Stanley Buchesky is the Chairman and CEO of pi-top, a global education technology company that brings computer science education to students around the world using project based learning. He is also the founder and Managing Partner of the EdTech Fund, investing in seed stage education technology companies in K-12 and Higher Education.
In January 2017, Mr. Buchesky was appointed to serve as interim CFO of the U.S. Department of Education. He ran and oversaw all of the Department’s finances and operations during the initial days of the Administration until the Secretary could be confirmed by the Senate and other senior political appointees could be hired.
He has a passion for education. Stanley first became involved in education while leading mergers and acquisitions for McGraw-Hill and then as one of the founding board members of Equality Charter School in the Bronx. Starting with an idea in the heads of three educators, he led the school through start-up phase, established oversight committees, and eventually helped expand Equality from a single middle school to a high school as well, graduating its first senior class in 2018.
Stanley has led M&A departments and activities for large companies such as McGraw-Hill, L-3 Communications and Pitney Bowes, leading deals ranging from minority equity investments and joint ventures to multi-billion dollar transformational acquisitions. He has a depth of knowledge in private and public company tax and accounting issues and is a skilled negotiator. He has has also advised candidates for Governor in two different states on education policy.
Prior to a career in business, Stanley was an Airborne Ranger Army officer serving in peacekeeping missions in Bosnia, Kosovo and Macedonia. He is a West Point graduate with a BS in computer science engineering and a double major in German and French, and he holds an MBA in finance from Columbia Business School.