Robert A. Castellani
Castellani was appointed to the board of trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
SIMPSONVILLE, SC, December 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – President Donald Trump this week announced his intention to nominate South Carolina businessman and philanthropist Robert A. Castellani to the John F. Kennedy Center for the board of trustees. Performing Arts. The Kennedy Center is one of the most prestigious performing arts centers in the country, and the opportunity to serve there offers Castellani another way in which he can positively impact his fellow Americans.
In November, SC Governor Henry McMaster awarded Castellani the Order of Palmetto, the state’s greatest civil honor.
“Through his actions, his generosity and his concern for others, Bob Castellani exhibited the kind of characteristics and behavior that exemplify the best in South Carolina,” said McMaster when presenting the award.
For Castellani, a veteran of the United States Air Force who served nine years as a Pararescueman, these recognitions are the result of a lifetime of service.
After his military career, Castellani founded North American Rescue LLC (NARescue.com) to develop innovative medical / rescue solutions designed to decrease preventable deaths due to traumatic injuries, particularly in hostile and / or austere environments. NAR can be proud to provide every soldier, sailor, aviator, marine and coast guard with at least one piece of life-saving equipment.
Castellani combined the enhanced sense of duty in the armed forces with his success as a businessman to create charitable foundations that assist wounded soldiers and their families, children with special needs, battered and abused women and children, and various missionary endeavors.
Its most recent initiative, Silent Tears (SilentTearsSC.org) was launched in 2013 to support centers that help survivors of domestic violence, child abuse and sexual assault. Since its inception, Silent Tears has provided $ 12 million to these centers in South Carolina, including a recent $ 5 million grant focused on easing the COVID-19 response cost burden.
Trump’s previous nominees for the Kennedy Center board include former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and Oscar-winning actor Jon Voight. Members serve six-year terms and are tasked with maintaining and managing the center.
“I am constantly humbled by the lives we have managed to affect positively, whether they are on the battlefield or trapped in situations of abuse at home. A prize is never for a single person – it is for everyone who helped get us there. My gratitude to all the people who support, hold me accountable and raise me up cannot be overstated. I thank them all, ” said Castellani after receiving the Order of Palmetto.
“Bob has a calling to serve his community and country with an inspiring vigor, and we are proud of his achievement and the recognition he has received,” said Andy Goldy, COO of North American Rescue. “We are equally honored as an organization to have the opportunity to continue this extraordinary legacy.”
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/381268f7-cdcc-45af-94ce-8e7732d4b3ea