Know Your Business, Alumnus Tells Students
As vice president for the Syracuse-based company Haylor, Freyer & Coon, Tony Procopio Jr. ’85 navigates the intricacies of a complex insurance industry with precision, thanks to his Oswego roots.
He returned to campus in April through the Oswego Alumni Association’s Alumni-In-Residence program to present in several School of Business classes.
Procopio highlighted his formative experiences with the students.
“I was a kid from the City of Syracuse, one of seven children,” he said. “I considered a trade, like cabinet making. I attended and graduated from community college, but SUNY Oswego was the place where things came together.”
He started at Oswego as a computer science major, spending countless hours in the computer lab. He eventually switched to become management major, but the mathematics and computer science education came in handy in his professional work.
“I was able to gain entry as an underwriter, handling a large book of commercial business,” Procopio said. “That experience has proved invaluable in sales. I can provide clients with total insurance solutions.”
Procopio emphasized that whatever career path the students choose to pursue, they need to “know their business.” He said to learn everything they can about it, even if it initially seems unrelated to their specific job responsibilities.
Procopio graduated from Oswego with deep campus connections and lifelong friendships, including his wife, Julie Feck Procopio ’92, whose father, Donald Feck, is a retired emeritus professor of technology.
“I never thought I would be back, 30 years later, to speak in front of students,” Procopio said. “It’s an honor.”
In conjunction with Procopio’s return, Tom Sharkey, vice president for human resources at Haylor, Freyer & Coon, engaged with students, hoping to create future opportunities, particularly for students in Oswego’s Risk Management program.
Procopio placed his colleague’s attendance in context, proudly trumpeting Haylor, Freyer & Coon and its commitment to “training and nurturing” new employees.
–Jerry Jaworski
