ILARIO PANTANO STEPS BACK INTO SPOTLIGHT AS NEW DIRECTOR OF THE N.C. DIVISION OF VETERANS AFFAIRS

ILARIO PANTANO TAPPED BY GOVERNOR McCRORY FOR TOP NC VETERANS AFFAIRS POST

By Verne Strickland / August 30, 2013

Jude Eden writes tonight to announce that Ilario Pantano has been named by Governor Pat McCrory to the post of Director of the N.C. Division of Veterans Affairs.

He will undertake his new duties on September 5 at an annual salary of $90,000.

A 42-year-old resident of Wilmington, he had served as vice chairman of Veterans for McCrory, a group affiliated with the 2012 campaign of GOP candidate McCrory, who went on to become Governor of North Carolina.

Pantano was hired by Administration Secretary Bill Daughtridge, a McCrory appointee whose department oversees veterans affairs.

In a letter sent to veterans affairs staff announcing the hiring, Daughtridge praised Pantano's experience managing "multi-disciplinary teams."

"He is uniquely skilled at designing and implementing veterans advocacy programs, building public and private partnerships, achieving financial targets and streamlining operations," Daughtridge wrote.

As director of veteran's affairs, Pantano will oversee programs that assist North Carolina military veterans and their families with receiving federal benefits. The division also administers a scholarship fund for the children of war veterans and provides care at four state-run nursing homes for veterans, as well as burial space at state veterans cemeteries.

Married with two young sons, Pantano is the son of an Italian immigrant who grew up in New York City. He enlisted in the Marine Corps at age 17 and served in the Persian Gulf War of 1991. He then earned a degree in economics and went to work as an energy trader at Goldman Sachs.

Pantano was in Lower Manhattan on Sept. 11, 2001, and saw the World Trade Center towers collapse. Within weeks, he had rejoined the Marines.

News of the appointment has circulated quickly tonight on conservative news sources, and has been praised by Republicans from local to national levels.

 

Verne Strickland via Google+

This is a wonderful and prized accolade for Ilario Pantano -- conservative Christian patriot, U.S. Marine hero, author and outstanding citizen of North Carolina. We are so proud of him. He will serve with distinction as he has at every post he has assumed. Governor McCrory should be highly commended for this selection. As for the egregious smear which his detractors ensure will not be forgotten, let us remember that in America all are innocent unless proven guilty. In fact, as I recall, the bogus charges in this case were dismissed -- not even officially brought. Ilario Pantano remains a man of impeccable character and has never failed to be true to this standard. May God bless and guide this very special American.