May 30, 2009
On Friday, May 29, members of the St. John’s University
community gathered on the Queens campus for the dedication of the
Leo W. Pierce House, the first building to be named in the highly
acclaimed grouping of townhouses collectively known as the Founders
Village.
Photo Gallery
The
building bears the name of Leo W. Pierce, Sr. '39C, '99HON who
graduated cum laude from St. John's College of
Liberal Arts and Sciences and is known for his spirit of
entrepreneurship, exemplary business career and lifelong dedication
to the Vincentian ideals of caring and concern for others.
“I’ve known Leo for nearly 20 years,” said Rev. Donald J.
Harrington, C.M., President of St. John’s University, “and nothing
stands out more than his commitment to giving back to help the
young people following in his footsteps.”
“All of us at St. John’s are extremely grateful to Leo Pierce,
and we are honored to count him as one of our finest alumni,” said
Robert Wile '99SVC, Vice President and Chief of Staff, Office of
the President and Chief Advancement Officer of St. John’s
University. “As the community of future scholars who will
reside in these wonderful townhouses flourishes and grows in the
upcoming years, there is no doubt that they will be inspired by the
example of the man whom we honor tonight.”
After distinguished service as a major in World War II, Leo
Pierce entered civilian life to begin a business career that would
quickly lead to the establishment of his own company, a firm that
would later evolve into the Pierce Leahy Corporation, the largest
information and records management firm in North America. In
2000 the company merged with Iron Mountain, and Leo Pierce was
named Chairman Emeritus.
Leo Pierce
is a member of the Founders Society, the prestigious donor
recognition group of the University’s most generous supporters who
have made gifts in excess of $1 million over the course of their
lifetime. He has also established and supports the Leo W. and
Marjorie L. Pierce Scholarship Endowment Fund, designed to offer
scholarship assistance to a number of the University’s most
deserving students. He is proud and honored to have a
building named after him at his alma mater.
“This is unbelievable for me, and a great honor,” he said.
“What I really enjoy about today is that this building allows me to
be a real and lasting part of the University.”
One of the students impacted by Leo Pierce’s generosity is
Christopher Borgatti, a Government and Politics major in St. John’s
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Class of 2010. Borgatti
was grateful for the opportunity to participate in the dedication,
and expressed his appreciation directly to the man who has had such
a significant impact on his life. “Mr. Pierce, you will
always be an example and an inspiration to me, and I will never
forget what you have done for me and for many others like me,” he
said. “You have put your faith in me, and I promise I will
never let you down.”
Read
Christopher Borgatti's full speech
It is expected that the tradition of naming townhouses after
prominent alumni will continue until all buildings in the Founders
Village have been named. “We would like to make this campus a
monument to the great people who have gone through this
University,” noted Father Harrington.
As of today, that tradition is off to a wonderful start.