob Grossi

Robert is a Principal at Cooler Solutions, a Toronto-based design innovation consultancy that specializes in developing products, services and user experiences that address unarticulated needs of users in the consumer and healthcare sectors.

Robert's prior experience includes working as a private equity investor at the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, as a strategy consultant at the Boston Consulting Group, and in the investment field with global asset management firm BlackRock. Robert holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics from Princeton University, and a MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

Robert is actively involved in a wide range of community-oriented activities, ranging from mentoring programs to the RISE program, a Toronto-based microfinance organization encouraging, supporting and funding entrepreneurial ventures among people with mental illness and/or addiction.

Lawrence La Pianta

Lawrence currently serves as owner and operator of Locate Location Services a company that finds and secures locations for both feature and commercial filming projects. As well as coordinating the logistics involved for the production he also serves as the face of the production to the community and is responsible for addressing issues or concerns from the public during production.

It was while attending the University of Toronto that Lawrence discovered his passion for film while taking a course in Italian cinema during his second year. From there the love of film flourished and a chance meeting with a television producer sparked a change in career orientation that would lead him through the next decade of his life. The Location Department is an often forgotten yet integral department in the creation of any motion picture or commercial, it is only when things go wrong that the Location Manager gets any recognition. Lawrence prides himself in never being recognized.

Rino Spano

Rino Spano started his entrepreneurial career at the age of 25, having managed several web development companies. Prior to that, Rino worked at Dynamic Mutual Funds and CIBC Securities.

Today Rino is CEO of Casam Inc., a strategic marketing company with emphasis on promoting new real estate initiatives via integrated campaigns.

As Steering Committee member of Inspire Toronto, Rino and his team oversee the branding and communications for Inspire.