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Frank Shemanski

Profile Updated: July 3, 2019
Residing In:
Fullerton, CA USA
Spouse/Partner - wedding date:
Lorraine, married 1964, deceased 2011
Current Occupation:
Retired Financial Services
Websites:
Children:
Jim, born 1972, Commerce Township Firefighter/Paramedic there since 1996. Recently promoted to lieutenant.
Military Service:
Army SSgt E-6  
Grandchildren:

Brody, born 2006
Grace Lorraine born 2017

About My Career:

1964-1984 HSBC (HFC) Detroit, Chicago, Los Angles. VP Financial Services

1984-1988 Butterfield Savings & Loan, Brea CA
Sr Vice President Consumer Credit

1988-2010 Southwest Financial Services, Inc
Founder, President/CEO

What grade school(s) did you go to?

Roosevelt, Glen Lyon PA
St. Monica, Lyndon St. Detroit MI

College (w/degrees):

Univ of Detroit DNG

Grad School (w/degrees):

Hard Knocks Univ

Years of Service (military):

6 including Army Reserve

Family/Travels/Events:

Have been on cruises all over the world and have visited every state in the union with my wife Lorraine who passed away June 16th, 2011 of ovarian cancer. Since then I've been filling my bucket list with travel, golf, dinners, gambling and dinners. Went on a 12 day your with the Band of Brothers to Normandy in 2017 and just got back from a 10 day visit to Washington DC where I stayed at the infamous Watergate Hotel of Nixon notoriety. Have also spent time in Rome, Turkey, France ,Germany, Russia, Sweden etc. Enjoy visiting the California Casinos with my friend Dick and have two lovely lady friends 73 & 76 (strictly platonic) who regularly accompany me to one of the numerous restaurants CA has to offer. Although I've gone deaf, had an attack of epiglottitis, angioplasty stents to repair a blocked artery, an operation to clean out a carotid artery and diverticulitis over the last couple years, I still consider my self to be in excellent health. Watch my diet and walk an hour every day.

States/Countries: (where have you lived?)

Penna 1942-1955
Michigan 1955-1972
Illinois 1972-1978
California 1978-present

Do you spend part of the year at another address?

No

Comments:

After 25 years as an executive working for two financial services companies, I started my own factoring business by contracting with Visa and Mastercard to provide gateway authorization services between their merchants and the bankcard issuer. Built the business by acquiring other companies and started an equipment leasing division to finance cash management equipment. Also was a licensed consumer finance company. Semi-retired in 2008 to care for my sick spouse, turning over the day to day operations to a long time employee. Lorraine passed away of ovarian cancer June 201 after 47 years of marriage..

School Story:

1955 to 1960 were tough economic times. Our family of six had migrated from Pa to Detroit after the coal mines there played out. Work was hard to find, especially for a man with an 8th grade education and no meaningful skills. All through high school I worked 40 hours a week at Joseph's Drug store on Fenkel Ave plus helped my folks with the janitorial work at the parochial school. This didn't leave any time for after school activities.
Went to work for the Detroit Police Department as a police cadet after graduation in 1960. Left there for a job as a trainee in 1963 with HFC where I worked my way up to Vice President after 20 years. I was transferred twice. First to Lombard IL outside Chicago in1972, then to Brea CA south east of LA in 1978..Was married to Lorraine Anderson, a St. Mary's of Redford graduate, from 1964 to 2011.
Left HFC in 1984 to start up a consumer finance division for Butterfield Savings and Loan. Started my own company, Southwest Financial Services, Inc in 1988 which turned out to be very successful and "officially" retired in 2010. Since then I've been filling my bucket list.
Miles Platt was my favorite teacher.

Frank's Latest Interactions

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Frank Shemanski added a comment on Profile.
Apr 16, 2020 at 1:33 PM
Jul 03, 2019 at 7:15 PM
Frank Shemanski posted a message. New comment added.
Apr 11, 2017 at 1:37 PM

Posted on: Apr 10, 2017 at 12:53 PM

I'll be 75 in September. Had I known I would live this long, I would have taken better care of myself. Have lived in beautiful Southern California for almost 40 years (1978). Perfect climate, lousy politics, no regrets. Going to fill my bucket list in June with a 2 week tour from London thru Normandy tracing the WW11 route of The Band of Brothers.

Frank Shemanski added a comment on Profile.
Apr 10, 2017 at 12:32 PM
Sep 30, 2015 at 2:01 PM

Greetings,
Just updated my profile as well.
Frank Shemanski, Class of 1960

Frank Shemanski changed "Then" picture.
Sep 30, 2015 at 1:45 PM
Frank Shemanski added a comment on Profile.
Jul 14, 2014 at 2:58 PM