Mike Bellomo - Trustees

Biographical Info

I am originally from Flint MI. My parents were Mike and Josephine Bellomo.

My father was born in Valenzano Puglia Italy to Nicola Bellomo and Francesca De Bellis. He came to America in 1921 and settled in Chicago. My mother’s parents, Antonino Manno and Cona Randazzo, came to America from San Cono Sicily in the Provence of Enna around 1906 and settled in Indiana where my mother was born shortly thereafter. My parents met and married in Chicago and then moved to Flint MI where my brother, Nicola and I were born.

It wasn’t until after my parents died that I became interested in my heritage and started my genealogical research. My parents never talked about their past so I basically started from ground zero. After some digging and help from friends in Chicago I was able to connect with my father’s family in Valenzano and meet my cousins and see my grandfather’s house. Through letters I discovered that my mother had kept I learned about her parents journey to America. I then traveled to Sicily where I met my Sicilian cousins. I have been to Italy many times to visit all my cousins and discover all Italy has to offer.

I have lived in Grand Rapids for the last 40 years and retired from Foremost/Farmers Insurance in 2018 after 31 years of services as a Software Asset Manager. Previously I lived in East Lansing and worked for Michigan Bell before transferring to Grand Rapids and working for AT&T.

In addition to being a member of IACWM , I am also a member of Club Italia and the Sister Cities Perugia Commitee . I now volunteer as an Election Worker in my local precinct and in my spare time I travel, play pickleball and chess and continue my genealogy research.