HerrinFesta Italiana names Frank and Vicki Colombo as Grand Parade Marshals for 2017. The Colombo’s are longtime Herrin business leaders and community activists. Herrin High school sweethearts, they re-united and married in 1993. Frank is a Herrin native and lifetime resident of southern Illinois. The couple resides in rural Williamson County.
Frank enjoyed a forty year career in the electrical construction and contracting industry. He became president and owner of Colombo Electric, Inc in l982. He retired in 2009.
His grandparents, Frank and Caroline “Lena”Calcaterra Colombo, came from Cuggiono, Italy, but not together. The couple would marry in Illinois, after his grandfather arrived in Herrin. One yearlater, his grandmother came from Italy at age 16 to become his grandfather’s bride. His parents, Tommy and Ruth Wilma (Storme) Colombo, owned Colombo Electric that served the tri-state region. His parents were active in church and community organizations.
Frank is a Herrin High School graduate and attended Murray State and SIU. He enlisted in the U. S. Army in 1968, served sixteen months in Thailand, and was discharged in 1970. After a four year apprenticeship as a wireman electrician, he joined the family business.
He currently serves on the Board of Directors of First Southern Bank and remains active in the Herrin Chamber of Commerce where he is a past officer and president. He is currently a member of REDCO and Herrin TIF Committee which assists with economic development of the city and the area.
Vicki is a news photographer and does voice overs for local cable, TV and radio stations, and served as publicity and social director for numerous organizations. Vicki‘sfirst introduction to Italian families was at the age of 15 when her mother, Lila, married Tony Magnotti and moved to Herrin. She remembers him as a good, kind and absolute best man she had ever met. “He encouraged me to do better and aspire higher, and I am forever grateful to him.” Vicki graduated from Herrin High School, attended SIU for two years and moved to Chicago.
She lived in Chicago for 24 years, and initially worked for a law firm and moonlighted on weekends as a hostess for “Faces” private club on Rush Street and became a co-owner of Park West, a 1,000 seat concert club on Chicago’s North side, and then worked as General Manager of the Daily Planet, a post production facility at NBC Tower in Chicago
She was longtime chair and committee member of the Herrin Crystal Ball Committee.
She has served as Judge for the Miss HerrinFesta Scholarship Pageant, PR person and photographer for the Herrin Historical Society, social director for the Bocce Buddies’ team and dinner club and videographer for countless horse shows a hobby she shares with her husband.
Vicki continues to work in public relations and marketing for community organizations and both volunteer their time to help all things Herrin and southern Illinois. They are members of Herrin First Christian Church.
The couple enjoy Franks horse ownership that he trains and shows at barrel racing events He also rides and shows horses with his good friends, the McKinney’s, of Marion and life on their farm and family time.
Frank says of his Herrin childhood, “It was like growing up in one the old typical family television shows. We were safe; our family loved and cared for us, our only worry was getting hit by a car.”
They have a blended family including his son and daughter in law, Eric and Katrina Colombo, Carbondale, Vicki’s children, Chris and Lea May, Los Angeles, CA, Pat and Nikki Capuano, Palos Heights, IL and four grand children, Easton and Kaya May and Delilah and Bodhi Capuano. They both dote over their Jack Russell Terrier, Kallie.
Cris Trapani, Festa President says, “Frank and Vicki exemplify what is best about our community; he is a quiet economic leader who looks out for the business and residential side of the region with intelligence and endeavor. Vicki is a volunteer who assists and leads in many of our community activities with charm and skill.”
The couple will be honored at the Mayor’s HerrinFesta Honoree Banquet Tuesday, May 23 at the Herrin Civic Center and lead the Grand Festa Parade Saturday, May 27.