Nick Iannitelli ’99 and Jill Iannitelli ’00

It was at Montclair State where Nick Iannitelli ’99 met fellow Red Hawk and now wife, Jill Iannitelli ’00. The couple first crossed paths on campus in the fall of 1998. As Nick recalls, “the first time I laid eyes on Jill was during an aerobics class which I had to take to fulfill my graduation requirements.” Jill, a volleyball player, was cutting through the gym to get to practice. A few weeks later, they ran into each other at a party where a mutual friend introduced them. After a few years of dating, Nick and Jill married on July 18, 2004, at St. Francis Church in Hoboken.

Nick graduated in 1999 with a B.A. in Political Science, while Jill graduated a year later, in 2000, with a B.S. in Physical Education.

Following graduation, Nick began his career as an agent with New York Life. As an agent, Nick made New York Life’s Executive Council in 2000 and President’s Council in 2001, and in both years qualified as a member of the Million Dollar Round, the premier association of financial professionals.

In 2001, Nick decided to pursue a management career and was promoted to partner in the New Jersey General Office, making him one of the youngest managers at New York Life.

“I am humbled and honored to be the youngest manager inducted into the partner’s round table,” says Nick. “Considering that New York Life is a 175 year old and a Fortune 100 company, it just shows that when opportunity meets hard work – anything can happen.”

In addition to these professional achievements, Nick finished in the Top 25 Partners nationwide in 2002 and 2003, becoming the fastest internal partner to achieve this award in company history. After three consecutive years on the Top 25 list, Nick was promoted to senior partner in New Jersey in 2004. In 2009, he was once again promoted and is now currently serving as Managing Partner.

In his current role, Nick is responsible for hiring and mentoring advisors and managers, driving revenue and supervising all 5 locations. Although his position entails a lot of responsibility, for Nick, it’s a rewarding experience. “I love to motivate and inspire people to reach their potential,” he says.

Throughout the years, he has had the opportunity to recruit Montclair State students and alumni, many of whom have gone on to become high level advisors and vice presidents.

Jill pursued a career as a physical education teacher after graduating from Montclair State. She taught at Harrison Elementary School in Roselle, N.J.,for 6 years.

“I really enjoyed teaching a specific skill set and watching my students’ progress from the beginning of the unit to the end of the unit,” says Jill.

As an athlete, Jill left an imprint on the Women’s Volleyball program at Montclair State. She was the first superstar for the program which began its seventh season when she arrived in 1995. Jill flourished into one of the top players in the New Jersey Athletic Conference earning two First-Team All-NJAC honors, and being named NJAC Player of the Year. During her career, Montclair State went 75-38, including the first two 20-win seasons in program history.

“Those four years playing volleyball were some of my favorite memories of my college career,” she says.

In 2010, Jill was recognized for her achievements and was inducted into the Montclair State Athletics Hall of Fame. “It meant a great deal to me,” she says. “Being recognized for my determination and athletic ability in a sport that I love is very rewarding.”

For Jill and Nick, their time at Montclair State went by in the blink of an eye. They advise current students to “enjoy your college experience as four years go by quickly.”