While at East HS, Pierce played basketball, football and track, and he lead East to the Section V championship in 1965.  He continued hisbasketball career at the University of Rochester, where he was captain of the 1969 team.  While working on his MBA at the University of Maine he served as the school’s graduate assistant basketball coach.  Following his graduation from Maine in 1972, he went to work for Corning Inc.  He held a series of management positions in Consumer Products, Corning Medical, Science Products and served 10 years as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Life Sciences Division.  Pirce retired from Corning Inc. in 2006 after a stellar 34 year career with the company. He resides in Corning with his wife, Rebecca and daugther, Sarah.  He has two sons, Brooks of Corning and JB of Colorado Springs, Co.