Inside Business
National Philanthropy Day
November 2009

Umberto Fedeli

Never far from Umberto Fedeli’s mind is this bit of wisdom shared with him by a friend: “In life, the secret of happiness is to love, and the essence of love is to serve.”

That statement, written in a letter to Fedeli by the late Monsignor John Carroll-Abbing, forms the core of a personal philosophy that’s driven Fedeli’s lifetime of civic involvement.

“As business people, we all have to figure out how to go from success to significance,” says Fedeli, who serves as president and CEO of the insurance brokerage firm The Fedeli Group. “How can we make a difference in someone else’s life?”

Although Fedeli’s philanthropy has benefited organizations ranging from The Catholic Diocese of Cleveland Foundation to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, it’s his extensive service to the Cleveland Clinic Foundation that’s earned him the 2009 Outstanding Fundraising Volunteer Award.

“The Cleveland Clinic makes so much positive impact in terms of saving lives, conducting research and being an economic engine for Northeast Ohio,” says Fedeli, who sits on its board of directors and serves as its chairman of government relations and on its executive committee.

But it’s Fedeli’s heart for children — another commonality with his friend Monsignor Carroll-Abbey — that’s led him to champion CCF’s pediatric programs. As chairman of the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital Annual HeartThrob Ball the past two years, Fedeli raised twice as much money as previous years and drew more participants than ever before. A father of five himself, Fedeli and his wife, Maryellen, have also hosted events in their home to raise money for the Clinic’s Children’s Hospital and Marymount Hospital.

“We help people see the good work the hospital is doing,” Fedeli says. “We strive to be a catalyst, to help other people be exposed to good causes.”