The PINNACLE Society
The PINNACLE Society was formed in 1989 to recognize the University’s most distinguished and accomplished alumni. Each year, a committee of PINNACLE members select a group of alumni for their distinction in their chosen career field, contributions to society and humanity through public or humanitarian service, and/or outstanding service to the University. Traditionally, honorees are inducted into The PINNACLE Society during a ceremony that is held prior to the University's Charter Day event.
PINNACLE Awards The PINNACLE Society 2024 Honorees
Congratulations to the following alumni for their achievements and well-deserved recognition by the FDU community.
James D. Brown, BS'79
CEO, Founder and Managing Partner, James D. Brown, CPA
Lori Lee Dickson, BA'82
Senior Counsel, McCarthy Fingar LLP
General Counsel, Westchester Joint Water Works
Past PINNACLE Recipients
2023
- Adenah Bayoh, BS’01
Restaurateur and Real Estate Developer - Timothy Gearty, BA'73
Partner, Gearty & McIntyre, LLP, CPA - Patrick Kissane, BA'11, MAS'15
Deputy Chief of Police, Fort Lee Police Department (retired) - Donald Schwamb, BS’62
Chief Operating Officer, Bogner (retired) - Bobby Stern, BS’08
President, Riviera Hospitality Group - Maroa Velez, BS’77
Partner, Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.
2022
- Elizabeth Catrini, BS’85, MBA’89
Assistant Vice President, Global Customer Service CFO, AT&T (retired) Assistant Professor of Accounting and Business, Centenary University - Bonnie Krentzman, BA'73
Educator - Frank Santoloci, BS’61, MBA’65
Production Director, The New York Times (retired) - Thomas Timko, BS’91
Vice President, Chief Accounting Officer and Controller, GE
2019
- Richard M. Brenner, BS’73
Chief Executive Officer (Retired)
The Brenner Group, Inc. - Eric Kaplan, DC, FIAMA, BS’74
Chief Executive Officer, Disc Centers of America
Concierge Coaches - Deanna Gray-Miceli, PhD, GNP, FAAN, BSN’82
Advanced Practice Registered Nurse - Ronald G. Pantello, MBA’77
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Havas Health (Retired)
2018
- Christine M. Candio, RN, FACHE, MPA'96
President and Chief Executive Officer, St. Luke’s Hospital - John P. Crawford, MBA'88, MA'01
Management Consultant Communications, Change & Team - Michael Moss, BS'75
Chairman, Intercontinental Development - Robert J. Zatta, MBA'77
Independent Director; Former Chief Financial Officer, Rockwood Holdings, Inc.
2017
- Patrick A. Cozza, MBA'82
CEO, North America Insurance and SEVP Retail Banking and Wealth Management (Retired), HSBC - Thomas Dinsmore, MA'80
Portfolio Manager, Gabelli Funds LLC - Thanu Kulachol, MBA'72
President Emeritus, Bangkok University - Arthur Sukel, MBA'67
Senior Vice President, Finance and CFO (Retired),
Diamandis Communications, Inc.
2016
- Marko Costanzo, BS'81
Foley Artist - Howard Cowan, BS'66
Founder and President, Cowan Financial Group - Frances Gormley, BA'78
Founder and Managing Partner, Greenwich Marketing Group - Vito Luppino, BS'59
President, V.A.L. Floors - Lester Owens, MBA'91
Managing Director, J.P. Morgan
2015
- Timothy P. Lavin, BS’69
Manager of Operations (Retired), Shell Oil Company - William A. Lockwood, Jr., BS’62
Founder and President, ComputerTalk Associates, Inc. - Michele D. Logan, MBA’96
Chief Executive Officer, CompoSecure, LLC - Carolyn Oakley Lowe, BA’72
Administrative Partner, Lowe & Associates - Howard W. Robin, BS'74
President and CEO, Nektar Therapeutics - Nancy Barr Weinstein, AA’61
Registered Nurse
2014
- Dely Po Go, MSN'09, DNP'12
Founder and President, Nursing Network, LLC - Howard Gogel, BS'79
President and Chief Executive Officer, Gogel Enterprises - Adele Gulfo, MBA'93
Executive Vice President of Global Collaboration and Strategic Operations, Mylan Inc. - Armen Khachaturian, BSEE'69, MBA'80
President, KEA Engineers - Marta L. Tellado, BA'81
President and Chief Executive Officer, Consumer Reports - Gene C. Waddy, BS'92
Chief Executive Officer and Owner, DIVERSANT, LLC
2013
- Sung-Mo "Steve" Kang, BSEE'70
President, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology - Neil Koenig, BS'72
Co-founder and Managing Partner, Imowitz Koenig & Company - Robert Silbering, BA'69
Special Adviser to the CEO, T&M Protection Resources
2012
- Yousif R. Al-Khater, BS’89
Economic Advisor to the Premier Minister of Qatar and Member of the State of Qatar Advisory Counsel - Joseph M. Healy, BS’72
Chairman of the Board, Kolmar Labs Group - Jay Jorgensen, BA’78
Civil War Historian, Author - Sun Hyang Kim, MA’68
Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, University of North Korean Studies (Seoul, Korea)
2011
- Linda M. Bowden, MBA’83
Regional President, PNC Bank, Northern New Jersey - Michael J. Clarke, BS’81
Partner and Co-founder, Buchanan Clarke Schlader LLP
Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University - Richard J. Codey, BA’81
State Senator and former Governor, New Jersey - Seth V. Greenberg, BA’78
Head Basketball Coach, Virginia Tech.
