Joseph Ptak
Polish community leader, auditor
Born Mar. 7, 1912, Olkusz, Poland; came to U.S., 1951; son of Joseph and Maria (Pietruszka); married Janina (Chodorowski); children: Urszula, Janusz.
Career: chief forester in Poland, until 1939; prisoner, South Siberian Slave Labor Camp, 1941-43; Polish and British Armies, 1943-51; private industry, Cleveland (OH), 1951-67; fiscal officer, budget analyst, auditor, Department of Human Resources, City of Cleveland, 1972-82; Retired.
Member of: i.a.: Polish American Congress (P.A.C.) (president 1981-84, chairman, board directors member, 1989, Ohio Division, national vice president, 1982-86; president, Friends of John Paul II Foundation; president, Polish Veterans of World War II - Stowarzyszenie Polskich Kombatantow (S.P.K.), Cleveland, since 1971; Polish National Alliance (P.N.A.); Alliance of Poles; Union of Poles.
Honors, i.a.: Monte Cassino Cross, Cross of Valor, Polish Government in Exile, London (United Kingdom); Defense Medal, War Medal, British Government; Citation of Honor, Polish American Congress (P.A.C.); Joseph Ptak Day, Mayor of Cleveland, 1982; Certificate of Recognition, Baldwin-Wallace College, Cleveland, 1988; Honorary Mayor, City of Cleveland, 1989; numerous other military and combatants medals and diplomas.
Served with: Polish Army, September '39 Campaign, Signal Corps, sergeant; Polish Armed Forces in the West, 2nd Corps, Italian Campaign, sergeant, 1943-45; Polish Resettlement Corps, 1945-48; promoted to 2nd Iieutenant, 1985.
Affiliation: Republican. Roman Catholic.
Languages: Polish, English.
Hobbies: music, history, boxing.
Home: 9725 Rosewood Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44105.
From: "Who's Who in Polish America" 1st Edition 1996-1997, Boleslaw Wierzbianski editor; Bicentennial Publishing Corporation,
New York, NY, 1996.