Who We Are
In the late 1970's Howard West, Don Wannagat, Kevin Benzenhoefer and several others initiated the development of an Alfa Romeo Owners Group in the Pittsburgh area called "Allegheny Alfisti". Several meetings where held over about 3 year but the club just wasn't able to get up and running.
In 2010, during the Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix's Cortile Italian Car Show that was celebrating the "Alfa Century", Marianne Fenoglietto and Jim Shaw started discussing the idea of creating an AROC chapter in Western Pennsylvania.
The idea was discussed for quite a number of years but no one could really take the mantle of leadership to get a club launched. There where quite a few potential members, who where more than willing to help out, but the idea needed someone to really drive home the entire launch effort.
In 2016, Ron Lewis Automotive Group became the only local Alfa Romeo dealer in the Western Pennsylvania area. Jim Neville, who was the Alfa Romeo chairperson for the Cortile just happened to be stuck on the tarmac with the sales team from Ron Lewis as they where returning from Alfa Romeo corporate training.
They where truly indoctrinated as new Afisti and where quite excited to learn about that the Cortile was celebrating Alfa Romeo as it's Proiettore Macchina for 2017. Gwen Lewis, was put in charge of the promotion for the new Alfa Romeo Giulia and hosted "An Evening with the Giulia" in Sewickly in April of 2017. It was at that event that the Alfa Romeo Owners Club chapter idea again sprung up. Gwen, fully embraced the idea that Bernie Martin proposed. Bernie was the managing director of the Cortile and also an Alfa Romeo owner. |
According to Bernie, "Gwen was really motivated about the Alfa Romeo brand and her team was equally as passionate, I hadbeen hoping to find some other folks who could help management and leadership of a local Alfa Club for a couple of years as I was really out of bandwidth. Gwen and Jim really stepped up to the plate to make that happen."
The Three Rivers Alfisti officially launched at the Cortile Italian Car Show Saturday July 15, 2017!
Howard West's Sprint Speciale was on display at the show, and Don Wannagat's' Alfa was on the track both weekends bringing AROC history in along the Three Rivers full circle.
Join us and become a part of history!
The Three Rivers Alfisti officially launched at the Cortile Italian Car Show Saturday July 15, 2017!
Howard West's Sprint Speciale was on display at the show, and Don Wannagat's' Alfa was on the track both weekends bringing AROC history in along the Three Rivers full circle.
Join us and become a part of history!
Founding Members 2017
|
Founding Member: July 2017
|
The final list of Founding member list will not be completed until the chapter is founded officially on December 2017
Founding DevelopmentsOn June 8 Gwen Lewis hosted an initial meeting of interested people at the Ron Lewis Automotive dealership. The founding members got to check out a newly delivered Alfa Romeo 4C. The club was officially voted on and created.
It just so happened that John DiVitto, the current President of the Alfa Romeo Owner Club NE Ohio chapter stopped in the dealership while passing by. Everyone took this to be a good sign! |
Address |
Contact Us |
|