ity . ▁He ▁then ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁get ▁his ▁Master ▁of ▁Account ancy ▁from ▁the ▁University ▁of ▁Houston . ▁He ▁is ▁a ▁lic ensed ▁C PA . ▁ ▁Career ▁He ▁started ▁work ▁with ▁the ▁firm ▁Co op ers ▁& ▁Ly brand , ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁fir ms ▁along ▁with ▁Price ▁Water house , ▁that ▁merged ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁to ▁form ▁Price water house Co op ers . ▁ ▁Di P ia zza ▁joined ▁C & L ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁and ▁was ▁named ▁partner ▁six ▁years ▁later ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 9 . ▁ ▁Later ▁in ▁his ▁career ▁he ▁was ▁chosen ▁to ▁head ▁first ▁the ▁B irmingham , ▁Alabama , ▁and ▁then ▁the ▁Chicago ▁offices . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 2 ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁man aging ▁partner ▁of ▁the ▁Mid west ▁region . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 9 4 ▁he ▁moved ▁to ▁a ▁position ▁in ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁office , ▁similar ▁to ▁his ▁previous ▁one , ▁and ▁added ▁client ▁service ▁vice ▁president ▁to ▁his ▁res ume . ▁ ▁Finally , ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁chairman ▁and ▁senior ▁partner ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁firm , ▁a ▁role ▁he ▁filled ▁until ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁when ▁he ▁took ▁over ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁chairman ▁and ▁man aging ▁partner ▁for ▁the ▁firm ▁as ▁a ▁whole . ▁ ▁Bo ards ▁and ▁members hips ▁Di P ia zza ▁served ▁a ▁three - year ▁term ▁as ▁a ▁trust ee ▁of ▁the ▁Fin an cial