Published 2 min read
By Ed Brennen
Topics: Alumni Experiential Learning
Three men in matching polo shirts talk while sitting around a laptop on a conference room table. Image by Ed Brennen

As CEO of StratusPointIT in North Andover, business alum Eric Correnti '98, left, works with fellow UMass Lowell alumni Jake Burke '90, '92, center, and Charley Boudreau '92.


In 1994, a sophomore business major named Eric Correnti walked into UMass Lowell’s new Office of Career Services, then located at Southwick Hall, and asked Associate Director Jake Burke ’90, ’92 for a budget analyst internship. 

“My career started that day,” says Correnti, a Stoneham native who ended up interning with Burke’s team for three years. 

After graduating in 1998, Correnti built a career in finance and operations at software firms Oracle and Progress. He is now CEO of StratusPointIT, a North Andover-based firm that delivers information technology infrastructure, security and advisory services to small and midsized businesses.

Burke, meanwhile, moved on from UMass Lowell in 2000 and built a sales career in the staffing industry. In early 2025, he was looking for his next career move. After hitting a few roadblocks, he did what he always told students at UMass Lowell to do: He leveraged his alumni network. Burke emailed dozens of UML connections, including Correnti, about potential sales opportunities.

Before long, Burke was hired by his former intern as chief revenue officer at StratusPointIT.

“When you are part of that UMass Lowell network, part of that family, it really does make a difference,” says Burke, a Medford native who majored in psychology at UML before going on to work as vice president of sales in the staffing and recruiting industry.

Burke joined a C-suite at StratusPointIT that includes another UML alum, chief operating officer Charley Boudreau ’92.

Three men in matching blue polo shirts stand next to a cubicle where a woman is working and pose for a photo. Image by Ed Brennen

The C-suite at StratusPointIT in North Andover has a strong River Hawk presence: Charley Boudreau '92, left, is chief operating officer, Jake Burke '90, '92, center, is chief revenue officer, and Eric Correnti '98 is chief executive officer.


Correnti and Boudreau crossed paths at Progress Software, where Boudreau ran IT operations and helped integrate acquisitions for more than 20 years. When Correnti decided to strike out on his own and acquired StratusPointIT in 2017, he invited Boudreau to join the leadership team.

“Unlike at a large company, we can get all of our leaders in one room, make decisions and pivot. It’s a very collaborative environment,” says Boudreau, a native of Wilmington who earned a degree in information systems.

StratusPointIT has nearly 50 employees across nine states. Among them is UML business alumna Michelle Galipeau ’12, who is director of accounting and administration. Correnti says the company has nearly tripled revenue in eight years, with plans to double again now that Burke is onboard.

“Jake is a people person with an upbeat attitude, which is why he’s so good at his job,” says Correnti, recalling Burke’s knack for connecting with people even when he was his boss in Career Services.

Correnti’s son, Jake Correnti ’24, is a computer science alum who now works as a software engineer at Red Hat. “I didn’t name him after Jake,” Correnti says with a laugh. “It’s just a coincidence.”

Correnti credits his older brother, business alum Chris Correnti ’92, for encouraging him to go to Career Services and ask for the internship in 1994. Burke was friends with Chris and his future wife, business alumna Nicole Correnti ’92.

“The power of that network — you can’t overstate it,” Correnti says.