Monmouth University’s Board of Trustees has elected Henry D. Mercer, III ’87 to serve as its chair, effective July 1. Mercer, a member of the University’s board since 2011, is president and chief investment strategist of Mercer Capital Advisers, Inc., which he founded in 1999. He succeeds Robert B. Sculthorpe ’63, who was elected to the Board in 2003 and has served as chair since 2010. Sculthorpe will remain on the University’s Board of Trustees.
Jeana M. Piscatelli ’01 ’02M, principal, Wells Fargo Business Banking, was elected vice chair at the Board’s June meeting. She succeeds Marcia Sue Clever, M.D., who was elected a life trustee by the Board.
“We are honored that these distinguished alumni and business executives have agreed to take leadership roles at Monmouth University,” said President Paul R. Brown. “Henry Mercer is an outstanding choice to be the next board chair. His business acumen, deep community ties, and clear passion for his alma mater will greatly benefit Monmouth University.”
“Jeana Piscatelli will be a fantastic vice chair,” Brown added. “Her experience as a proven leader in the financial services industry and as alumna, trustee, and former chair of the Business Council give her valuable insight into how to advance the mission of Monmouth University.”
“I would also like to thank Bob Sculthorpe and Marcia Clever for their outstanding leadership as chair and vice chair and for their support and guidance during my first year as president,” Brown said.
Mercer began his investment career in 1979 at Tucker, Anthony & R.L. Day, Inc. in New York where he became a vice president. Prior to founding Mercer Capital in 1999, he published the investment strategy newsletter, The Mercer Report. Based in Little Silver, N.J., he currently authors Mercer Capital’s quarterly investment strategy commentary and has been quoted in trade publications such as Barron’s, Forbes, and Fortune.
Mercer also coaches the Rumson-Fair Haven High School boys and girls cross country teams with Tim McLoone. In 2011, Mercer and McLoone were named “Coaches of the Year” by the Asbury Park Press and Star-Ledger after their girls cross country team won NJ’s overall state championship. He lives with his wife, Joan, in Locust, N.J.
“Monmouth University is a special place,” said Mercer. “I am excited to work with our dedicated board members and President Brown as we enter the final stages of our university-wide strategic planning process. The University is poised for even greater academic and athletic accomplishments, and we have a great team to accomplish our goals,” he added.
Piscatelli has been a member of the University’s board since 2010. She joined Wells Fargo’s Business Banking Division in January 2014 and is based in Summit, N.J. Piscatelli is responsible for expanding the bank’s portfolio with a concentration in Investment Real Estate and Healthcare. She previously served as the director of Institutional Foreign Exchange (FX) Sales and Cross-Sell for two years within Wells Fargo’s International Division in New York.
Before joining the FX group in February 2012, she was a vice president/senior relationship manager for Wells Fargo’s Global Financial Institutions Group, which she established on the East Coast prior to the acquisition of Wachovia in 2008. Before joining Wells Fargo, Piscatelli spent eight years with AT&T Wireless, where she held a series of progressively responsible sales positions. She lives with her husband, Drew, in Holmdel, N.J.
“It is an honor to be named vice chair of the board at my alma mater,” said Piscatelli. “I am excited to serve alongside my fellow board members as we support President Brown in helping Monmouth University build upon its tradition of excellence.”
Other officers elected include James S. Vaccaro, III, president and CEO of Manasquan Savings Bank, as treasurer, and alumnus Michael A. Plodwick ’82, as secretary.