Mid-State Insurance President James Pietro to speak at 180th Commencement


Worcester Academy will hold its 180th Commencement Exercises on Friday, June 6, at 11 a.m., with 143 students graduating.  The graduation ceremony will be held outside on the school’s historic Quad on the Academy’s main campus at 81 Providence Street. (In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held in Daniels Gymnasium).  A reception will immediately follow the presentation of diplomas.

The commencement speaker will be Mid-State Insurance President James Pietro ’81 of Sutton, whose son, John, is a member of the graduating class.

Also speaking will be Valedictorian Michael Schermerhorn of Brimfield and Salutatorian Alexandra DelloStritto of Worcester.

JAMES PIETRO

James “Jim” Pietro, a Worcester native and a graduate of Colby College (1986), is former president of the Worcester Academy Board of Trustees, a position he held from 2004-2011. He currently serves as its development chair.  Mr. Pietro is also president of Bears on Board, a nonprofit agency raising funds for the collection and distribution of stuffed teddy bears for emergency vehicles (police, fire, ambulance, etc.). Bears are given to children in traumatic situations to help calm them when dealing with police officers and other emergency personnel. To date, more 10,000 bears have been distributed.

Previously, Mr. Pietro was a member of the Legislative Committee for the Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents.

While at Worcester Academy, Mr. Pietro excelled in track, football, and wrestling (he would later go on to become captain of the football and track teams at Colby College).  He was president of the Varsity Club at the time of his graduation from WA, was a member of the Vigornia student newspaper staff, and was a Lifer, having begun at the Academy in Grade 7, the school’s then-lowest starting grade.

Jim and his wife, Terrie Hanna, have three children: Danielle ’11, John ’14, and Nicole ’19. Mr. Pietro’s father, John Pietro ’46, was also an Academy graduate, as were Jim’s brothers, David ’73 and Paul ’75.

WORCESTER ACADEMY

Worcester Academy, founded in 1834, is a co-ed day and boarding school for grades 6 to 12 and postgraduates that is committed to innovative teaching and learning, urban leadership, making a global impact, and achieving the honorable everyday.  Find us on the web at www.worcesteracademy.org
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