Deacon Peter Cistaro, MBA

Adjunct Professor of Pastoral Theology
Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology

Mr. Cistaro earned a B.S. degree in industrial engineering in 1968 from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. He earned a Masters in Business Administration from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1981. He also completed the University of Michigan’s Public Utility Executive Program and the Harvard Graduate School of Business Program for Management Development. 

Mr. Cistaro began his business career with Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G) in 1968 and held various managerial positions within the company. His responsibilities covered areas of electric and gas operations, labor relations, marketing, corporate total quality management. Mr. Cistaro was elected a Vice President in 1995 and retired in 2007 as Vice President-Gas Delivery

Mr. Cistaro participated in many industry-wide organizations during his tenure in the utility industry, including the Research Committee, the Infrastructure Integrity and Security Committee, the Leadership Council and past Chairman of the Operating Section of the American Gas Association. Mr. Cistaro was also on the Board of Trustees of the Gas Technology Institute and past Chairman of the Distribution Committee of the International Gas Union.

He served on several non-profit Boards including The American Red Cross of Northern New Jersey, where he was Chairman for seven years.  He served as Chairman of the New Jersey State Safety Council, Chairman of the March of Dimes of North Jersey and was a member of the Board of Trustees of the Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark N.J. 

Mr. Cistaro served on the Board of Trustees of the New Jersey Institute of Technology for twenty years, where he was Chairman of the Advancement and Campus Life Committees.  He serves on the Board of Directors of Martin dePorres Village and the RIESE Corporation, two housing complexes in the City of Paterson that serve the poor and elderly.

After his retirement from PSE&G, Mr. Cistaro was a Professor of Business at the County College of Morris in Randolph, New Jersey from 2007 to 2011.

Mr. Peter Cistaro was ordained a permanent deacon in the Roman Catholic Church on May 16, 2009.  Deacon Peter was named Director-Diaconate for the Diocese of Paterson in 2014 and continues in that role today. He is on the pastoral staff of Saint Peter the Apostle Parish in Parsippany, New Jersey where he is active in many aspects of ministry including Chair of the Finance Committee and Adult Faith Formation. 

Mr. Cistaro is married to Mary Ann.  They have four children and nine grandchildren.