. ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁director ▁was ▁Ign az io ▁R . ▁Mar ino ▁who ▁performed ▁the ▁first ▁successful ▁li ver ▁trans plant ation ▁in ▁Sic ily ▁on ▁July ▁ 3 1 st , ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁Ign az io ▁R . ▁Mar ino ' s ▁team ▁performed ▁the ▁first ▁ 1 0 0 ▁solid ▁organ ▁trans plant ations ▁of ▁IS ME TT . ▁ ▁On ▁March ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 1 9 9 7 , ▁the ▁State - Region ▁Conference ▁officially ▁approved ▁the ▁creation ▁and ▁clin ical ▁management ▁of ▁IS ME TT ▁in ▁accord ance ▁with ▁art . ▁ 9 / bis ▁of ▁Legisl ative ▁Dec ree ▁no . ▁ 5 0 2 / 9 2 ▁and ▁proceeded ▁with ▁construction ▁of ▁the ▁new ▁inst itute . ▁The ▁construction ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁with ▁the ▁lay ing ▁of ▁a ▁foundation ▁stone ▁and ▁was ▁completed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 ▁when ▁the ▁new ▁center ▁opened ▁its ▁doors . ▁ ▁As ▁of ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁IS ME TT ▁had ▁reven ues ▁of ▁ ▁€ ▁ 2 , 2 7 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁Its ▁chairman ▁was ▁Camil lo ▁Ric ord i , ▁with ▁Bruno ▁Grid elli ▁serving ▁as ▁its ▁director - general ▁and ▁U go ▁Pal azzo ▁serving ▁as ▁its ▁director ▁of ▁health ▁ ▁Trans plant ▁activities ▁IS ME TT ▁began ▁its ▁clin ical ▁activity ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 . ▁On ▁July ▁ 3 1 , ▁ 1 9 9