Local 1 New York Honors 85-Year Member

From left, Local 1 NY President Santo Lanzafame, 85-year member Otto Suriani, and Secretary-Treasurer Jeremiah Sullivan, Jr.

Ottavio Suriani, also known as “Otto,” was recently honored by Local 1 New York for his 85 years of membership in BAC.

Brother Suriani was born in Vasto, Italy as the eighth child of Nicholas and Maria Suriani. When he was eight, he came to the United States where his family settled in Brooklyn. Brother Suriani began his career as a bricklayer at a very early age to help support his family. With his father, grandfather, and other family members in the trade, it was only natural for him to follow in their footsteps. He joined BAC and became very proficient in his trade.

His brief venture into the contracting business as a home builder ended in 1929 with the onset of the Depression. To support his family during this time, he traveled long distances to cities such as Baltimore, Maryland, and Utica and Saratoga, New York, where he was able to find work because
of his skill.

In 1935 Brother Suriani married his wife Susan, whose father was also a bricklayer. After World War II, he became a bricklayer foreman and built numerous churches and schools in the New York metropolitan area. During this time, he took many bricklayer apprentices under his wing and trained them to become proficient mechanics. To this day, they remember him with respect and gratitude.

“Otto has been a staunch Union member and supporter for the past 85 years and has regularly attended Union meetings,” says Local 1 President Sid Lanzafame.

Brother Suriani and his wife Susan have been together 72 years. They raised four sons – Otto, Nicholas, Joseph and Philip – and now have eleven grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren, with one more on the way. All four sons have spent some time as Union bricklayers.