Ernest Dianastasis
Ernest (Ernie) Dianastasis is Founder and CEO of The Precisionists, Inc., a global administrative services and information technology company focused on employing 10,000 people with disabilities by the year 2025.
In this role, Ernie is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the company, which is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware, but is national in its focus. Creating meaningful careers for people with disabilities while at the same time delivering world class service to customers is a passion for Ernie.
In 2018, The Precisionists received the prestigious national award from the Autism Society of America, the Adam Heavner Award, for being the company to do the most to advance employment opportunities for individuals on the autism spectrum.
Prior to this Ernie was a senior executive at the IT company CAI, and he grew the Delaware Valley operation from 1 to 1,400+ associates, making CAI one of the three largest IT firms in the Delaware Valley (The Philadelphia Business Journal, 2013, 2014 & 2015).
In addition to being a successful business leader and entrepreneur, Ernie has a passion for the community and is extremely active within the region.
Ernie is Chairman of First State Innovation; a private sector led non-profit initiative to foster a more entrepreneurial environment in Delaware. First State Innovation is closely aligned with the Council on Competitiveness in Washington, D.C., to which Ernie also belongs. Ernie also serves on the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the University City Science Center, which is the first and largest urban research park in the country, located in Philadelphia, PA.
He has been a member of The Delaware Business Roundtable since 2001 and currently serves on the executive committee. He is a member of the Delaware State Chamber Board of Governors and serves on the State of Delaware’s Vision Coalition effort focusing on improving the future of public education in Delaware. He also serves on the Select Greater Philadelphia Advisory Board. He has also served from 2009-2012 on the Board of Leadership Delaware. Ernie also served on The Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia’s Economic Advisory Council from 2013 to 2016. In 2011 Ernie was recognized by the Delmarva Chapter of the Boy Scouts of America as Citizen of the Year. In 2017 Ernie was appointed by the Governor of Delaware to serve on the Government Efficiency & Accountability Review Board (GEAR) focused on best practices for State government.
In April 2016 Ernie joined the Board of Directors of Pepco Holdings, Inc., a major public energy company which includes Potomac Electric Power, Delmarva Power and Atlantic City Electric under its umbrella of companies.
Ernie and The Precisionists are involved in a number of local charitable causes. He is a board member and former Chairman of the Board for Easter Seals of Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Ernie also served for two years as a Board member of Specialisterne USA, a global non-profit firm focused on employing over 1 million people on the Autism spectrum into technology jobs. The Precisionists is also a key sponsor of the Eagles Autism Challenge and was one of the top 25 fundraising companies for this worthwhile cause.
Prior to joining CAI Ernie was with the IBM Corporation. He earned a B.S. degree in Finance and an M.B.A. in Management from Lehigh University, and remains active in supporting numerous university initiatives.
Ernie and his wife Jennifer reside in Wilmington, Delaware, with their two children, John and Paisley.