2010
- Brenda Blackmon, BA’01
Co-anchor, My9, WWOR-TV - Rosemary Español, BA’70
President and Founder, IEI Group - David Knee, BA’88
Managing Director, Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc. - Myles Malman, Esq., BA’67
Managing Director, Malman, Malman & Rosenthal - Zygmunt “Zygi” Wilf, BA’71
Chairman, Minnesota Vikings
2009
- Wayne B. Hallard, BS'80, MBA'84
Manager (Retired), Verizon - Christopher A. Johnson, BS'93
Managing Partner and CEO, Hollister Construction Services - Daniel C. Lewis, MBA'76
Senior Partner, Booz and Company - A. Lynn Moran, MBA'96
CEO, Sonoran Life Transition and Performance Coaching
2008
- George W. Blank, BS'73, MBA'82
Executive Vice President and CFO (Retired), Univision Communications Inc. - Nicholas S. Cyprus, BS'77
Controller and Chief Accounting Officer, General Motors Corporation - Shirley T. Hailstock, MBA'92
Award-winning novelist - Anthony L. Marano, MBA'78
President and CEO, Encelium Technologies
Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University - Robert J. Pures, BS'67
Senior Vice President, Administration, CFO and Treasurer,
Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey;
Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University
2007
- Cheryl K. Beebe, MBA’88
Vice President and CFO, Corn Products International;
Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University - Stewart Krentzman, BA'73
President and CEO, Oki Data Americas, Inc.;
Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University - John M. Muscarelle, AA’87, BS’89
President, Jos. L. Muscarelle, Inc. - Carl Viola, MPA’79
Executive Vice President (Retired), Fairleigh Dickinson University
2006
- Jeong-Eun Hyun, MA’83
Chairwoman, Hyundai Group - William D. McGarry, BS’69, MBA’77
President, Anna Maria College - Joseph J. Murphy, Jr., BS’64
Semi-Retired Real Estate Executive - Gregory H. Olsen, BS'66, BSEE'68, MS'68
President, GHO Ventures
Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University - Emil W. Solimine, BS’75
Founder and Former President, EMAR Group
2005
- John R. Monninger, BA'65
Founder, Bergen County Dodge and Manhattan Jeep Eagle Chrysler Plymouth - Anthony J. Petrocelli, BS'69*
Entrepreneur - Vincent Rienzi, BS'78
President, Rienzi & Rienzi Communications
Founder, Banyan School - Donna Rienzi, AA’79
Founder, Banyan School - Steven A. Rudnitsky, MBA'85
President and CEO, Dolce Hotels and Resorts - Joseph R. Tort, BS’80
Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers
'04-'03
- Anthony P. Ambrosio, Esq., BS'63
Attorney
Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University - Jeffrey J. Carfora, BS’80, MBA’88
Executive Vice President and CEO, Penn Federal Savings Bank - Thomas J. Colligan, BS’69
Retired Vice Chairman (Retired), PricewaterhouseCoopers
Vice Dean of Executive Education, Aresty Institute of Executive Education, Wharton - Mark A. Meyer, Esq., BA'68
Attorney, Herzfeld & Rubin
Chair, Eastern European Practice Group - Salvatore B. Valente, BS'67, MBA'71
CEO, Bildisco Manufacturing, Inc.
