Saunders College of Business honors professor with dedication of Daniel D. Tessoni Business Center

Saunders College of Business at RIT faculty, alumni, and students—together with local business leaders—have recognized a popular, longtime professor at the college with the dedication of a multifunctional space inside Max Lowenthal Hall.

The Daniel D. Tessoni Business Center honors the esteemed RIT faculty member who served as a teacher, scholar, mentor, and widely respected authority at the college from 1974 until his retirement last year. The space for classes, student club activities, and events will serve as a gathering place for Saunders College students to work collaboratively on projects and discuss ideas.

“I am deeply honored and humbled to be recognized by the naming of the Tessoni Business Center,” Tessoni said of the space, formerly known as the Business Activities Center. “I have great memories of many wonderful experiences in that room with my students over the years.”

The dedication effort was led by Saunders College of Business National Council Chair James Salzano ’87 (business administration accounting), along with serial entrepreneur, philanthropist, and college namesake E. Philip Saunders as well as RIT Board of Trustees member Ronald Ricotta ’79 (business administration accounting).

“I am so pleased that Dan is being honored in this way,” said Saunders College Dean Jacqueline Mozrall. “What really differentiated Dan as an educator was his business and industry experience and how he translated that experience to impact others in such a positive way.”

Named the Daniel D. Tessoni Endowed Chair in Accounting in 2015, Tessoni also was Saunders College’s Forman Chair for Collaboration, recognizing him as an astute practitioner of the art of accounting in both the classroom and in his role as a practicing CPA. He led seminars and executive programs on accounting and finance-related topics at numerous companies, including Constellation Brands, ITT Industries, Eastman Kodak Co., Xerox Corp., Chase Bank, and Apple, among others.

Tessoni served as a member of the board of directors of several publicly held companies and on the boards of several privately held corporations, including Genesee Regional Bank, as well as the board of trustees for Paul Smith’s College and Keuka College.

At Saunders College, Tessoni contributed to the educational enterprise through his teaching, research, and service, Mozrall observed.

“Dan has had the most significant impact on those that were lucky enough to be his students,” she said. “Personally, I have been in higher education for more than 30 years, and I don’t know anyone who has been able to teach and impact such a wide array of audiences—from undergraduates to graduate students to executives, from accountants to engineers, and everything in-between, and do it as well as Dan.”

Alumni and friends are welcome to share their favorite memory of Tessoni online by Jan. 31, 2024.