For a guy that was originally born in the Bronx, Rob Salvatico has done very well for himself as a young Delta Sig alumnus.
Born and raised, Rob has lived in the New York City/Long Island area throughout his life. He started college at Fordham University in the Bronx, but after two years, realized that Fordham wasn’t fitting his needs. He transferred to Hofstra University and graduated in 1995 earning a degree in Liberal Arts with concentrations in Communication, Sociology, and Psychology.
It was at Hofstra where Rob was recruited by good friend, John Suprenant (Hofstra ’91), to join the Theta Delta Chapter of Delta Sigma Phi. When Rob met the chapter members and saw the bond they had, he knew he wanted to be part of the experience. Immediately, Rob moved in with four Delta Sigs and pledged the Fraternity with seven other students. Upon arriving at Hofstra, Rob was in the mindset of not joining a fraternity, and looking back on his experience, Rob states, “I don’t know where I’d be today without Delta Sigma Phi. It was like a re-birth for me; the Fraternity provided me with a completely new outlook on life.”
Rob didn’t waste any time getting involved. He served as treasurer, pledge educator, and was a master recruiter. Rob would boast that he was good at selling Delta Sig, but he is more inclined to believe that it is just an easy sell. In addition to Delta Sig, Rob played on Hofstra’s golf team and worked more than the average college student.
Upon graduating in 1995, Rob went to work for a family-owned professional liability insurance brokerage company. This was a company that paid well, and would probably offer the opportunity for Rob to be the chief officer in the future. After two years of work, he realized that the insurance industry was not for him, and in 1997, Rob enrolled at Fordham University’s graduate school of business. Rob admits that this was a huge risk, but his experience wasn’t meeting his expectations. In the spring of 1999 Rob earned his MBA in Marketing & Information Systems, and started working in a different family business, which was soon to open a hotel. Rob helped develop the business plan, and the Wingate Inn Garden City opened in December of 1999. For the first year, Rob was the Director of Marketing. Within a year, he assumed the role of Assistant General Manager, and the following year took over as General Manager. Currently, Rob oversees the entire hotel operation. In addition to the Wingate Inn Garden City, he and his family have opened two more hotels and one restaurant: Best Western East End, Holiday Inn Express East End, and Tin Alley Grill. The two new hotels are in Riverhead, NY, and the Tin Alley Grill is located in Garden City, NY.
To him, Delta Sigma Phi was a very comfortable first step into the reality of life. Being involved helped him determine who he was and how he could fit into society. Delta Sig also made the campus feel smaller because the Greek community was its own sub-culture within the entire campus community. During his term as treasurer, Rob realized the importance of responsibility; this was the time that Rob had to manage the entire financial structure and operation budget for a chapter of 25 plus men.
His most fond memory of his undergraduate days is the friendships he formed. Some of his very best friends, guys he talks to on a daily basis, are from the Theta Delta Chapter. They shared the sense of being together in every aspect.
When thinking about who has been most influential, Rob noted his parents. His mother taught him how to understand and his father taught him how to win; winning is something Rob has experienced throughout his life. He was recently awarded Young Alumnus of the Year by Hofstra University.
His advice to Delta Sig undergraduates is “don’t shut yourself down to opportunities; get in there, shake the hands, give the people the opportunity to prove themselves to you; don’t be afraid to take chances – you will be surprised as to what comes of it.”
Rob, his wife Cynthia, and their French bulldog Lila, reside in Garden City, NY.
back to deltasig.org