St. John’s Alumnus Credits Career Success to Time Management Skills Gleaned at St. John’s

He also knew that he wanted to earn that degree from St. John’s University’s campus in Staten Island, NY. Mr. Alesi attended the College of Business Administration, now called The Peter J. Tobin College of Business, as soon as he learned about the institution.   

“It was a very beneficial experience to be a student at St. John’s,” he said. “It gave me the opportunity to really learn how to prioritize and manage my time effectively. I think that really helped me throughout my career—and early in my profession when I had that kind of challenge and opportunity.” 

Still, it wasn’t always easy. During the time he was a master’s degree candidate, Mr. Alesi, of Staten Island, NY, was juggling classes, school assignments, and projects, while working full time at another company.  

“It required a significant amount of discipline—and I was able to do that at St. John’s,” he said. “It is a very valuable skill to master, and my time at the University set the stage for me to always be prepared for that. I tell my team at First Eagle that this is something they need to understand and nurture.”  

Mr. Alesi applied that same discipline to earning a Certified Black Belt from the Council for Lean Six Sigma Certification. Lean Six Sigma is a methodology that combines the principles of Lean, which is focused on reducing variation and defects to improve processes and outcomes. It assists organizations with identifying and eliminating waste, and streamlining processes and outcomes. 

While he takes pride in his own professional accomplishments, Mr. Alesi considers the opportunities he had to mentor many junior staffers during his career as his most important contribution. “It’s the greatest sense of satisfaction when you see them get promoted and get bigger jobs and become successful in their career, knowing that you played a part in that to some degree,” he said.