Joseph S. Rizzello
Joseph was brought in as chairman of NewSquare in 2014 to grow the firm into an outstanding investment management firm. Under his leadership, the firm has experienced significant growth and expanded the suite of investment options to include some truly innovative investment approaches. He has also expanded and significantly strengthened the team by bringing in individuals with deep industry experience, diverse areas of expertise, and this prerequisite: a truly collaborative mindset.
Looking back on his long, successful career in the investment industry, Joseph sees a strong theme. While each challenge has been unique, what has brought success has always been the same: his passion for problem solving and his skills at building exceptional teams focused on finding innovative and workable solutions to the most critical issues. It starts with clearly defining the issue, finding the best talent, empowering them, and creating a culture that fosters innovation, lets talent thrive, and delivers success. That’s the exciting challenge he faces every day as chairman of NewSquare. And while he may be the most senior leader at NewSquare, the team says he is the one who brings the most youthful enthusiasm to work every day.
Joseph, a recognized industry innovator, was prominent in the lead-up to the creation of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which have enjoyed explosive growth since their introduction.
In his distinguished 40+ years career, Joseph has held senior positions with top-tier organizations, including serving as CEO of the National Stock Exchange, New York City; co-founder of the Mind Capital Group, Philadelphia; president of Pershing Trading Company, Jersey City, New Jersey; a principal in charge of Vanguard’s Broker-Dealer, Malvern, Pennsylvania; and executive vice president of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange. He has also served on the boards of various financial industry associations.
His most rewarding educational experience was his participation in the Wharton School’s 3-year Executive Program in partnership with the Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA). The program brings together hand-picked, rising talent from across the industry to learn from a world-class faculty and industry experts on topics that enhance their leadership skills and augment their investment and industry knowledge. After graduating, Joseph served as a lecturer in the program.
He is highly regarded in the industry as an authority on ETFs, a senior advisor on market structure, a marketing expert, and a new product innovator. A role he especially treasures is that of speaker and lecturer at prestigious universities around the world (including INSEAD, University of Grenoble, Temple University, and the London School of Economics). There, he tells students to put away their textbooks for a moment to listen to tales of what really goes on in the world of financial services.
Joseph most recently spent two years as an Entrepreneur in Residence for the Cottrell Entrepreneurial Leadership Center at West Chester University.
Joseph lives with his wife, Daria, in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. They love spending time with their four adult sons, Damien, Justin, Marcus, and Xander, and their families and are blessed with six grandchildren.