Vincent Wolanin

Vincent M. Wolanin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Julia Solecki Wolanin and Vincent J. Wolanin, a state police detective. He has one brother, Gregory.{{Cite book|last=Gregory|first=Andy|title=The International Who's Who in Popular Music 2002|publisher=Europa Publications Limited|year=2002|isbn=1-85743-161-8|location=London, England|pages=551}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.philau.edu/catalog/Admissionsandfinancialaid/UndergraduateFinAid/index.html|title=Undergraduate Financial Aid|last=|first=|date=|website=Thomas Jefferson University|access-date=18 February 2020}} Wolanin was educated at Father Judge High School, a Roman Catholic high school in Philadelphia. Father Judge later inducted him into their hall of fame in 2004.{{Cite web|url=https://4.files.edl.io/0e32/09/25/19/152218-911c18f8-a733-4776-8fa7-5c15e31d8815.pdf|title=The Father Judge High School Hall of Fame|last=|first=|date=|website=Father Judge High School|access-date=21 February 2020}} He gained his bachelor's degree from Philadelphia University in 1969 before attending graduate school at Union College.

During his undergraduate career, Wolanin was a member of both the Rams’ basketball and baseball teams, becoming a star pitcher for the latter. Wolanin's freshman season saw him emerge as the winning pitcher for four of the team's five victories, including a game against Rutgers that represented the Rams’ first-ever win against a major public university. He was awarded the university's lifetime innovation award in 2010 and inducted into the university's athletics hall of fame in 2012.{{Cite web|url=http://www.philau.edu/Athletics/halloffame/inductees/classOf2012/vinceWolanin%20.html|title=Thomas Jefferson University{{!}} Hall of Fame Vince Wolanin|website=www.philau.edu|access-date=2020-02-21}}

Shortly after graduating from Philadelphia University, Wolanin began a wholesale building materials business. The company supplied materials at high volume and shipped them directly to clients’ building sites, thereby bypassing the need for a warehouse. The construction arm of the business emerged when Wolanin secured a contract from a building materials client that was struggling to stay on schedule. An agreement was reached whereby the developer would be free to not pay Wolanin if the work was unsatisfactory. However, successfully completing the sections would result in the developer awarding the company as much work as it could accomplish.{{Cite web|url=http://wolanin.com/history.html|title=Wolanin {{!}} History|website=Wolanin.com|access-date=2020-02-19}}

Currently, Bethlehem Construction Corporation develops real estate across the United States with a focus on New York and Florida. In 1993 they constructed the world headquarters for fashion retailer Chico's.{{Cite news|last=Martell|first=Scott|url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/219433968/|title=Casual Commander|date=15 December 1993|work=New-Press|access-date=21 February 2020}} By 1994, it was estimated that they owned a total of 528,000 square feet of commercial space, valued at an estimated $42.4 million (equivalent to ${{Inflation|US|42.4|1994|r=2}} million in {{Inflation/year|US}}).{{Cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/albany/stories/1998/02/02/tidbits.html|title=A Long-Distance Goal|last=|first=|date=|website=www.bizjournals.com|access-date=2020-02-21}}

Throughout the 1990s Wolanin managed a number of rock acts, including Vince Neil of Mötley Crüe and Brian Howe of Bad Company.{{Cite web|title=News-Press from Fort Myers, Florida on December 15, 1993 · Page 73|url=http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/219433968/|access-date=2021-05-02|website=Newspapers.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/514194/bad-company-to-tour-us-with-david-lee-roth/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150405064948/http://www.mtv.com/news/514194/bad-company-to-tour-us-with-david-lee-roth/|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 5, 2015|title=Bad Company To Tour U.S. With David Lee Roth|last=O'Connor|first=Christopher|website=MTV News|language=en|access-date=2020-02-26}} During this time, Wolanin also began producing records, working with accomplished session musicians such as The Funk Brothers' Bob Babbitt.{{Cite web|title=Vincent Wolanin {{!}} Credits|url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/vincent-wolanin-mn0000650582|access-date=2021-05-02|website=AllMusic|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Whitney Wolanin Original Song Good from the Album Funkology XIII is the #4 Most Added Song at Radio Stations|url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/07/prweb265167.htm|access-date=2021-05-02|website=PRWeb}}{{dead link|date=August 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

