Looking back on his time at the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, Gregory Lettieri ’04 shares his appreciation for the opportunities he was given as a student-athlete and future business professional. A recruit for the Syracuse University Men’s Track and Field Team and a retail management and consumer studies dual major, Lettieri found himself at home at the Whitman School.
Like some young graduates, Lettieri did not know what he was going to do after leaving campus. He interviewed with various large investment banks in New York City and eventually landed a job at Sprint. There he took a role on the business development team, where he was responsible for establishing telecom partnerships.
He says, “Sprint took a chance on me as a recent graduate, and I learned a lot — in particular deal-making, business acumen andnavigating corporate politics.”
Fast forward 15 years, and now Lettieri is the co-founder and CEO of Recycle Track Systems (RTS), an asset-light waste and recycling service provider focused on sustainability and zero-waste initiatives.
As an established business professional and entrepreneur, Lettieri always finds opportunities to give back time, talent and treasure to the Whitman School. This past year, he was involved in the Entrepreneurship Boot Camp in New York City, a judge at the Orange Tank business pitch competition and hosted students to learn about his business during the EEE Career Exploration Trip. Lettieri also gave a gift to the Whitman Dean’s Fund to help strengthen the school’s core commitments to providing an exceptional student learning experience and world-class education.
One of the moments that stood out the most to Lettieri this year was the annual Orange Tank competition in New York City. As a judge, he was able to review student and alumni ventures. He says, “In particular, when judging the Orange Tank pitches, I remember asking myself if I could have done this well presenting while I was at Syracuse. The answer is that the students seem more advanced technologically than I was at the time!”
When asked why he remains connected to the Whitman School, he says, “I believe we all have an obligation to help the next generation of students. Many people helped me and provided guidance after I entered the workforce. I appreciate the interaction with the students, as it allows me a very different perspective and insight into ideas that I normally would not see.”
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