A Career Pivot and Entrepreneurial Journey Brings Iona Alumnus Full Circle – Back to Campus
After graduating from Iona University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Business Administration in finance, Mark Saracino '05 dove head-first into a fast-paced career on Wall Street. While building his expertise in finance and commodities, Saracino nurtured a side hustle and passion project: founding Saracino Industries Inc., a boutique brokerage firm specializing in natural stone products for construction.
For over 13 years, he balanced his demanding role in the finance sector with steadily growing his venture. In a bold leap, Saracino eventually stepped away from Wall Street to lead Saracino Industries full-time, transforming it into a leading stone supplier serving the Northeast and beyond, with a specialized focus on supplying material to large-scale construction projects across the public and private sectors.
In 2021, this entrepreneurial path brought Saracino full circle, returning him to Iona's campus to collaborate closely with architects, construction managers and University leaders on the transformative Murphy Green project.
“My favorite projects are the ones that bring me back to my roots,” said Saracino. “To be able to leave a lasting mark on the campus that helped launch my journey is something I’ll always carry with deep gratitude.”
Saracino Industries sourced and delivered premium stone materials that now define the stunning 30,000-square-foot green space at the heart of campus – a vibrant hub where students gather daily. From the elegant retaining walls and staircases to the amphitheater seating on East Hill, Saracino proudly etched his legacy into the landscape through enduring natural stone.
Highlights include the multi-color granite cladding, meticulously blended from four New England quarries, and a custom-engraved 48-inch-diameter granite inset featuring the University's seal – a true centerpiece of the project. The custom carved work was made possible through Saracino Monument Co., a subsidiary of Saracino Industries that brings artistic creation and elite custom fabrication to the cemetery memorial industry.
Reflecting on his Iona days, Saracino recalls daydreaming about someday leading his own enterprise, though he never imagined it would involve the stone and construction world. The foundational finance lessons at the LaPenta School of Business, however, equipped him with the acumen to turn vision into reality.
“My four years at Iona gave me the strategic problem-solving skills I needed to turn my entrepreneurial ideas into reality. The faculty brought a wide range of real-world experiences into the classroom, which made the learning deeply practical. One professor who left a lasting impression was Dr. Jeffry Haber, my first-year accounting instructor. While he was a CPA by profession, what fascinated me most was his success as the owner of several laundromats – a side venture he spoke about candidly. That always stuck with me. It’s a reminder that a college major doesn’t have to dictate one’s every move, professionally – and that there is always room to take chances and carve your own unique path.”
That mindset is what drove Saracino to nurture his passion to create something bigger.
“I love the tangible impact of my work – whether it’s seeing our stone transform universities or city parks; being used to build new bridges and infrastructure in and around the Tri-State area; or being placed as eternal cemetery monuments to honor a family’s loved one. Natural stone is one of the very few products in this world that is truly everlasting, to be witnessed, enjoyed and cherished for multiple generations.”
Today, as president and CEO of Saracino Industries and Saracino Monument Co., Saracino also serves his community part-time as an elected councilman in the Town of Mount Pleasant, N.Y., his lifelong hometown. In addition, Saracino volunteered for over eight years as an executive board member with the Mt. Pleasant Education Foundation, a local non-profit charitable organization that supports local schools in Hawthorne and Thornwood. He resides in Valhalla, N.Y., with his wife, Dawn, and their two children, Nicolas and Alessandra.
ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of nearly 4,000 students and an alumni base of 55,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona also continues to be recognized in prestigious national rankings. Most recently for 2025, Iona has been named one of the nation’s best colleges by The Princeton Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report recognized Iona as one of top for social mobility in the country, while Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) ranked an Iona degree in the top 6 percent nationally for long-term return on investment. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business, meanwhile, is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just 6 percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review once again named Iona to its “Best Business Schools for 2025,” recognizing both its on-campus and online MBA programs. In July 2021, Iona announced the establishment of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, which is now principally located on Iona’s Bronxville campus in collaboration with one of the nation’s top hospitals. Connecting to its Irish heritage, Iona also opened a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland, located on the historic 400-acre Westport House Estate. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.