November 26, 2012
It has been said that the most effective leaders have the
unique ability to translate vision into reality, and that’s
certainly true with the members of the Executive Board of the Tobin
College of Business Alumni Association (TCBAA). These dedicated men
and women unselfishly share their time and talents to ensure that
graduates of The Peter J. Tobin College of Business and its
predecessor, St. John’s College of Business Administration, remain
connected to each other and the University.
Current Executive Board members include:
Frank Riggio ’80CBA
President
Demetrios Frangiskatos ’00CBA
First Vice President
Petrina DiGangi ’91MBA
Second Vice President
Micheline Sayour ’82MBA
Secretary
“I’m very driven to reconnect with the alumni who’ve not been close
to St. John’s in the past,” said Riggio. “I want to reach out to
those people and bring them back, particularly in the form of
networking. I know the other Board members agree that we need to
make networking and reconnecting with our alumni an important part
of our initiatives going forward. I want to create a culture where
the Tobin College of Business alumni stay connected to St. John’s
after graduation.”
One of the ways in which the Board hopes to accomplish this
important goal is by making a concerted effort to reach out to
alumni of different ages and varying personal and professional
backgrounds. They are aware that while all TCBAA members have much
in common, there are very specific needs and interests that pertain
to various demographic groups within the larger population. It is
this diversity of interests the Board is hoping to address.
“With this current Board, we’ve got a really nice, diverse group of
people coming from different industries, different histories and a
variety of backgrounds with the same passion and the same mission,”
noted DiGangi. “At the end of the day, our job is to capitalize on
that diversity and let all of our alumni know that, whenever they
graduated, the TCBAA is the team that they can go to for whatever
they need. We want to bring them back to St. John’s, to feel the
passion and commitment that the University has for them.”
Recognizing that today’s students are tomorrow’s alumni, the Board
has also undertaken the task of working with the Office of Alumni
Relations to create initiatives that bring these groups together in
mutually beneficial ways. The goal is for alumni to serve as role
models for the students, giving them a sense of what things are
like in the professional world. In addition, such interactions will
offer participating alumni the opportunity to meet and become
acquainted with gifted young people who might join them as
employees or colleagues after graduation.
“We need to show the students that our graduates are the people
who’ve done things,” explained Riggio, “and we need to get these
successful alumni to events where they can tell their stories to
the students. We want to send the message to the students
that the alumni are just like them in so many ways. That’s
inspirational, and it strengthens the connection between students
and alumni, and between the alumni and the University.”
The desire to give back resonates strongly within every member of
the Board. Each embarked on a successful career after graduation,
and credits the University with providing them with the solid
academic foundation that helped them enter and succeed in their
chosen profession. They are grateful for what was done for them,
and consider their service on the Board as a way to maintain their
personal connection to St. John’s while sharing their good fortune
with others.
“For me, getting involved with the TCBAA was two-fold,” remarked
Frangiskatos. “On one hand, I wanted to make sure that I was able
to come back to the University and give back. I think that one of
the more valuable things that you can do as a professional is to
interact with the students and give them your feedback and insights
about what’s going on in the professional world. I also wanted to
build my professional network with St. John’s. I made the right
choice, because everyone on the Board is prepared to take a little
bit of a different step, one that is more forward looking as
opposed to short-term looking. I’m excited to be a part of that
effort.”
Like many alumni, Sayour drifted away from the University after
receiving her M.B.A. The road after graduation led her to a
successful career as an Independent Consultant, and it took nearly
three decades for her to return to the University that nurtured her
through her graduate degree. Her desire to become re-acquainted
with St. John’s led her to contact the Office of Alumni Relations,
where fellow alumna Desiree Henry ’10MBA, Assistant Director of
Constituent Programs, encouraged her to become involved in TCBAA
activities.
From there, it was a quick step to a position on the Executive
Board.
“Once I graduated I kept in touch with a few other alumni, but then
over time I wasn’t very involved with the University anymore,” she
said. “Then, when I had a little more time on my hands, I thought
it would be a nice thing to reconnect with St. John’s. I was
directed to speak with Frank Riggio and told him that I’d like to
reconnect and do some volunteer work for TCBAA. He later asked me
if I wanted to become involved with the Board, and so here I am as
Secretary. We’re really going to do great things, and I’m so glad
to be back!”