Iona University Welcomes Joseph A. Armentano ’88MBA to Board of Trustees
New Rochelle & Bronxville, N.Y. – Continuing to build on the momentum, Iona University today announced the appointment of Joseph A. Armentano ’88MBA, chief executive officer of Paraco Gas, to its Board of Trustees.
“We are grateful for Joe’s willingness to serve Iona in this important capacity,” said Iona President Seamus Carey, Ph.D. “His professional experience and dedication to the Iona mission will provide important guidance as we continue to create new opportunities for students to thrive and lead with purpose.”
Effective July 1, 2026, Armentano’s appointment comes as Iona continues to thrive despite the headwinds facing many others in the industry.
A private, Catholic institution founded in 1940, Iona has grown new student enrollment, added academic programs in high demand; expanded its footprint with campuses in New Rochelle, Bronxville and Ireland; positioned itself at the forefront of teaching and learning in the age of artificial intelligence; and strengthened its standing in national rankings. Notably, Forbes recently awarded Iona an “A” rating in its 2026 Financial Report Card, placing the University among the nation’s healthiest private colleges.
Iona also recently announced that Alfred F. Kelly Jr. ’80, ’81MBA, ’19H, retired executive chairman and CEO of Visa, was elected to serve as board chair.
About Joseph A. Armentano ’88MBA
CEO, Paraco Gas
Armentano is CEO of Paraco Gas, a privately held propane and energy company and the largest independent marketer in the United States. Headquartered in Rye Brook, N.Y., Paraco services six states in the Northeast region, with over 110,000 customers, 450 employees, 27 locations, and $200 million in sales revenue.
Paraco’s story began in 1968 when Armentano’s father, Pat, working from a garage in Mount Vernon, N.Y., founded the industrial gas company, Patsems, Inc. The company entered the propane business in 1979 with the purchase of a small propane and oil marketer called Paraco Fuel Corporation. Armentano has been with Paraco since his college graduation in 1976, serving as CEO since 1987. Under Armentano’s leadership, Paraco Gas has acquired over 60 companies in its five decades of business.
Armentano has fostered a strong culture of community involvement in Paraco. He has served on many charitable boards, including the American Red Cross, Greyston Foundation, and the Italian Business Forum, and presently is a Board of Director for the Boys and Girls Club of Mount Vernon.
A respected business and industry leader, Armentano has served in various leadership roles, including on the executive committee of the Westchester County Association, and as national chairman of the Propane Education Research Council. He was recently inducted into the LPGas Hall of Fame – Class 2026.
Armentano attended Roosevelt High School in Yonkers, graduated from Fordham University in 1976 with a bachelor’s in history, and went on to earn his MBA in finance from Iona in 1988. He lives in Rye Brook with his fiancé, Paula. He recently published his first book, “A Helluva Ride,” sharing the story of his father’s legacy. He loves playing tennis and is an avid wine collector.
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 over 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 Nursing & Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona also continues to be recognized in prestigious national rankings. Most recently for 2026, 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. 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.