UPDATED March 1st, 2018 – Hurricane Harvey affected many of Tony Petrello’s employees and he remains dedicated to their recovery. Click here to read more about how Tony Petrello helped the Houston community.
In most households, Anthony Petrello is an unknown figure that blends into the ranks of corporate America. While he does not fill television like a pundit or captivate people with speeches like a politician, Petrello may be one of the most important figures in the United States. He also represents a part of the United States that is never thanked despite helping craft the American way of life.
Anthony Petrello was once one of the top-paid CEO in the United States. In 2014, he earned $68.2 million through his work with Nabors Industries, a leading oil and natural gas drilling firm. This level of success inspires both admiration and envy, but people who know Petrello understand that he is an honest and humble man who deserves what he earns.
Many people in the United States criticize Wall Street for greedy tactics while Main Street suffers. Petrello agrees with these sentiments, and he pursues a moral code that is based on respect and fairness. He is a brilliant manager and business strategist, but most of Anthony Petrello’s success comes from the way he treats his fellow man. His conduct has created thousands of jobs in the United States; he is a modern captain of industry who helps Americans obtain the means to enjoy life.
Contents
Humble Beginnings in Newark
While Anthony Petrello leads a robust oil giant in the modern economy, success was not simply handed to him. Like many of America’s great leaders, Petrello was not born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Petrello didn’t have wealthy parents, world-class tutors, or a trust fund. Anthony Petrello grew up in a predominantly Italian neighborhood in Newark, a working-class neighborhood in New Jersey.
In Newark, people do not simply make money, pay the bills, and go home. Despite having plenty of hardship, Newark is an area that is known for its culture of strong work ethic and honor. In Newark, every member of the community works together to ensure that all needs are taken care of. Hard work is rewarded, lying is severely shunned, and honesty is valued above all else. Newark clearly instilled Anthony Petrello with its values of honor and integrity.
From an early age, Petrello seemed to understand that there are no shortcuts to success. Soon after he learned to read, the future CEO would study academic textbooks for several hours each day. He mastered differential calculus at an early age, and exhibited a mathematical intelligence that would be expected from a fully trained physicist or logician.
While Petrello’s parents struggled to make ends meet, the young student burned the midnight oil each night to guarantee a brighter future for his family. Petrello used the resources at his poorly funded public school to learn all that he could about mathematics and logic. If all went according to the plan, Anthony Petrello would be accepted to a prestigious university where he could become a trained mathematician. By his 18th birthday, Petrello’s dreams came true. He excelled at Ph.D.-level linear algebra and calculus, and Yale recognized this. His parents were both excited and relieved when they learned that their son was awarded a full-scholarship to Yale University. At the end of summer after his graduation from high school, Anthony Petrello moved into a small Yale dormitory to pursue his passion.
Becoming a Scholar
At Yale, Anthony Petrello never failed to impress. Despite facing competition from some of the best undergraduate scholars in the world, Petrello proved that he truly was the genius that the Newark community assumed him to be. The renowned mathematical theorist Serge Lang recognized the brilliance of Petrello. As a mathematical scholar, Anthony Petrello assisted Serge Lang with his work about number theory. Together, Petrello and Lang worked through complex theorems and proofs that most university students could not possibly understand.
At some point in his university career, something changed in Petrello. He lost his passion for mathematics and switched his career path. Instead of fulfilling his destiny of becoming the modern-day Archimedes, Petrello continued his education at Harvard Law School. While his interests changed from mathematics to the human sciences, Petrello’s work ethic and passion for learning remained steady. Perhaps he simply wished to be a polymath like Cicero and other legendary figures.
Petrello’s Life After School
After committing much of his time and energy to formal education over the duration of 20 years, Petrello likely felt restless after completing his post-graduate studies. Soon after graduation, Petrello married his college girlfriend. Some people thought that Petrello would settle down for a quiet life; they were wrong. Instead, Petrello pursued a wide range of jobs before working for Nabors Industries. Petrello climbed the ranks of the company for nearly 30 years until he became the CEO. Despite starting with humble means, Petrello emerged as one of the most capable business leaders in America.
Wealthy individuals are often criticized for hoarding their funds and resources, but Petrello has made an effort to give back to the communities that provided him with opportunities. Anthony Petrello and his wife donate millions of dollars to charities each year.
Anthony Petrello has also expressed his distaste for business leaders who earn high incomes at the cost of the average worker. Petrello’s contract with Nabors Industries specifies that 80 percent of his income is based on the revenue of the company. If Nabors Industries’ revenue falls, Petrello’s income also decreases. Furthermore, Petrello’s leadership has created many jobs in oil-producing areas of the United States. Nabors Industries owns approximately 1,050 rigs that provide high-paying jobs to over 100,000 workers.
Petrello’s accomplishments demonstrate that overwhelming situations can be overcome with a strong work ethic and intelligence. However, Anthony Petrello argues that his good fortune is responsible for his success. He appreciates the sacrifices of his family, and he values to loyalty of his colleagues. Regardless of the cause of his success, Anthony Petrello is a remarkable man who enjoys the fruits of his labor.
Related: Cynthia and Tony Petrello: Inspired by Adversity
