With no BB and the issues that the pandemic has caused it's been very difficult for me to supply pay site info every single day as I have been doing since Feb.
To supplement that issue I will be posting older Trove stories starting with the one below with Hank D'Alessandro, Seton Hall's Athletic Committee BB Chair on the Board of Regents.
Sometime in August I will be interviewing Hank following up on this article while adding current newsworthy information.
5/18/2011
Greg Domorski interview: Hank D'Alessando
Hank D'Alessandro is mostly known in the business and finance world as the head of Morgan Stanley Credit Partners.
However, when D'Alessandro leaves the office, his main stock is Seton Hall Basketball and D'Alessandro believes the school is a safe investment for the future.
D'Alessandro is chairman of the Athletic Committee for Seton Hall's Board of Regents, an organization that provides strategy for management. Previously, D'Alessandro was on the Presidents Advisory Council through the Stillman School of Business and he is a well known donor to the athletic department. D'Alessandro has been a men's basketball season ticket holder since his graduation in 1985 and said this week, he has always valued the opportunity to give back to Seton Hall University and is pleased to be actively involved in the athletics.
"It is the responsibility to my alma mater," said D'Alessandro about his contributions to the university. "I received a terrific education and made a lot of good friends. I care deeply about the school and I am fortunate enough to give back."
While playing a prominent role in the development of the basketball program, D'Alessandro has developed a working relationship with Athletic Director Pat Lyons and head basketball coach Kevin Willard. D'Alessandro said the three quickly have become friends and share the common goal of moving the program to the upper echelon of the Big East Conference.
"The leadership we have placed in athletics is probably the best it has been. We have had a real improvement in leadership and vision," said D'Alessandro confidently. "We have a commitment to win. I am not interested in losing and we have a superstar athletic director in Pat Lyons who is not interested in being in the middle of the pack. The school has allocated significant resources to athletics and now it is time for the coaches to get busy and Pat to lead the effort."
D'Alessandro said Seton Hall is confident in leaving the ball in the hands of Willard. He admitted, he played a role in hiring of Willard, but gives most of the credit to Pat Hobbs, the dean of the Seton Hall University School of Law since 1999. D'Alessandro claimed many outstanding candidates were interested in the opening, but Willard quickly stood out from the crowd. He applauded the exceptional job performed by Hobbs over the past several years.
"Kevin was exceptional during his interview -- not only for his basketball knowledge, but for his vision for the program and personal character," D'Alessandro explained. "He was absolutely the right person for the job."
"If we continue to support Kevin and his staff, I have no doubt that they will be successful," What we need to do is give Kevin and his staff time. We have a tremendously hard working head coach and staff and I think that the pieces are in place."
This year, Seton Hall has already experienced several changes. The university named Dr. A. Gabriel Esteban the 20th president in the school's history in January and Lyons was named Athletic Director in February.
In 2010, the school named named Patrick M. Murray the new Chairman of the Board of Regents and hired two new head basketball coaches in Willard, and women's coach Anne Donovan. Donovan was formerly an assistant coach, then interim head coach of the New York Liberty. D'Alessandro related the new hires to his experience of working with talented individuals in business.
"I think we needed a fresh look," said D'Alessandro. "In business, if you have talented and smart people that work hard, they succeed."
With top rated management, the team will also need the right tools for it to pay dividends on the basketball court. D'Alessandro said the school has already invested in a new state of the art locker room, weight room and coaching offices. He explained the most notable change was when the university moved to the Prudential Center in 2007.
"We play in the best arena in the America, It is much better then the Meadowlands and that is a plus for the fans experience. The players [also] enjoy the arena."
With the university continuing to move forward, D'Alessandro said that a major roadblock is on the financial front. D'Alessandro is currently encouraging all alumni to support the university but said the current effort is a challenge.
"I don't want to point fingers, but I think the one constituency that is not doing a great job right now is our alumni. Our alums do not donate enough money," said D'Alessandro. "We are at a disadvantage relative to other Big East Schools. I have no doubt that our alumni have the capacity to make Seton Hall one of the best funded programs in the Big East. The university is doing a great job but if our alumni gave at a higher rate and people who currently give, give a little bit more -- that is a huge difference maker to build better facilities and support our student athletes and our coaches.
"As an alum, I believe that it is one's obligation to be supportive of the school," he continued. "We are in a bit of an arms race among other Big East schools. Our alums need to give in order to compete at the highest levels."
Students or Alumni can donate directly to Seton Hall University or strictly to athletics through the Pirate Blue Athletic Fund. All levels of donations will be accepted through both programs.
D'Alessandro says, "If there was any time to climb aboard the Pirate ship, it is now. The treasure of a Big East Championship is currently in route."