2002
- Anthony J. Cuti, MBA'71
Former Chairman, President and CEO, Duane Reade, Inc. - Charles M. Dombeck, MA’73
Organizational Consultant
Vice President of Corporate Human Resources (Retired), Pfizer. - Robert D. Ferris, BS'64
Executive Managing Director, RF Binder Partners, Inc. - Robert F. Foley, MBA’72
Lt. General, US Army (Retired)
Former President, Marion Military Institute. - Carol C. Knauff, MBA'78
Vice President of Global Markets, AT&T
Trustee, Faileigh Dickinson University
Past-President, Alumni Association Board of Governors - Jill O’Donnell-Tormey, BS’77
Executive Director, Cancer Research Institute
2001
- Ronald E. Calissi, BA’70, MBA’89
Executive Associate Dean for Off-Campus Credit Programs,
Petrocelli College, Fairleigh Dickinson University - Robert P. Evans, BS'71
Partner, KPMG LLP - Winston I. Lowe, Esq., BA’71
Attorney, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC;
Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University - Thomas P. Mac Mahon, MBA'73
Former Chairman, President and CEO, LabCorp - Christine L. Miniman, BA’75
Judge, Appellate Division, Superior Courty, State of New Jersey - Dennis J. O’Brien, BS’65
Vice President (Retired) of Finance, Consumer HealthCare Group,
Warner-Lambert Company (now Pfizer)
2000
- Gil Bashe, BA’76
Executive Vice President, Health Practice, Makovsky & Company - Michel F. Baumeister, Esq., BA'66
Partner, Baumeister & Samuels, P.C., - Joseph M. Pizza, BA'73, MBA'78
CEO, Interchem Corporation - Mary Ann Walk, MBA’87
Vice President (Retired), Human Resources, AT&T - Stephen "Skippy" Weinstein, Esq., BS’62
Attorney; Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University - Richard D. Wellbrock, BA’60, MBA’64
Chairman, HillTop Community Bank; President, Wellbrock Inc.
1999
- Reed Brody, BA’74
Human rights activist; European Press Director and Special Counsel, Human Rights Watch - Guy F. Budinscak, BS'74
Vice Chairman and Senior Advisory Partner, Deloitte & Touche;
Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University - Donna DelPrete Marki, Esq., BS’82
Attorney; President and Owner, Say It With Flowers;
Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University - Paul B. Schmidt, Sr., BS'59
Real Estate Developer and Partner, Clinton Realty - Martin F. Stadler, MBA’74
Senior Vice President (Retired), Finance and Information Technology, Hoffmann-La Roche - Mary Kay Mastronardy Stratis, BA’69, MAT’71
Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University
1998
- Michael R. Dressler, BA’76
Bergen County Surrogate - Angela Gittens, BA’67
Vice President of Airport Business Services, HNTB Corporation - Alice U. Hahn, BS’69
Co-founder, Advanced Mobile Solutions - Kuslima Shogen, BS'74, MS'76
Founder and CEO, Alfacell Corporation
1997
- Roberta C. Ferguson, AA'64*
Vice President and Trustee, Ferguson Family Foundation, Inc. - Paul G. Lewis, BS’90
Entrepreneur - Jack S. Singleton, BS’64
Chairman and CEO (Retired), Technetics Corporation - James L. Sonageri, BS’77
Managing Partner, Sonageri & Fallon - Dennis F. Strigl, MBA’79
President and COO, Verizon Communications - Anthony J. Vespa, BS’70, MBA’74
Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University
1996
- Lee N. Eagles, BS’71
Senior Vice President, James E. Hanson Inc. - Stephen A. Karnas, BS’71
Partner (Retired), PricewaterhouseCoopers - Vincent J. Naimoli, MBA’64
Chairman, Tampa Bay Rays;
Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University - Pamela A. Rossetti, MA’78, MBA’83
Former Executive Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer,
Ferguson Communications Group - Richard J. Swift, MBA’75
Chairman, President and CEO (Retired), Foster Wheeler Corporation
1995
- Ronald Cannella, MBA’65, MA’67
Clinical Psychologist - Mong Hun Chung, MBA'83*
Chair, Hyundia Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.; Vice Chair, Hyundai Group - John J. Fahy, Esq., BS'76, MBA'78
Attorney, Fahy Choi - June Schlueter, BA’70
Provost (Retired) and Charles A. Dana Professor of English, Lafayette College - Paul G. Stern, BS’61
Co-founder, Arlington Capital Partners; Chairman, Claris Capital
1994
- Bernard E. Brooks, BS'73*
President, Bernard E. Brooks and Associates - Helen M. Kennedy, BSN’71, MBA’87
Healthcare Consultant; Former President and CEO of Meadowlands Hospital Center - Sabry J. Mackoul, BA’63, MBA’75
