Al Adaschik was born in New London, Connecticut, on June 27th, 1943. He was raised in Brooklyn, New York and attended Franklin K. Lane High School. Upon graduation, he was accepted as an engineering student at the University of Michigan in its Naval ROTC program. Upon completing college, Al qualified for Navy flight training and received his wings as a Jet Fighter Pilot in June of 1966. After completing his tour of duty, he left the service and earned a MBA from Long Island University, at the C.W. Post Center, in Greenvale, Long Island.
Al has worked as a Flight Test Conductor for the Grumman Aerospace Corporation, a Financial Analyst for the Singer Company, a Senior Financial Analyst for Pratt & Whitney Aircraft, a Financial Administrator for the City of Fort Lauderdale, and retired from that position after twenty years of service in the year 2001.
Upon moving to Florida in 1976, Al and his first wife, Pam, opened and managed a School of Olympic Style gymnastics called The Gym, Inc., which was home of the Tumblebees (the girls gymnastic team) and the Stingers (the boys gymnastics team). Team colors were yellow and black. The phrase “Yea Buzz” was a common expletive heard around the gym anytime something good happened or a team member mastered a new trick.
Eventually, Al, in partnership with Dann Smith, capitalizing upon the success and reputation of the Tumblebees, began franchising Tumblebee mini-gyms in malls and shopping centers throughout South Florida. Nine locations were developed and Dann and Al had visions of going nationwide with their concept. However, an undercapitalized situation combined with the launching of a disastrous “Gym-On-Wheels” venture, drove the Tumblebees into bankruptcy.
When hired by the City of Fort Lauderdale, Al was on a fast track to become Department Head of the city’s Utilities Department. However, his career came to a screeching halt three years after being hired when he discovered that his Department was dumping raw sewage into the river which ran through downtown Fort Lauderdale. Not able to accept this state of affairs, after attempting to solve the problem internal to the City, Al enlisted the help of a friend and neighbor and their involvement brought about an immediate end to the problem.