Spring Term 2000, 2003 Joseph Scarpitti '80, speaker Regional Vice President American Funds, Cleveland, Ohio Joseph Scarpitti, from the Cleveland, Ohio area, has worked for American Funds since 1994. American Funds is the third-largest mutual fund family in the U.S.with more than $325 Billion in investments and over 15 million shareholder accounts. He is a 1980 Thiel graduate with degrees in mathematics and business administration. He later earned an MBA with an emphasis in finance from Bowling Green State University in 1982. He currently serves as a member on the Thiel College Board of Trustees and the Alumni Board of Directors. "Mr. Scarpitti talked about post-graduate struggles and the shift from the college atmosphere to the working world. He found the market to be greedy and marked by turf-wars. Unhappy with his position, he returned to school to obtain an MBA. When he finished school he found that the job market was just as greedy as it had been before. This prompted Mr. Scarpitti to go in search of a plan that would enable him to find happiness and contentment with his role in life and the working world." - Amanda Risher, senior accounting and business administration major "Mr. Scarpitti shared his principles to succeeding in life: 1. Plan and Prepare 2. Read 3. Attitude 4. say YES! 5. Enthusiasm 6. Respect [which spell: PRAYER]." - Aaron Hughes, senior business administration and MIS major "Joe believed strongly in one final principle that covers the entire talk, that is to each day wrap yourself in prayer. Being from a Roman Catholic, Italian family that is something that I was always told as a child and that was interesting to see that principle at work. Joe is very successful, but does not gloat in what he has done." - Mike Boiano, senior business administration major "Joe went over his process of getting a real life. He gave us a great quote by Winnie the Pooh. What I like best is the spaces between the rewards. It's the process that makes us wise. You must find out what makes you tick. You find your process by implementing principles along the way to help guide you." - Michael Schiemer, junior business administration major "Joe Scarpitti did an excellent job with his presentation. I feel that he kept everyone's attention and gave us plenty to think about in life. He was a very powerful speaker and I hope he continues to teach his thoughts. Everything he said I could relate to and was a lesson to remember." - Jessie Peterson, senior business administration and MIS major