Joe Sena

Background

A few years later, with a return to Howard Beach to live with his father Ralph, Joe adopted his father"s entrepreneurial mindset.

Education

Cornell University.

Career

Growing up in Howard Beach, Queens, a territory that was controlled by the infamous Mafia Don, John Gotti. At around age 13 Joe created a swimming pool and construction company that expanded from the Howard Beach neighborhood all the way through the Boroughs of Queens and Brooklyn. At the age of 25 Joe sold his companies and started a journey in finance on Wall Street.

On Wall Street, De Sena worked as an equities and derivatives trader and engaged various outdoor activities ranging from multiple IronMan races, to the iditarod by foot.

In early 2007, De Sena moved his family to Pittsfield, Vermont to operate a farm, a bed and breakfast, and a general store for hikers. In his spare time, De Sena competes in grueling athletic events like the Ironman and the Furnace Creek 508 Bike Race.

In 2005, De Sena met Andy Weinberg and they decided to develop a new series of obstacle course races and in 2008, De Sena began the Peak.com Corporation with Julian Kopald to promote endurance sports and events such as the Death Race, a 24-hour physical and psychological event. Peak.com first began holding races under the brand in 2010.

Beginning as two distinct race distances, the Sprint consisted of just over three miles and the Super, which was approximately eight miles.

The series caught the attention of the masses who were looking for something to inspire and challenge them. Signature obstacles such as the rope climb, sandbag carry, and barbed-wire crawl were commonplace in these events, while the spear throw became a right of passage at the end of each race just before a fire jump to the finish line. Eventually, the Beast was added giving racers the ability to complete three different race distances in a year and collect the coveted Trifecta medal.

As the company grew, races were held across the country, and were slowly tiered out into the rest of the world.

Initially, tested the European market in Slovakia. During the same year, Peak.com"s was named "Best Obstacle Race in 2012" by Outside Magazine with over 350,000 competitors participating. continued to find success as the premier Obstacle Race expanding into Australia, Mexico, Germany, and beyond.

In 2013, expanded the stadium series to include CITI Field, Miller and American Telephone & Telegraph Company parks. In 2014, Desena sued the Company-Founders of Peak and s, Andy Weinberg and Julian Kopald and began promoting that he had started these races by himself.

In 2014, Joseph Desena and Spartan was also found to have taken roughly 99% of the charity money promised to veterans at races in Tampa.

Connections

partners:

John Burns