Gene Schiavone '63

Gene Schiavone entered New York Military Academy in 1959. As a cadet, he participated in varsity lacrosse, varsity rifle, debating and public speaking, and the Language Society. Upon graduating from NYMA, Mr. Schiavone went on to receive a bachelor's degree in accounting from Franklin Pierce College.

After college, Mr. Schiavone went on to hold accounting positions, ultimately specializing in marine banking until he decided to start his own consumer financing company in 1981.

Building on his management expertise and a deep understanding of the value of highly personal customer service, Mr. Schiavone, with the help of his wife Ellen, built their company, Essex Credit Corporation, into the nation's largest privately owned consumer finance business specializing in that field. After overseeing a dramatic growth in business over many years, he sold the firm and retired in 1997.

Returning from retirement in June 2000, Mr. Schiavone founded the Financial Underwriter's Network. With his uncanny ability to offer consumer financing products to the baby boomer generation, his company, FUN, has been successful in providing consumers with financing for recreational products such as pleasure boats and recreational vehicles by simplifying the loan process. Financial Underwriter Network has also been successful in offering affiliates the ability to provide one-stop loan shopping, as well.

Mr. Schiavone serves on the Board of Trustees at Franklin Pierce College where he was the first recipient of the Leader of Conscience Award. He was a former Board of Trustees president at New York Militry Academy and was instrumental in making the "Adopt a Classroom" program a successful venture because of his initial support. The program has seen the renovation of every classroom in the academic building with Mr. Schiavone renovating a classroom on each floor. He also was responsible for the refurbishing of the cannon, a poweful symbol of NYMA's history. He is a respected photographer whose work can be seen on American Ballet Theatre's website, as well as in prominent dance magazines.