Inspiration from Hofstra Engineering Alumnus and CEO Ron Piervincenzi Richard J. Puerzer, PhD (Industrial Engineering) Department of Engineering Chairperson and Associate Professor Richard.J.Puerzer@hofstra.edu In my message in the Fall 2023 SEAS Newsletter, I wrote about how engineers tend to have a great many of the skills and traits necessary to become a successful corporate Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Soon after the newsletter was sent out to DeMatteis School students, alumni, and stakeholders, I received an email from Hofstra alumnus Ronald Piervincenzi. Ron received his bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from Hofstra in 1993 and went on to earn a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Duke University. After several years working in industry for McKinsey & Company and Biogen, Ron became the CEO of U.S. Pharmacopeia, a position he has held for the last 10 years. Seeing the opportunity for me to communicate first-hand with an engineer/CEO, I asked Ron if we could arrange to speak. He graciously agreed to Zoom with me and discuss his thoughts on why engineers make successful CEOs and share his advice to our current students and young alumni on how to advance in industry, and life. Ron believes that engineers make successful CEOs because they inherently have a disproportionate share of the useful engineering skills, such as analytical thinking and comfort with technology, while also having the ability to develop qualities and traits that may not be natural to them, including communications, people, and leadership skills. He states that to be a leader, one must realize that they must be able to see the big picture and possess emotional intelligence. He went on to say that leaders are empathetic team builders willing to help others as they realize that what they accomplish is because of how they affect others. Ron’s advice to students and young alumni is that at any given moment they must be prepared to take a chance. He said that most opportunities are optional, and it is up to the individual to initiate the opportunity, to take the chance. He went on to say that when you pass on an opportunity you will almost always look back and realize that you could have done what someone else chose to do. While jumping at opportunities may mean that you overcommit, that cost will likely be overshadowed by the benefits that you reap. His final advice to students was, “do not wait, start now.” Taking advantage of opportunities large and small, making connections with classmates and coworkers, developing your engineering knowledge, and refining your people skills are all steps that you can take now to open doors and shape your future. I hope that the ideas and words of Hofstra engineering alumnus Ron Piervincenzi, a CEO with a decade of experience, inspire our students and help them to realize their potential as engineers and leaders.
[DeMatteis School Spring 2024 Newsletter]