After 33 years of service with Catholic Charities, Rocco Zappile retires as CFO

OAK RIDGE  When serving at an organization like Catholic Charities, a person’s passion for mission takes precedence over many other typical business goals. Rocco Zappile has come to understand that well after serving at diocesan Catholic Charities for more than 30 years. He started his career at the Department of Disabilities (DPD) as CFO and later, was named CFO for the entire Diocesan Catholic Charities organization. Through leadership, diligence, and love, Zappile has been able to take diocesan Catholic Charities to new heights.

After a long career that began in 1989, Zappile retired from Catholic Charities at the end of last year. In December 2019, Zappile became Catholic Charities’ first CFO in the organization’s 80-year history following the implementation of a unified finance office for all three diocesan Catholic Chari­ties’ departments, which also includes Straight & Narrow and Catholic Family and Community. Mukesh Saxena has been named the new CFO of Diocesan Catholic Charities following Zappile’s retirement [see related story on next page].

“I have so many memories working at DPD and Catholic Charities,” said Zappile. “It’s the people I will remember the most (especially the service recipients at DPD). They all have special gifts. It was different day-to-day and there were some difficult days. It was challenging, but it was rewarding. You just had to think about how wonderful the opportunities are given to those most in need.”

Before joining Catholic Charities, Zappile began his career in finance in public accounting and for-profit corporations. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1987 and is an active member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the N.J. Society of CPAs. He received his MBA degree in finance from Montclair State University in 1995.

Zappile and his family became connected to the DPD and Catholic Charities through his parish community. He is a parishioner of St. Thomas the Apostle in Oak Ridge. His children were friends with the children of Thomas Barrett, retired executive director of DPD, and Zappile’s wife, Barbara, became friends with Barrett’s wife, Patricia. Zappile said, “We met at church and got to know each other. Tom was looking for a controller for DPD. He asked me to join him and the rest was history.”

From the corporate world to working with people with disabilities, Zappile describes the new “skills” he had to gain working at DPD. In a way beyond his finance work, he had to understand the work of a social worker and the challenges it has in serving those in need. “It’s such a special privilege to do that type of work. It was important to interact with the individuals and support their needs by providing for them,” he told The Beacon.

Because the work of Catholic Charities is truly a mission, Zappile credits his wife and children for being part of the long journey at Catholic Charities. Barbara Zappile, who is a retired teacher from Pope John XXIII High School in Sparta, said, “We truly became a family with the organization. Every­one knew our children and our children knew the residents. It was a blessed experience.”

Zappile and his wife have three adult children and five grandchildren. His plans in retirement include spending time with the family. The couple also hopes to eventually travel when the pandemic eases. They bought a vintage trailer for retirement, which they plan to take out on the road.

A member of the Knights of Columbus Joseph F. Lamb Council 5510 in Jefferson Township, he was honored for his longtime support of the Department for Persons with Disabilities with the Catholic Charities’ Caritas Award in 2014.

On the occasion of his retirement, Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney said, “While I have only had brief opportunities to meet and know Rocco, I have heard of his dedicated and faithful work and service on behalf of Catholic Charities over the past 30 years, beginning with DPD and extending to the whole of Catholic Charities’ ministry. We are grateful for all that Rocco has done and given. He and his family will be in my prayers as he enters this new chapter of his life in retirement.”

Scott Milliken, CEO of Diocesan Catholic Charities, said, “Catholic Charities here in our great Diocese is one of the largest Catholic Charities agencies in the entire country and one of the most vast non-profit organizations in all of New Jersey. We are committed to transparency and sound accounting processes to best help those most in need. For more than 30 years, Rocco Zappile has dedicated his life to helping those with intellectual and developmental disabilities and those on the margins. We wish him well as he moves on in his journey of life.”

As the Zappile looks back at the time at DPD and Catholic Charities, he said, “I’ve appreciated how kind everyone was from the bishops of the Diocese to all the folks we served. It was more of a wonderful engagement versus work. It was something I looked forward to doing every day, even on the most trying of days. Those who work at Catholic Charities that do the direct care to help others are also a true inspiration.”

“We are blessed Rocco has had this journey and we will continue to give back and volunteer. We love the work of all of the Catholic Charities’ agencies,” said his wife, Barbara.