To supplement that issue I will be posting older Trove stories starting with the one below with Hank D'Alessandro, Seton Hall's Athletic Committee BB Chair on the Board of Regents.
Sometime in August I will be interviewing Hank following up on this article while adding current newsworthy information.
5/18/2011
Greg Domorski interview: Hank D'Alessando
Hank D'Alessandro is mostly known in the business and finance world as the head of Morgan Stanley Credit Partners.
However, when D'Alessandro leaves the office, his main stock is Seton Hall Basketball and D'Alessandro believes the school is a safe investment for the future.
D'Alessandro is chairman of the Athletic Committee for Seton Hall's Board of Regents, an organization that provides strategy for management. Previously, D'Alessandro was on the Presidents Advisory Council through the Stillman School of Business and he is a well known donor to the athletic department. D'Alessandro has been a men's basketball season ticket holder since his graduation in 1985 and said this week, he has always valued the opportunity to give back to Seton Hall University and is pleased to be actively involved in the athletics.
"It is the responsibility to my alma mater," said D'Alessandro about his contributions to the university. "I received a terrific education and made a lot of good friends. I care deeply about the school and I am fortunate enough to give back."
While playing a prominent role in the development of the basketball program, D'Alessandro has developed a working relationship with Athletic Director Pat Lyons and head basketball coach Kevin Willard. D'Alessandro said the three quickly have become friends and share the common goal of moving the program to the upper echelon of the Big East Conference.
"The leadership we have placed in athletics is probably the best it has been. We have had a real improvement in leadership and vision," said D'Alessandro confidently. "We have a commitment to win. I am not interested in losing and we have a superstar athletic director in Pat Lyons who is not interested in being in the middle of the pack. The school has allocated significant resources to athletics and now it is time for the coaches to get busy and Pat to lead the effort."
D'Alessandro said Seton Hall is confident in leaving the ball in the hands of Willard. He admitted, he played a role in hiring of Willard, but gives most of the credit to Pat Hobbs, the dean of the Seton Hall University School of Law since 1999. D'Alessandro claimed many outstanding candidates were interested in the opening, but Willard quickly stood out from the crowd. He applauded the exceptional job performed by Hobbs over the past several years.
"Kevin was exceptional during his interview -- not only for his basketball knowledge, but for his vision for the program and personal character," D'Alessandro explained. "He was absolutely the right person for the job."
"If we continue to support Kevin and his staff, I have no doubt that they will be successful," What we need to do is give Kevin and his staff time. We have a tremendously hard working head coach and staff and I think that the pieces are in place."
This year, Seton Hall has already experienced several changes. The university named Dr. A. Gabriel Esteban the 20th president in the school's history in January and Lyons was named Athletic Director in February.
In 2010, the school named named Patrick M. Murray the new Chairman of the Board of Regents and hired two new head basketball coaches in Willard, and women's coach Anne Donovan. Donovan was formerly an assistant coach, then interim head coach of the New York Liberty. D'Alessandro related the new hires to his experience of working with talented individuals in business.
"I think we needed a fresh look," said D'Alessandro. "In business, if you have talented and smart people that work hard, they succeed."
With top rated management, the team will also need the right tools for it to pay dividends on the basketball court. D'Alessandro said the school has already invested in a new state of the art locker room, weight room and coaching offices. He explained the most notable change was when the university moved to the Prudential Center in 2007.
"We play in the best arena in the America, It is much better then the Meadowlands and that is a plus for the fans experience. The players [also] enjoy the arena."
With the university continuing to move forward, D'Alessandro said that a major roadblock is on the financial front. D'Alessandro is currently encouraging all alumni to support the university but said the current effort is a challenge.
"I don't want to point fingers, but I think the one constituency that is not doing a great job right now is our alumni. Our alums do not donate enough money," said D'Alessandro. "We are at a disadvantage relative to other Big East Schools. I have no doubt that our alumni have the capacity to make Seton Hall one of the best funded programs in the Big East. The university is doing a great job but if our alumni gave at a higher rate and people who currently give, give a little bit more -- that is a huge difference maker to build better facilities and support our student athletes and our coaches.
"As an alum, I believe that it is one's obligation to be supportive of the school," he continued. "We are in a bit of an arms race among other Big East schools. Our alums need to give in order to compete at the highest levels."
Students or Alumni can donate directly to Seton Hall University or strictly to athletics through the Pirate Blue Athletic Fund. All levels of donations will be accepted through both programs.
D'Alessandro says, "If there was any time to climb aboard the Pirate ship, it is now. The treasure of a Big East Championship is currently in route."
