New Rochelle Thanksgiving Parade Sponsor’s Pace Degree Claim Is False, University Confirms

NEW ROCHELLE, NY (November 24, 2025) — A Pace University spokesperson confirmed that Robert Rubicco, chief business officer of Anna & Jack’s Treehouse and sponsor of the New Rochelle Thanksgiving Parade through his company Treehouse Play Place, did not earn a degree from the university, despite listing a B.A. with a double major in Business Administration/Marketing and a minor in Psychology on his LinkedIn profile.

An individual named Robert Rubicco was enrolled from Fall 2004 to Summer 2006, according to the school.

The confirmation came in response to an email inquiry from Robert Cox, a reporter with Talk of the Sound, who is investigating Rubicco’s background following a Nov. 21 article detailing Rubicco’s 2002 arrest for stealing a deceased North Castle police sergeant’s gold shield from a memorial plaque.

In a 2002 voluntary statement to North Castle police, Rubicco said his highest level of education was high school and that he worked as a waiter. A 2010 Eastchester arrest report for witness tampering left the education field blank.

Rubicco recently claimed on Facebook that the 2002 theft occurred when he was 19 during a fraternity scavenger hunt. Pace University records show its two current fraternities were established in 2007 and 2014, both after 2002.

The Pace University spokesperson told Cox in an email: “Robert Rubicco did not earn a degree from Pace.”

A Westfair Communications article titled “Eye on Small Business: Anna & Jack’s Treehouse” published on November 22, 2024, profiles Rob and Christina Rubicco and their business,

Rob, who graduated from Byram Hills High School in Armonk and is a trained chef with a double major in marketing and business administration from Pace University, oversees finance, enrollment, legal aspects, marketing and human resources – “the money,” as he called it.

Rubicco’s LinkedIn profile, as of November 2025, continues to list the Pace degree — as do various businesses directory websites..

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In New York, falsely claiming an unearned college degree is not automatically criminal but can be prosecuted as a misdemeanor (falsifying business records or offering a false instrument, up to 1 year jail) if used to gain money or employment. It routinely triggers civil fraud lawsuits, termination, and professional sanctions. As of November 24, 2025, no related charges have been filed against Rob Rubicco.

This article was drafted with the aid of Grok, an AI tool by xAI, under the direction and editing of Robert Cox to ensure accuracy and adherence to journalistic standards.*