Senior Executive Vice President (Retired), Summit Bank and Summit Bancorp - James Peters, MBA’82
Chairman Emeritus, Bank of New York, National Community Division
1993
- Richard G. Horvath, BS'55*
Senior Vice President, The Prudential Asset Management and Co. - Peter Onorati, MBA’80
Screen Actor - Patrick J. Zenner, MBA’75
President and CEO (Retired), Hoffmann-La Roche;
Chairman, Board of Trustees, Fairleigh Dickinson University
1992
- Ronald M. Brill, BS’66
Executive Vice President and CFO, The Home Depot Inc. - Craig P. Heard, BS’72, MBA’74
President and CEO, Gateway Outdoor Advertising - Robert D. Huth, BS’71
President and CEO, David’s Bridal Inc. - Thomas M. Kirwan, MBA'69*
Executive Vice President and CFO, Equitable Life Assurance Society of the U.S. - William J. Lovejoy, MBA’81
Former Vice President, Vehicle Sales, Service, and Marketing, General Motors - George A. McKeon, BA'59*
General Counsel, The Travelers Corporation - James M. McNamee, MBA’73
Former Chairman, President and CEO, Hooper Holmes Inc. - Warren T. Oates, Jr., BS’72, MBA’76
Director (Retired) of Legal Administration and Assistant Secretary, Philips Electronic North America - Helen L. Warren, AA’52, BS’54*
Professor Emerita of Statistics, Fairleigh Dickinson University
1991
- Jack M. Berdy, BS’88
CEO of VIP Medicine, LLC - Ronald J. Doerfler, BS’65, MBA’72
Senior Vice President and CFO, The Hearst Corporation;
Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University - Richard A. Guarino, BS’57
President, Oxford Pharmaceutical Services - John J. O’Gorman, MBA’81
Executive Vice President and Regional President, United Jersey Bank - Fred B. Roedel, BS’54
Founder, Chalet Susse International - William Simon, BS’62
National Managing Partner (Retired), KPMG - Kathryn M. Sullivan, MBA’81
Retired - Kenneth T. Vehrkens, BA’69, MAT'70, MA'74
Dean, Petrocelli College, Fairleigh Dickinson University
1990
- Donald P. Hetchka, BS’55
President and Partner (Retired), Hetchka & Bachmann - Clark H. Johnson, MBA'73*
Vice President, Finance, CFO, Johnson & Johnson - Peter C. Kells, BS’62
President, Kells Associates - Michael S. Lesser, BS’64
Entrepreneur - James R. Leva, BS'60*
Chair and CEO, GPU Inc. - William L. O’Neill, BS’67, DDS’70
Dentist; Trustee, Fairleigh Dickinson University - Eugene V. Petrik, BS'55*
President, Bellarmine College - James J. Sciubba, BS’64, DMD’67
Professor, Otolaryngology, The Johns Hopkins Hospital - Deborah A. Simmons, BS’71
Dermatologist - Grace Stanton, BA’73
Executive Director, Brand Marketing & Creative, University of Denver - Stephen C. Tumminello, BS’58
President and CEO (Retired), Philips Electronics North America Corp.
1989
- Robert B. Budelman, Jr., BA’59
Of Counsel, Sedgwick, Detert, Moran & Arnold - Samuel M. Convissor, BA’53
Vice President (Retired), Government Affairs, Mutual Benefit Life - Thomas G. Ferguson, BS’65
Founder and Chairman Emeritus, CommonHealth - Charles A. Gargano, BS’76, MBA’77
Former Chairman and Commissioner, Empire State Development
and Vice Chairman, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey - Kathleen C. Gogick, BS’67
Publisher and editor, Cosmopolitan and Town and Country
magazines, and Scholastic Inc. - Edward L. Hennessy, Jr., BS’55
Chairman and CEO (Retired) AlliedSignal Inc.;
Trustee Emeritus, Fairleigh Dickinson University - Virginia Ann Hodgkinson, BA’63, MA’64
Research Professor of Public Policy, Georgetown
Public Policy Institute, Georgetown University - Harold “Cap” Hollenbeck, BA’61
Judge (Retired), Superior Court of New Jersey - Michael G. King, BS’71
Former Vice Chairman and CEO, King World Productions - George D. Martin, BA’87
Vice President of AXA Sports Financial Services;
former lineman with the New York Giants - George L. Miles, Jr., MBA’70
President and CEO, WQED Multimedia - Peggy Noonan, BA’74
Author and former speechwriter for Presidents Reagan and Bush - Darlene Orlov, BA’71, MA’82
President, Orlov Resources for Business Inc. - Louis Padulo, BS’59
President, University of Alabama in Huntsville - Jae Kyu Park, BA’67
President, Kyungnam University, Korea - Elia G. Stratis, BS'67, MBA'76*
Partner, Campos and Stratis - Herman H. Suenholz, BS’59
Vice Chairman (Retired), National Westminster Bank - Hugh “Denny” Wisely, '61
Former Commanding Officer, USS John F. Kennedy
* In Memoriam