John S. Ruggieri
Business Executive, Conservationist
From pharmaceuticals to wildlife conservation, John Ruggieri’s Africa-based ventures have made an impact on both ecosystems and communities
A retirement trip to Africa changed John S. Ruggieri’s world—and that of many African children. In 1990, he sold his interest in Comar Inc., a leading pharmaceuticals container manufacturer that he grew from a $100,000-a-year business into a $58 million-a-year organization, and traveled to Africa. He bought the 50,000-acre Segera Ranch in Nanyuki, Kenya, preventing its subdivision and preserving its function as a migratory route for elephants and a shelter for zebras, gazelles, lions, and giraffes. This act also saved the jobs of its 100 workers. Rutgers students who study abroad in Kenya spend a week at his ranch to study forest and savannah landscapes and wildlife ecology. He has also provided financial support for three orphanages that house young victims of the Rwandan genocide, and he established mobile health units that provide services to African women. Ruggieri divides his time between Africa and Florida, where he is chair of the Orlando Opera Company and serves on the Board of Directors of the Orlando Philharmonic.