Mr. Iannarone is best known to Nutleyites for nearly 50 years of volunteer activities,
for which he has received a number of awards, the latest a 2013 New Jersey Govemor’s Jefferson Award. On a different level, however, he had an outstanding career at Hoffrnann- LaRoche, where he became Associate Vice President and Associate General Counsel. Among his diverse duties, he was Counsel to the Fine Chemicals Division, then the world’s largest manufacturer of bulk vitamins and a manufacturer of animal health products.
He rapidly developed,expertise in the regulation of vitamins and special dietary foods.
For more than 20 years he was the leading industrial voice in regulatory matters with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in this category, filing well over 100 comments and accompanying scientific data on proposed regulations. These were widely. covered in the trade press. He is particularly proud of his extensive submissions on folic acid to prevent spina bifida and other birth defects and his testimony in this regard at FDA hearings. Considered by many nationally and internationally to be the leading expert on vitamin regulations in the United States, he gave presentations and sat on panels from Boston to California. His presentation at a Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRI{) (the national trade association for supplement manufacturers) annual conference was the highest rated one they had ever had. His publications included the regulatory chapter in the classic work on food fortification and his widely-acclaimed article, “scientific Basis for Health Claims for Dietary Supplements,” published in Food and Drug Law Journal. He was actually featured in company brochures to customers. He also served as Chairrnan of the Animal Health Institute’s Legal Committee. He received CRN’s annual award for contributions to the supplement industry, a Roche Quality Award, and a Fine Chemical’s Friend’s Award.
He had an outstanding academic basis for his success. In May 1949 he lost both hands
in a Rutger’s chemical laboratory accident. Returning in September, he was graduated
on tirne, with many honors, including Phi Beta Kappa and having served as Senior
Class President. He earned a Root-Tilden Scholarship to New York University School
of Law, one of 20 nationally and two from the federal Third Circuit. He earned a J.D. as
a member of Law Review and later an LLM. with nearly a perfect average.In 1956 he
achieved the highest grade on the New Jersey bar examination.
Born in Newark, he also lived in Belliville before rnoving to Nutley in 1959.In 1955 he
married Ruth Aitken and enjoyed 55 years of marriage until her death in 2010. He has
three children, all graduates of Nutley High School, and seven grandchildren. At age 82,
he remains very active in various volunteer activities, most notably as president of the
Nutley Public Library.