Joseph F. Campisi This is Me

Education

 Web References

1. 1. SSHSAA Newsletter

   www.sshsaa.org/sshsaa/newslett - [Cached]

   Published on: 6/1/2002   Last Visited: 2/10/2003

   Joseph F. Campisi
   
   Joe Campisi graduated from South Side in 1933. He was a member of the Thalians, the drama club; and the 1932 Long Island Championship Soccer Team. He then went on to attend Nassau Collegiate College (CCNY) in Garden City where he earned his pre-law degree. In 1939 he graduated from Brooklyn Law School and passed the bar exam on the first try. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in May, 1940. In October of 1979, he was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.
   
   Joe became a special agent in the FBI in January, 1941. After service in two stateside offices, his ability to speak multiple languages helped him get selected for special counter intelligence service (SIS). He spent 18 months under cover in pro-Nazi Argentina from Nov. 1941 to 1943. The next year he was assigned to LaPaz, Bolivia (12,500 ft. altitude) as a security advisor to President Enrique Penaranda. His next tour of duty took him to Havana, Cuba as liaison with the Cuban National Police and then to Bogota, Columbia as Legal Attache in the U.S. Embassy.
   
   In June, 1944, he took a military leave from the FBI and enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He graduated from OCS at Quantico, Virginia as a 1st Lt. Aviation Ordinance Officer.
   ...
   The next 36 years found Joe working for the Bulova Watch Co. in charge of overseas expansion. He set up company branches in England, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, and Hong Kong, and appointed representatives and distributors in Mexico, Central, and South America. He served as Executive Vice President of Bulova International Ltd. for 15 years and retired in June, 1981.
   
   He is still leading a very active life as an American Legion officer, a hospital volunteer for the past 15 years, and an active member of the Society of ex-FBI Agents (about 8,000 members). In September, he and Zosh will attend the 45th National Convention of the Ex FBI Society, which has been held in a different major city of the contiguous U.S. every year except for the three times when it was held in Canada and three times in Honolulu.
   
   Joe still plays organized senior softball (80 games per season) and in 1991 he played with the Glen Cove Vikings - the team that won the Long Island and New York State Senior Championship that year. 1992 was a banner year for Joe. He set a league record of 14 consecutive base hits and batted .483. He also plays golf, tennis, racquetball and he bowls. Joe is an avid gardener with more than 2 acres to take care of. He and his wife are frequent travelers, having toured over 50 countries in the last 20 years.
   
   As Joe says, "Life has been good to us and we thank God for our many blessings every day. Who knows what the future will bring?"
   
   Editor's note: Remember Campisi's Pharmacy on the corner of Front Street and Village Avenue? That was Joe's father's. We all have many wonderful memories of Rockville Centre and the great times we had at South Side.