On December 6, Joe Colangelo ’03 visited Mr. Rick Cimino's seventh-grade guidance class to share insights from his journey and experiences following his time at the school. During his talk, Joe reflected on his formative years at Delbarton and how pivotal events in his life helped shape his path. After Delbarton, Colangelo earned his BA from UC Berkeley.

One of the most impactful moments he shared was his response to the events of 9/11. At that time, Colangelo explained to our middle schoolers how witnessing the tragedy inspired him to dedicate his life to serving his country. His path led him to the Navy, where he set out to become a Navy SEAL. Though he did not complete the final step of that journey, Colangelo’s commitment to service led him to become a Naval officer and to work with Admiral William McCraven, contributing to vital operations in the Middle East.

His impressive career includes co-founding Golden Coast Mead in 2010, which has become one of the largest mead producers in the United States. He also managed Consumers' Research, America’s oldest consumer organization, from 2013 to 2017. After leaving the Navy, Colangelo pursued his entrepreneurial ambitions by founding Boxcar in 2017, an innovative company focused on reducing the stress of daily commuting.

Today, Colangelo lives in Cranford, New Jersey, with his wife Sarah (an attorney who is also a Navy veteran), their six children, and two dogs. He is an active Delbarton alumnus and currently serves as vice president of the Delbarton Alumni Association. His journey from Delbarton to military service, entrepreneurship, and leadership serves as an inspiring example for our students, and we thank Joe for visiting us on campus!