Jim Saraceni, whose grandparents immigrated to America from Italy, has strong Italian roots that have shaped his life and earned him the Paolo Busti Cultural Foundation’s award for Outstanding Italian American. Saraceni’s grandparents, Arthur and Amelia (Soccio), immigrated to America from Vasto, Italy, which is on the Adriatic Sear. They had the courage to leave their country at the young age of 16. The had 12 children.

Saraceni’s maternal grandparents, Biaggio and Anna Bellucci, also came to America in the early 1900s. Saraceni, the son of Thomas and Louise (Belluci) Saraceni, grew up on the southside of Batavia. He is a 1980 graduate of Batavia High School, attended Genesee Community College, and the state University of Buffalo.