People-Focused Alumnus Credits St. John’s for Successful Career

He currently serves as President and Chief Operating Officer (COO) of LIVunLtd, a growing North American company at the intersection of real estate services and hospitality. LIVunLtd specializes in amenities—providing staffing, operations, fitness and wellness classes, and social programming that bring spaces to life and help build community. Their services are retained in more than 200 properties across North America, including residential and commercial buildings, municipalities, college campuses, and waterparks.

Across diverse real estate assets, Mr. Buccino explained, “We bring amenity spaces to life and help tell the story of each building. Developers begin with a vision. We help bring that vision to life and show what it truly means to live, work, or engage in that space.”

Mr. Buccino credits his graduate study at St. John’s University for shaping his vision for corporate leadership. His ties to the University run deep: he grew up near the Queens, NY, campus, worked at the Sly Fox Inn restaurant, and his mother worked at the University Writing Center.

“St. John’s was always part of my environment, and I loved the history,” he recalled.

He valued the University’s emphasis on meaningful relationships and built lasting connections with classmates from his program. As a member of the Executive-in-Residence Program at The Peter J. Tobin College of Business, he studied abroad in London, England—an experience that broadened his perspective and influenced his path. He appreciated the strong faculty and the “real-world applications” of knowledge.

“Sometimes you don’t even realize what you’re absorbing in the moment,” he reflected. “Then you’re out in the real world—especially in my career that’s spanned industries—and you begin to apply that learning. There were moments where I’d pause and think, ‘Wait, that topic came up in class!’”

Beginning as a literal “runner” on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Mr. Buccino rose to become an Institutional Sales Trader. While studying for licensing exams and navigating the pressures of finance, he pursued his M.B.A. Days often ended with a commute from Wall Street to evening classes at St. John’s, with a stop at the gym—a routine reflecting his work ethic and growing passion for fitness. These forces—discipline and wellness—became cornerstones of his leadership.

Mr. Buccino later made a brief but meaningful stop in the fashion industry before finding alignment at Equinox Fitness, where he combined his interest in fitness with professional expertise. There, through experience, training, and mentorship, he was introduced to servant leadership—a philosophy that reshaped his approach to leading teams. 

“If you take care of the people and focus on the culture, everything else falls into place,” he said.

A connection at Equinox led to his next chapter at LIVunLtd, where he has been for eight years.

As President and COO, he is focused on shaping the future of this unique sector with a strong emphasis on workplace culture. 

“You have to give your team the tools to be successful, and in turn, the business becomes successful,” he explained.

Mr. Buccino believes that “everything in life comes back to relationships,” noting that his Tobin classmates remain an important network. “We still keep in touch—we’ve been like an advisory board for each other,” he said.

Mr. Buccino lives in Oceanside, NY, with his wife and daughter, whom he hopes will join the Johnnie family someday. “If there’s any part of my education I could give accolades to when it comes to my success, it’s St. John’s and what I learned in their M.B.A. program,” he stressed.