Ernie DiSandro’s parents and siblings emigrated to the U.S. from a small town in Italy and he is the first in his family to be born in the United States. According to DiSandro, he learned what true hard work and sacrifice were from his parents. His father was a laborer in the construction industry and his mother was a seamstress in a clothing factory.
“My parents taught me that, with hard work and dedication, anything was possible,” said DiSandro. “They managed to move their family overseas, learn a new language, raise four children and own a home while putting two of their children through college.”
Combining his parents’ work ethic and his education in accounting with a willingness to take risks, DiSandro began his entrepreneurship journey as a vice president of a consulting firm. Two years ago, he joined the team at rockITdata, tasked with creating the infrastructure of finance, human resources and information technology to support the hyper-growth that the company was experiencing.
rockITdata, a veteran-, minority-, and woman-owned small business, is a full-service consulting provider specializing in management and IT services. The firm helps companies build efficiencies, decrease cost, and drive better outcomes by leveraging industry-leading cloud-based artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies.
When DiSandro began his role as chief financial officer, rockITdata had just secured its largest government contract that led to 400% year-over-year growth. “My life and career experiences prepared me to help bring rockITdata to the next level,” he said.
In his current position, DiSandro takes a practical approach to finance to take the complex world of government accounting and break it down into a simple model that leadership needs to make the right decisions. He has established planning goals of objectives and key results to support the company’s strategy roadmap.
“He understands business and when it comes to numbers, he challenges the management team to think differently,” said his colleagues. “Ernie’s management style is extremely accessible; he is a hands-on manager who leads by example by being the most reliable co-worker whose work ethic is contagious.”
According to DiSandro, injecting some humor and levity when the team is trying to solve intense and complex problems is important. “With a witty remark or well-timed joke, I have an uncanny knack for lightening the mood and relieving tensions when problems seem overwhelming,” he said. “This ensures that even the most serious matters never become too heavy, as my humor provides a refreshing counterbalance.”
