RIT mourns the loss of Trustee Emeritus Joseph M. Lobozzo II

Joseph M. Lobozzo II, a longtime supporter of RIT and the namesake of the university’s first multipurpose welcome center for alumni on campus, died May 12. He was 79.

Mr. Lobozzo was a member of RIT’s first class of Executive MBA students in the College of Business, graduating in 1995. From that point forward, he remained an ardent supporter of the business college, and of countless other areas of campus.

As founder of JML Optical, Mr. Lobozzo often brought his technical and entrepreneurial expertise into the classroom in the disciplines of engineering, photonics, business, entrepreneurship, and remanufacturing.

Mr. Lobozzo served as an active trustee for 14 years (1999-2013) and then Trustee Emeritus since 2018, in addition to serving on multiple campus advisory boards. He also served as vice chair of RIT’s Powered by the Future capital campaign.

For his years of business success and service to the university, he earned the Saunders College of Business Distinguished Alumni Award in 2001, the Herbert W. Vanden Brul Entrepreneurial Award in 2003, and the RIT Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2006.

He was then given the Nathaniel Rochester Society Award in 2017, and during his acceptance speech, he and his family made an impromptu announcement to donate an additional $3 million to the university to close out the Saunders College Challenge. This gift, and those before and after, have left a legacy in his name across campus, including:

• The Lobozzo Alumni House
• The Lobozzo Center for Executive Education
• The Lobozzo Photonics and Optical Characterization Lab
• The Lobozzo Endowed Professorship
• The Lobozzo EMBA Program Fund

“Joe was a thoughtful and generous member of the RIT community, a devoted family man, and great friend to RIT,” said Lisa Chase, vice president and secretary of the university. “He will be missed.”

Calling hours will be from 3 to 8 p.m. May 16 at Falvo Funeral Home. At 10 a.m. on May 17, please join the family for his Mass of Christian Burial at St. Ambrose Church. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to InterVol Rochester or a charity of your choice.

Condolences may be sent to:

The Lobozzo Family
1000 Runabout Lane, Apt. 304    
Webster, N.Y. 14580

The RIT flag will be lowered in his honor May 17. For more information, read Joe Lobozzo’s obituary.