It gives us great pleasure to announce that Felix (Phil) Grucci has been chosen as this year’s recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
This award is given annually to American citizens who have distinguished themselves within their own ethnic group while exemplifying the values of the American way of life.
The National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations sponsors the Ellis Island Medals of Honor and was created on the conviction of its founders that the diversity of the American people is what makes this nation great. Its mission is to honor and preserve this diversity and to foster tolerance, respect and understanding among religious and ethnic groups. Additionally, NECO continues its commitment to the restoration and maintenance of Ellis Island, a living tribute to the courage and hope of all immigrants.
As a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the individual should embody the leadership and character which satisfy certain criteria. It is a prestigious honor that serves to recognize the best of the best. The individual must preserve and celebrate the history, traditions and values of their ancestry group while striving for tolerance and acceptance between ethnic, racial and religious groups in the United States and abroad. In addition, they share their personal and professional gift making them a valuable citizen of the United States and a benefit to humanity.
Phil Grucci extends a five generation tradition that dates back to 1850. The Grucci family, “America’s First Family of Fireworks”, are known for their world-renowned contemporary artistic firework performances. Phil strives to preserve and celebrate the long standing Grucci history, Grucci traditions and Grucci values. As President and CEO of Fireworks by Grucci and the Grucci family manufacturing firm, Pyrotechnique by Grucci, Phil has a global view and his leadership guides the Grucci team and the corporate-wide divisions into award winning record books. As a true American, Phil has made freedom, liberty and compassion a part of his life's work by creating many of the world’s greatest fireworks performances. Phil is in constant pursuit to continue in his family’s tradition of providing the best in firework entertainment that inspire and astonish.
As of New Year’s Eve 2014, the Grucci team has officially broken the World Record for the largest firework performance in history. The performance included 479,651 choreographed firework effects precisely presented above Dubai’s iconic Palm Jumeirah and The World Islands. As the lead designer of many of the family’s prestigious performances, Phil has yielded remarkable visual effects and images that are forever memorable and completely unique. Phil’s broad knowledge of pyrotechnics achieved from 30 plus years of in-depth, practical, and “hands on” experience in the field is unsurpassed in the industry. Phil joins the ranks of previous medalists which include his loving aunt Donna Grucci Butler, his uncle Felix “Butch” Grucci and six U.S. Presidents, one foreign President, Nobel Prize winners and leaders of industry, education, the arts, sports and government.
The National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations will formally present this award to Phil at a Gala banquet held in the Grand Hall at Ellis Island on May 10, 2014. Phil will be joined at the Gala Banquet and Award ceremony by his wife, Debbie; children, Lauren and Christopher, his mother, Patricia and a number of close family and friends. In the meantime, be sure to extend your personal congratulations whenever you see him.
