February 19, 2013
Hard work is nothing new to Peter Pisapia ’94CBA, ’97L. The many
accomplishments that he’s enjoyed over the course of his
professional career have all been earned through the ability to see
challenges as opportunities and then turn them into
successes.
He grew up in a single-mother household in Queens, where going away
to college wasn’t an option. Always a good student, he was offered
a scholarship to St. John’s, which he readily accepted due to the
University’s excellent academic reputation for preparing students
to succeed in the world of business.
It was a decision that changed his life forever.
“My
story is really a very typical St. John’s story,” he said. “I
always worked hard, and with my St. John’s education I’ve
done very well. I really loved the University. The administration
and the professors really cared about us, and no matter what
setbacks were going on in my life, St. John’s was always a
sanctuary for me.”
Like many St. John’s students, Pisapia’s day didn’t end once his
classes were over. He knew the importance of getting a start on his
career as early as possible, and during his sophomore year began
working at a law firm in Manhattan. Not to be deterred when the law
firm shut down, he went to look at the job postings on the St.
John’s employment bulletin board and found that a firm called
Blackrock was listed there. He forwarded his resume, and
after a successful interview was offered a position and asked
to start the next day.
“After my morning classes I took my books to study on the subway
into Manhattan and worked at Blackrock for about seven hours each
day,” he recalled. “It was full-time school and full-time work, but
it was great. The things I was learning at St. John’s were giving
me a great preparation for the real world, and my education was
equivalent to what was being taught at any of the Ivy League
business schools. That was a great confidence builder for
me.”
Following his graduation with a B.S. in Economics from St. John’s
College of Business Administration in 1994, Pisapia continued his
education at St. John’s School of
Law, earning his Juris Doctor degree three years later. He
returned to Blackrock in 2004 as an Attorney in their Legal
Compliance department, and this past spring left to become a
Founding Partner of a new investment management firm, Four Wood
Capital Partners LLC., where he is Managing Partner and General
Counsel. Four Wood Capital Partners is an independent,
privately held investment management firm that features a broad
platform and service line.
While distinguishing himself professionally, this talented double
alumnus has never forgotten the values of making a difference for
others that have always served as the foundation of the St. John’s
experience. Always willing to share his time and talents, he is a
member of the Board of Directors of HeartShare, a human services
organization established to assist foster children, individuals
with autism spectrum disorders and other developmental
disabilities, and others by providing vital services to children
and families.
“Through one of my business contacts who also happened to be a St.
John’s alumnus, I became aware of a phenomenal organization called
HeartShare,” he said. “They’re nearly 100 years old, and provide
services to tens of thousands of people each year in Brooklyn and
Queens who can’t help themselves. I’ve been connecting St. John’s
to HeartShare, and the University has been extremely generous in
donating items for our silent auction. I’m hoping to expand that
connection to see if we can do things together for the HeartShare
kids, maybe let them shoot some baskets on campus or come out to
see a Red Storm basketball game. The kids would really love
that.”
Pisapia is justifiably proud of his roots, and has embraced the
University’s Vincentian mission as a way of showing his
appreciation for what St. John’s did for him, and has been doing
for others like him since 1870.
“That mission and those values are definitely important to me,” he
acknowledged. “When I can help others who have a tough environment,
I want to do it. The story of St. John’s is one of kids who
work hard to be successful, and then get into an industry and work
their way up. That’s the great St. John’s story. And there are a
lot of them out there.”