Columbus Citizens Foundation announces Grand Marshal for the 2025 Columbus Day Parade

September 8, 2025 at 02:41 PM EST - Columbus Citizens Foundation is proud to announce that distinguished business executive and former Head Football Coach Joe Moglia will serve as Grand Marshal of the 81st Annual Columbus Day Parade and will lead the march up Fifth Avenue this year.

Mr. Moglia is the former CEO and Chairman of TD Ameritrade, former Head Football Coach and current Executive Advisor to the President and Chairman Emeritus of Athletics at Coastal Carolina. He is also Chairman of Capital Wealth Advisors, Co-Founder and Chairman of Fundamental Global LLC and Co-Founder and Executive Advisor for FG Nexus.

He left his job coaching football after 16 years and started his business career in the MBA Training Program at Merrill Lynch, where in four years, he became their #1 producer and served as a member of both the Institutional and Private Client Executive Committees. After 17 years, he left to become CEO at TD Ameritrade in 2001. When he stepped down seven years later, shareholders enjoyed a 500% return. At the completion of the Schwab deal, the company had gone from a net worth of $700 million to $24 billion and client assets went from $100 billion to $7 trillion in market cap. After 24 successful years in business, Moglia returned to his first love, coaching football.

In 2012, Joe became the Head Football Coach at Coastal Carolina and in his first five seasons, went to the National Playoffs all 5 years and was Conference Champion 4 times. His overall record is 56-22 and in his last 11 years of college coaching, he has been a part of 8 championship teams. He was selected to the Conference All Decade Team and has received multiple coaching honors including the Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year and was the recipient of the Lombardi Award. In his last 4 years as Executive Director of Football, Coastal has won 40 games, invited to 4 Bowls and won the Sun Belt Championship.

In 2023, Fordham renamed their football and soccer field to Moglia Stadium. Joe is only the fourth alumnus in the 190-year history of Fordham University to have received their three most prestigious honors: The Founders Award, the Hall of Honor and induction into their Athletic Hall of Fame.

In speaking of Mr. Moglia as Grand Marshal, Columbus Citizens Foundation President Christopher Loiacono praised his success as a prominent Italian American who has excelled in two careers, business and sports, saying "His unparalleled success in both finance and sports is a testament to his work ethic and drive. We are honored to have Joe Moglia as this year's Grand Marshal and to recognize him as an outstanding Italian American."

Joe commented, "This is a tremendous honor. As a New Yorker and Italian-American, I am proud to celebrate our rich heritage and the lasting contributions of those who shaped the city where I grew up, as well as our nation."

The annual Columbus Day Parade, the largest celebration of Italian American heritage and culture in the United States will take place on Monday, October 13, 2025, beginning at 11:30 a.m. As Grand Marshal, Moglia will lead marching bands, floats, and over 100 marching groups up the Fifth Avenue parade route, from 44th Street to 72nd Street. He will be joined by this year's honorees, groups, institutions, and partners from across the United States and Italy will take part in this year's celebration. The parade will be broadcast on ABC-7 from 12 p.m. – 3 p.m.

The tradition of a Columbus Day Parade began when Generoso Pope led a group of Italian Americans from East Harlem to Columbus Circle in 1929. The parade was formalized as an official celebration of Columbus and Italian heritage in 1944, and this year's event marks its 81st Anniversary. Groups, institutions, and partners from across the United States and Italy will take part in this year's celebration.

The parade is organized every year by the Columbus Citizens Foundation. In addition to the Parade, the organization plans a Gala (Saturday, October 11) to raise scholarship funds and a Wreath-Laying ceremony (Sunday, October 12) paying tribute to the civil servants and first responders who contribute to our community and help keep the city safe.

Last year's Grand Marshal was Michael Strianese, Chairman and CEO of L3 Technologies, Inc., a global aerospace and national security company. Previous Grand Marshals of the New York Columbus Day Parade have included Sophia Loren, Frank Sinatra, Massimo Ferragamo, Lidia Bastianich, Joe DiMaggio, and Mario Andretti.