What’s the best way to best connect Cornell wrestlers from across the years with each other - for job related assistance, for mentorship, or even just to gather to watch matches together?
A few years ago, John Cvetic was thinking about this question. After all, Cvetic highly values the relationships he built while in Ithaca, saying, “It’s a cliché but my teammates and the camaraderie of the team were my favorite parts of my Cornell experience. Given the stresses of competing as a Division 1 athlete and excelling in the classroom, without my teammates, I would not have succeeded.”
The answer to the question was building the Cornell Insiders Network, featuring the Cornell Wrestling Directory. Cvetic was instrumental in the development of the Directory, which includes over 500 members including current Big Red wrestlers, alumni, parents, and supporters of the program.
“[The Directory] came about from a passion of mine to help current and the next generations of Cornell wrestlers,” Cvetic said. “It started with a conversation about how to help Cornell wrestlers network with each other not only at the start of their careers but also as a tool for success throughout their lives.”
That tool, unique to Big Red wrestling, has already paid dividends for many - in the form of internships, jobs, and new friendships.
Cvetic is the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer for Summa Holding Company, a privately held portfolio of companies serving the Aerospace, Machining and Gearing, Metal Fabrication, Fluid Filtration, and Lubrication markets around the world. Summa has over 2,500 employees and manufacturing plants in the US, Europe, and Asia.
He believes that the experiences he had while taking the mat for the Big Red from 1984-1986 helped to shape his professional career.
“As a student athlete at Cornell I had to schedule and prioritize my time to not only compete but to graduate,” he said. “Given my responsibilities across the worldwide portfolio of companies, time management and prioritization have been key to my success as a leader of Summa.”
If Cvetic were to address high school wrestlers considering Cornell, he knows what his message would be.
“Cornell wrestling will have a lasting impact on your entire life, not just the years you spend on campus,” he said. “Given the network of alumni and their willingness to mentor and assist you with your development as a person, on and off the mat, Cornell is the ideal spot to attend college.”
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