Author John Nitti

My Story

John’s varied and unique experiences, achievements, values, and positive outlook on life provide an excellent formula to help guide others to live a successful and happy life.

After attending Westbury High School in Westbury, a diverse town on Long Island, he graduated cum laude from Yale University in 1981. As the 1980 football captain, John led forty-eight former high school captains and the rest of his teammates to the Ivy Championship. He was also a member of two other Ivy championship football teams.

Upon graduation, John signed with the New York Jets as a running back. After his time in the NFL, which was shortened by injuries, he began his business career at IBM. John quickly rose to the executive ranks in several other multibillion-dollar corporations, such as Amdahl and EMC. His career included over twenty years on Wall Street during its heyday, while also surviving notorious collapses of Black Monday (October 19, 1987) and the 2008 financial crisis. He is currently Vice President of Sales & Marketing for The LandTek Group, Inc., an athletic field construction company.

John has learned a tremendous amount about athletics and life under the tutelage of greats such as Yale’s College Football Hall of Fame coach, Carmen Cozza, NFL Hall of Fame coach, Bill Parcells, and Bill Belichick, probably the best coach in NFL history. He has also learned much about business and life from several notable billionaire executives, CEOs and major professional sports team owners.

John is often asked to speak to students, athletes, and coaches regarding his philosophy and approach to life, education, careers, and athletics. His inspirational and motivational speeches have been acclaimed across many venues, including awards banquets, high school career days, sports camps, the Marty Lyons Foundation, the Head Injury Association, and Little League coaching forums. He has been quoted in the New York Times, NY Daily News, Newsday, New York Post, Hartford Courant, and New Haven Register.

John has always remained active in the community. He coached youth football teams to many championships, with one hundred wins and only three loses. He also coached Little League baseball teams, from ages six to eighteen. His teams made the New York State finals twice. John participates in many charitable organizations and has been on the Marty Lyons Foundation Board since 2000. In 2019, he was Man of the Year for the Foundation, which grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses. John has also donated his time over the years to other organizations, including the Ann Liguori Foundation, Fresh Air Fund, Head Injury Association, March of Dimes, Ronald McDonald House, St. Mary’s Hospital for Children, the Viscardi Center, and the NFL United Way.

John and his wife, Patricia, wed in 1985 and have remained happily married. They currently reside in Dix Hills, Long Island. Pat is a personal trainer and instructor who helps John maintain a consistent exercise regimen. Pat and John raised four children, all who attended elite educational institutions: John Michael (Cornell University), Annmarie (NYU), Cailyn (Penn State University), and RJ (Bucknell University).