Frank Hajduk served as the Board’s secretary for his first two years as a member. He is now in his third year as a member and is serving as Vice Chairman of the Board.
Frank grew up in Oil City and attended college in Ohio to become a mechanical engineer. Before graduating, Frank had the honor of being the JOY’s first-ever co-op student, an opportunity which allowed him to gain valuable work experience. Frank then went on to have a successful career in engineering management, which led him all over the country to places including North Carolina, Texas, Illinois, and New Jersey.
While working in New Jersey, Frank became the chief operating officer of an engineering company. He was able to retire at 54, and he has since returned to his hometown and devoted his time to contributing to the community in what he calls his “give-back phase.”
Frank’s efforts throughout his “working retirement” in our region have been focused on economic development. He has worked as a board member of the Oil Region Alliance to promote the success of small businesses in the area. He has also worked to develop bike trails and other recreational resources in the area. Frank has also been heavily involved with SCORE for the past 5.5 years. During that time, his branch has helped 113 small businesses to grow and develop.
Frank’s main goal as a board member has been to develop and execute a long-term strategic plan that reflects the goals and values of the Chamber.
“I wanted to create an implementation strategy so that the Chamber would have an actionable plan of activities that would lead to completing goals,” said Frank.
Frank’s vision for our area is to see small businesses thrive. He envisions a thriving region in which people do not need to go elsewhere to further their careers. He hopes to see a well-developed economy that allows businesses including restaurants, technological development, and more to succeed.
“We need to use the recreational resources we have in this area, like our waterways and bike trails, which are some of the best in the country, to build a community that attracts the next generation of economic development,” Frank said.