The Next Play: Alumni Athletes Turned Entrepreneurs
8/26/2026 10:53:00 PM | Block S Club
Kalei Mahi-Foldy '04
Kalei is a 4x Big East Finalist, 2x Abbie Biegelow Award winner for courage and the 100 Breaststroke record holder at Syracuse University.
Upon graduating from the college of Visual and Performing Arts, Kalei built a 20+ year career in brand marketing alongside some of those most respected names in the world including The Coco-Cola Company, AT&T, Sony, and more. Today, Kalei helps athletes build their brand and identity through her company, NextGen Legacy NIL.
Ryan Novak '11
Ryan Novak is the owner and CEO of Chocolate Pizza Company, Central New York's largest gourmet chocolate manufacturer. A 2011 graduate of Syracuse University's Whitman School of Management, Ryan earned a B.S. in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises and was recognized as Whitman's Alumnus of the Year in 2018. He began working at Chocolate Pizza Company as a dishwasher at age 15 and, at just 21 years old, purchased the business while still a senior at Syracuse.Â
Under his leadership, the company has grown into a nationally recognized gourmet food brand, with products sold by major retailers and enjoyed by customers around the world. Chocolate Pizza Company has been featured on ABC World News Tonight with David Muir, Food Network, CNBC, Discovery Channel, Hallmark Channel, and in publications including Forbes, People, and Entrepreneur. Ryan is a frequent speaker on entrepreneurship, leadership, and small business growth, sharing his experiences building a nationally recognized brand from right here in Central New York.Â
Rich Santana '92
Rich is the second winningest wrestler in the school's history with an overall record of 124-14-2. During his time at Syracuse, he was a 4x NCAA qualifier, earned All-American honors twice and was honored as the Syracuse Athlete of the Year in 1990. Earlier this year, his wrestling accomplishments increased as he was inducted into the EIWA Hall of Fame.
Upon graduating with a degree in Psychology, Rich founded the Rich Santana Wrestling Academy. Join us on Thursday, September 3 to hear Rich share his story of his journey from athlete to entrepreneur.Â
We also have designated alumni athletes as table hosts for the networking portion of our event with the current student athletes. The list of table hosts below will be updated as we get closer to the event.
Nicholas Capparelli '15
Former Syracuse Football l alum, Nicholas Capparelli '15 is the owner and operator of Cappa Realty and co-owner of Cappy Cones. Graduating with his degree in Social Work, Nicholas uses his strong communication, relationship-building, and people-focused approach to the commercial real estate industry with Acropolis Realty in Syracuse, New York. His background in Social Work provides a unique perspective on building lasting relationships and understanding the needs of the individuals and businesses he serves.
Cappa Realty LLC is Nicholas' property management business where he provides preventative maintenance, scheduled upkeep and tenant relations services to his clients. This entity also allows him to operate as an Independent Contractor W9 for Acropolis Realty Group, and to invest in his own real estate portfolio.Â
Cappy Cones LLC reflects a combination of the refrigeration business started by his father and their repair/buy/sell restaurant equipment business. They specialize in repairing and selling soft-serve ice cream machines, which has transitioned into an ice cream stand they operate at the NYS Fair.Â
Born and raised in Syracuse, Nicholas is proud to be part of the continued growth and development of the community he calls home.
