Cell Phone, M.D.: Anas Almaletti '08

Major: Math and Science Graduate

The story of Anas Almaletti is nothing short of remarkable. After graduating from high school in Jordan, he came to the United States to be with his father who was operating a cell phone repair service. He started classes at Onondaga Community College the following fall in 2006 and prepared himself for the language barrier and post September 11, culture he had experienced since his arrival. However, from his first day of classes he was encouraged and inspired.  “I could read, but not speak the language, but my professors and classmates helped me through the process so having a small setting and identifying with my instructors on a personal level was instrumental in adapting to the work.”

When he first enrolled at OCC, Almaletti wanted to be a doctor, but he soon found out that he was not passionate about the coursework involved in the profession. He would transfer after graduating in 2008 to Binghamton University with a focus on Chemistry, but continued to find himself uninspired after graduating with the degree two-years later. He decided to take a year off to work with his father and reevaluate his options when he discovered the spark he was looking for. “Soon after I started working for my father I realized the business needed a lot of organizational and marketing help so I set about improving these areas and almost immediately I found my passion.”

Almaletti became a fixture in the company and would go on to get his MBA from Syracuse University in 2014 in order to fully commit to the profession. While at SU he began incorporating his education into how he could grow his father’s company because he knew the model of repairing and refurbishing cell phones was not a high growth opportunity. That year, AT&T bought out Cricket Wireless. He saw an opportunity to establish satellite branches locally and draw on his education coupled with what he had learned while working with his father. Today, Almaletti heads up about 15 Cricket Wireless stores and is as surprised as anyone. “I had no idea I would be where I am today once we started this process, all of this started with me wanting to help my father’s business and to see where we have come is truly unbelievable.”

Most of his stores have been open for only a year or two. He’s in the process of reviewing their profit analytics before committing to further expansion but is optimistic. He still operates his father’s store, with his brother, and due to their success his father has been able to retire.  Looking back, he feels much of his success is due to the start he received at OCC. “The best thing the College taught me was they were going to support me, but I was going to have to put the work in. This type of mindset has stayed with me and allowed me to push through some tough times in order to get to where I am today.”