In 1997, Wolanin was involved in a bid to purchase Portsmouth Football Club with Brian Howe. Wolanin stood to gain not only a financial stake in the club, but also the chance to construct their new stadium. Portsmouth's director, Martin Gregory, met with Wolanin in Paris in January 1998.{{Cite web|url=http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-former-rock-singer-and-american-property-tycoon-seek-portsmouth-talks-1289169.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220817/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/football-former-rock-singer-and-american-property-tycoon-seek-portsmouth-talks-1289169.html |archive-date=2022-08-17 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Football: Former rock singer and American property tycoon seek|date=1997-12-16|website=The Independent|language=en|access-date=2020-02-21}} No other details of the potential deal were made public. In 2012 - with the club again facing financial ruin - the pair were again in talks over a potential takeover until Wolanin announced his decision to withdraw.{{Cite web|url=https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/sport/football/day-howe-i-wont-let-pompey-die-337148|title=On this day: Howe - I won't let Pompey die|website=www.portsmouth.co.uk|language=en|access-date=2020-02-21}}

In 1987, Wolanin founded PrivateSky Aviation Services Inc., a fixed-base operator and maintenance repair operation.{{Cite web|url=http://www.sundaynightlive.com/listings-category/entrepreneurs/|title=Entrepreneurs {{!}} Sunday Night Live|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-21}} The company is headquartered at Southwest Florida International airport in Fort Myers, Florida. Its MRO is notable for its exclusive focus on large cabin Gulfstream jets.{{Cite news|last=Sharkey|first=Joe|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/01/business/those-who-can-afford-it-have-a-better-way-to-fly.html|title=Those Who Can Afford It Have a Better Way to Fly|date=2014-06-30|work=The New York Times|access-date=2020-02-21|language=en-US|issn=0362-4331}}

From October 1 to 15, 2022, PrivateSky served as the US Military’s base of operations for relief efforts relating to Hurricane Ian. Missions employed Chinook, Black Hawk, Lakota and Osprey aircraft and successfully rescued over 1,000 people. Military efforts were bolstered by EMS workers and volunteers, forming what President Biden termed “the largest search and rescue team ever assembled in the United States."{{Cite news|url=https://www.phillips66aviation.com/about-us/news/featured-fbos/fort-myers-fbo-privatesky-av-provides-assistance-hurricane-ian|title=Fort Myers, FBO, PrivateSky Aviation Provides Assistance During Hurricane Ian|access-date=2022-12-22|website=Phillips 66}}

In 2001, Wolanin created the Rockin' Christmas Fund, a charity that provides scholarships for students experiencing financial hardship due to the death of a parent or guardian.{{Cite web|date=2010-04-07|title=FGCU Foundation receives $100,000 endowed scholarship fund|url=https://fortmyers.floridaweekly.com/articles/fgcu-foundation-receives-100000-endowed-scholarship-fund/|access-date=2021-05-02|website=Fort Myers Florida Weekly}}{{Cite web |title=Rockin' Christmas |url=https://www.rockinchristmas.net |website=rockinchristmas.net |access-date=2023-04-01 |language=en-US}} As of 2021, scholarships are offered at Thomas Jefferson University, Siena College, Florida Gulf Coast University, and Ave Maria University.{{Cite web|title=Thomas Jefferson University {{!}} Financial Aid Other Scholarships|url=https://www.eastfalls.jefferson.edu/financialaid/Undergraduate/scholarships/otherScholarships.html|access-date=2021-05-02|website=www.eastfalls.jefferson.edu}}{{Cite web|title=The Rockin Christmas Scholarship|url=https://www.siena.edu/alumni-and-friends/scholarships/scholarship-list/|access-date=2021-05-02|website=Siena College|language=en}} The fund's charity concerts have included performances from Jimi Jamison of Survivor, Cliff Williams of AC/DC, Mickey Thomas of Jefferson Starship, Mike Reno of Loverboy, Bob Babbitt, and Whitney Wolanin.{{Cite web|title=Jimi Jamison Vocal Legend, Whitney Wolanin Pop/R&B Artist to Sing with the Hangar of Blues All-Star Band at the 4th Annual Rockin' Christmas Party for Cancer Research|url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/10/prweb298539.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060113031411/http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/10/prweb298539.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 13, 2006|access-date=2021-05-02|website=PRWeb}}{{Cite web|title=5 Dec 2003, Page 58 - News-Press at Newspapers.com|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/220590251/?terms=rockin%20christmas&match=1|access-date=2021-06-12|website=Newspapers.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=2 Dec 2005, Page 81 - News-Press at Newspapers.com|url=http://www.newspapers.com/image/221557276/?terms=rockin%20christmas&match=2|access-date=2021-06-12|website=Newspapers.com|language=en}}

{{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Wolanin, Vincent}}

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Living people

Category:Record producers from Pennsylvania

Category:American racquetball players