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FEATURE A Man of the People Frank Jonna honored at Chamber dinner BY SARAH KITTLE People tend to get emotional when talking about Frank Jonna, the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Businessperson of the Year. Frank, who will be honored at their 21st Annual Awards Dinner on April 26, has the reputation of a man who listens to people and makes them feel valued. Frank was born in Iraq, coming to the United States when he was just 5 months old and settling with his family on the edge of the Boston Edison District. There, he and his six brothers and one sister grew up within walking distance of Mother of God Church, Palmer Park, and Blessed Sacrament School. It was a great time and place to grow up Chaldean, with many families on the block. Sports were a common theme in his family, and Frank and his siblings and friends broke the local park rule of “No Ball Playing,” on many occasions and with many kinds of balls, much to his parents’ dismay. “We played any sports we could find the equipment to use,” says Frank. “We even scoured the alleys to uncover anything we could put wheels on.” Frank’s brother John was a gifted student who paved the way for his brothers to follow his path at Catholic Central High School, setting Frank on a course which would guide him his entire life. “I immediately embraced the spirit of Catholic Central,” recalls Frank. “It was a life-changing experience.” Jonna Construction His brother Jimmy founded Jonna Construction, creating a family legacy that lives on in the firm Frank runs today. Jimmy was a tireless worker, says Frank, and a great communicator and innovator. “He was clearly the most intellectual,” states Frank, “and was able to treat a bank president the same way he treated a laborer on the job.” When you treat people with respect, people notice. Jimmy was the “captain of customer service,” a model that Frank has taken to heart. Eddie, another brother, was “the prime guy I learned retail from,” says Frank. Eddie also served as a great example of good customer service. Countless customers speak about the Jonna family’s exemplary service, one that builds a relationship of trust and loyalty. They feel known and heard when in the Jonna Construction offices. Jimmy was the CACC’s 2005 Businessperson of the Year. A photo of him at the podium, arms raised in a victory salute, hangs just inside the entrance to the CACC office in Farmington Hills. It is the first in a line of black and white photos detailing the long and successful history of the Chaldean business community that grace the walls of those offices. Frank’s photo will join his brother’s there, spanning two decades of success for Jonna Construction. The Jonna Family has a rich history in retail, food and beverages. Union Pacific grocery store stood in what is currently Brush Park. Jimmy took over the supermarket and opened an expanded 12,000 square foot store called Big Dipper in 1957. Frank’s brother Manuel was partner. All the family members were involved in the operation of the store. Frank’s brother Eddie was “a forward thinker” who owned several food and beverage operations. His skill in sales gave him the confidence to launch Trade Winds, a specialty food store in the Palmer Park area. Out of this grew a chain of six Merchants Fine Wine stores which were ultimately sold to Whole Foods. Relationships “I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Frank for a long time,” says Robert Riney, president and CEO of Henry Ford Health. “I first met him when he was a trustee on the Henry Ford West Bloomfield Board. And, you know, you instantly know after spending just a little time with somebody that they are a ‘What you see is what you get’ kind of guy. “He is a really effective listener,” adds Riney. “He has a good sense of humor, and he really cares about people. And so, all his questions as a trustee were always about how we’re going to enhance our relationship with the community.” “Frank is one of the leaders that joined in this movement to create an economic transformation of New Center in Midtown in Detroit, one of the early adopters,” shares Riney. “You know, there’s a lot of people excited now, but you always appreciate those early adopters who are willing to take some risk when you’re not sure how it’s going to, you know, exactly pan out.” Rich Homberg, president and CEO of Detroit Public Television, shares, “In the late nineties, we were looking to build a building for WWJ; we knew nothing about building buildings, and we came across a company called Jonna. And as Frank built our building, he guided me through something I’d never done before. And I know sometimes you finish a building, you never want to talk to the contractor again. In this case, we were friends by the end of it. “There are a few people I know who, they’re just people that give you energy in life,” says Homberg. “And Frank is one of those people – great smile, positive vibe. When the blackout happened in 2003, our generator at WWJ started to run out of fuel and I started calling people for help. Frank 26 CHALDEAN NEWS APRIL 2024
Connect Learn Lead are you an aspiring leader that wants to excel in your career? by connecting them with proven leaders in our communities. The purpose of the Learn with a Leader program is to strengthen and grow leadership ski ls for emerging talent Learn with a Leader is a 6-month program designed to impact the lives of aspiring leaders through bi-weekly development sessions and creating networking opportunities within the community. Hear from top leaders in the Chaldean community about their own leadership journey and visit successful businesses! Spots are limited! Cohort 2 Scan QR code to register Topics Include • People Intelligence • Character as a Leader • Creating Vision & Purpose • Critical & Strategic Thinking Program start date - May 22, 2024 Tuition for Learn with a Leader (if selected) is $250 and covers all program related costs. Deadline to apply is april 8, 2024 For more information, visit: www.learnwithaleader.com APRIL 2024 CHALDEAN NEWS 27
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