Skip to main content
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
Sections
  • All News
  • Arts & Culture
  • Business & Economy
  • Campus & Community
  • Health & Society
  • Media, Law & Policy
  • STEM
  • Veterans
  • University Statements
  • Syracuse University Impact
  • |
  • The Peel
  • Athletics
  • Home
  • About
  • Faculty Experts
  • For The Media
  • ’Cuse Conversations Podcast
  • Topics
    • Alumni
    • Events
    • Faculty
    • Students
    • All Topics
  • Contact
  • Submit
Campus & Community

Life Trustee Julius “Jules” Pericola Remembered

Friday, September 25, 2020, By Eileen Korey
Share
Board of Trusteesin memoriam
Julius "Jules" Pericola portrait

Life Trustee Jules Pericola

He was one of the nation’s top business leaders, a civic giant in Syracuse and an avid supporter of Syracuse University. Julius “Jules” Pericola, who was beloved in the Orange community, serving on the Board of Trustees from 1981 to 2000 and then as a Life Trustee, passed away peacefully at his home in Naples, Florida, on Sept. 14 at age 91.

“Jules was a friend, colleague and valued member of the Board,” says Chair Kathleen Walters ’73. “His business acumen and his leadership both at the University and in the City of Syracuse were invaluable assets to our university, the broader community and the Board. He contributed to the University’s mission in countless ways over many years.”

Pericola, who was born in 1929, grew up in New Jersey and described himself as part of the “Depression Generation,” became deeply involved in the Syracuse community after rising through the ranks at Bristol-Meyers Squibb to become executive vice president and then President of Bristol Laboratories from 1974 to 1985. In that time period, Bristol Laboratories grew in large part because of the anticancer research and development areas created under his leadership.

Also during that time, he was an active University Board member and philanthropist, leading corporate fundraising for the School of Education’s 50th Anniversary Scholar’s Fund, and providing significant financial support of initiatives in the Burton Blatt Institute, as well as the Hildegarde and J. Myer Schine Student Center and Syracuse University Athletics.

The Orange spirit runs through the Pericola family, most notably through his grandchildren Kevin Edson Pericola Case ’16 (Newhouse) and Jennifer Nicole Case (currently pursuing a degree in the iSchool).

“Jules was a trusted advisor whose energy and dedication to the future of Syracuse University was motivating and inspiring,” says Chancellor Kent Syverud. “He mentored many leaders in the business community here and built relationships that will be valued for years to come.”

In addition to his dedication to Syracuse University as a Life Trustee, Pericola served the Syracuse community with participation on the boards of Le Moyne College, Crouse Hospital Foundation, Boy Scouts of America, the Syracuse Chamber of Commerce and the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, among others.

Before he built his career in the pharmaceutical industry, he served in the U.S. Air Force and earned a bachelor’s degree and MBA from Rutgers University. He joined Bristol-Myers Squibb Company as a cost clerk in the accounting department in 1950, and eventually advanced to senior vice president and executive vice president of Bristol-Meyers Squibb International Group by the time he retired, holding a succession of management positions along the way.

At various points in his career, Pericola oversaw the company’s operations in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Caribbean and Latin America. While serving as president and CEO of Bristol Laboratories in Syracuse, he was one of the chief architects of the company’s entry into the cancer drug market, helping it become a world leader in cancer chemotherapy.

In 1990, Pericola moved to Naples, Florida, to enjoy his retirement with his wife of over 64 years, Dorothy, who passed away in 2016. He is survived by his three daughters, Patricia Pericola DeFusco, Helene Pericola Thorn, and Lisa Pericola Case; nine grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; his sister Madeline Hatten; and his sister-in-law Ernestine Pericola.

  • Author

Eileen Korey

  • Recent
  • Chancellor Kent Syverud Honored as Distinguished Citizen of the Year at 57th Annual ScoutPower Event
    Thursday, May 8, 2025, By News Staff
  • New Maymester Program Allows Student-Athletes to Develop ‘Democracy Playbook’
    Thursday, May 8, 2025, By Wendy S. Loughlin
  • From Policy to Practice: How AI is Shaping the Future of Education
    Thursday, May 8, 2025, By Christopher Munoz
  • Kohn, Wiklund, Wilmoth Named Distinguished Professors
    Thursday, May 8, 2025, By Wendy S. Loughlin
  • Major League Soccer’s Meteoric Rise: From Underdog to Global Contender
    Wednesday, May 7, 2025, By Keith Kobland

More In Campus & Community

Chancellor Kent Syverud Honored as Distinguished Citizen of the Year at 57th Annual ScoutPower Event

Syracuse University Chancellor Kent Syverud was recognized by Scouting America, Longhouse Council, as the Distinguished Citizen of the Year at the organization’s 57th annual ScoutPower dinner. The annual fundraiser is one of the biggest scouting events in the nation and…

Kohn, Wiklund, Wilmoth Named Distinguished Professors

Three Syracuse University faculty members have been named Distinguished Professors, one of the University’s highest honors. The designation is granted by the Board of Trustees to faculty who have achieved exceptionally distinguished stature in their academic specialties. The newly named…

Syracuse Athletics Records Highest APR Score in 4 Years

Syracuse University Athletics continues to demonstrate its commitment to academic excellence, as shown in the latest release of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Academic Progress (APR) data. The University earned a single-year score of 989 (out of 1,000) for the…

SOURCE Enables School of Education Undergraduates to Research, Explore Profession

Through a research project funded by the Syracuse Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Engagement (SOURCE), School of Education (SOE) seniors Denaysha Macklin ’25 and Emma Wareing ’25 are continuing research to investigate barriers women of color face in advancing…

Commencement 2025: What You Need to Know

It’s time to celebrate, Syracuse University Class of 2025! Bring your family and friends and join in all the excitement and pomp and circumstance during Commencement Weekend 2025. The University’s Commencement exercises will be held in the JMA Wireless Dome…

Subscribe to SU Today

If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.

Connect With Us

  • X
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
Social Media Directory

For the Media

Find an Expert Follow @SyracuseUNews
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Youtube
  • LinkedIn
  • @SyracuseU
  • @SyracuseUNews
  • Social Media Directory
  • Accessibility
  • Privacy
  • Campus Status
  • Syracuse.edu
© 2025 Syracuse University News. All Rights Reserved.