PAUL MILANO
2025 AD LEGACY AWARD WINNER

Nominated by Chris Hartowicz
Paul Milano joined The Cavaliers in 1970 as a member of the drumline. He returned in 1972 through 1974, moving from marching tympani to snare drum. After two years on the Cavaliers management team, Paul moved to Atlanta to help FMM & ADL Legacy recipient Bob Hoehn with the newly formed Spirt of Atlanta drum corps. After retiring from Spirit in the 80’s, he began a long career in nonprofit management and fundraising. He returned to Chicago in 2008, and became involved in the Cavaliers as a volunteer, donor, director of fundraising, and then on the Board of Directors. He marched in the Classic Cavaliers and the 60th CAC888 and 75th anniversary alumni corps.

Paul advised Cavaliers management, Board of Directors, and the Cavaliers Alumni Association to become more professional in our approach to fundraising and development, along with fundamental management policies and practices that helped the organization to advance with the strong competitive pace and multiple DCI Championships.

In 2006, Paul joined and led a committee of alumni in a 3-pronged approach to celebrate our 60th Anniversary.

1) A Gala event gathering and engaging Cavaliers alumni and boosters from our 60- year history and honor Don Warren.
2) A one-time Anniversary corps culminating in a performance at DCI Semi-Finals in 2008, and re-engaging hundreds of alumni into The Cavaliers
3) Raising over $300,000 to fund the corps and to help establish a Cavaliers Endowment Fund to support the long-term sustainability of The Cavaliers.

Paul was integrated into every aspect of this project and brought a far more professional approach to fundraising, communication and development than the organization had ever experienced before. He continued his direct involvement for the following decade as both an active Board of Directors member and as Development Director.

Paul’s love and dedication to The Cavaliers and the people who were the beneficiaries of his generosity, wisdom, experience, intense loyalty, and brotherhood are legion. While Paul does not enjoy the limelight, when his name is brought up as nominee for this honor most respond in shock that he has not already been a member of this group of Cavalier Alumni who have truly changed The Cavaliers and the CAPE organization for the better and left that indelible legacy that make this a, hopefully, easy decision.