I am saddened to share with you the news of the passing of Gordon Di Paolo, Professor and Chair of Management in the Lucille and Jay Chazanoff School of Business. Gordon passed away on Friday, Feb. 28 at the age of 85. I would like to share some thoughts provided by Chazanoff School of Business Dean Susan Holak. 

Dr. Gordon Di Paolo was an alumnus of Brooklyn College and earned his MBA and PhD at New York University. He joined the faculty of the former Business Department at Staten Island Community College (SICC) in 1971 following a career in marketing and sales in the cosmetics industry at Revlon. He held leadership roles as Chair of Business at SICC and later at the College of Staten Island. Most recently, Gordon served as Chair of the Department of Management following the formation of the School of Business in late 2013. Over the years, he taught, advised, and mentored thousands of students. 

Gordon’s dedication to CSI and to the Lucille and Jay Chazanoff School of Business was limitless. He was exceedingly proud of the Department of Management and the faculty that he was carefully nurturing. Always positive and upbeat, Gordon shared his wisdom and expressed his thoughts with eloquence, good humor, and grace. Most importantly, he was a stalwart champion of our students and their success in the classroom and in life beyond graduation.

Gordon and his wife Lorraine were generous philanthropists who supported student scholarships, the School of Business, and funded the Lorraine and Gordon Di Paolo Board Room in Building 1A. They were staunch supporters of Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and were recently honored by the Prospect Park Alliance.

The College of Staten Island community, and particularly those in the Chazanoff School of Business, has experienced a tremendous loss with Gordon’s passing. We send our heartfelt sympathy to Lorraine Di Paolo, Gordon’s extended family, and all those who had the great pleasure to know him, work with him, and learn from him. At Dr. Di Paolo’s request, no memorial services will take place. 

By J. Michael Parrish