Get to Know Gary
Gary Pawliczek has been helping people to pursue their financial dreams since 2002. Gary grew up in a family restaurant business and learned a strong work ethic working alongside his father, mother and brothers even as a teenager. An intense focus on customer service was necessary and helped insure that the family business thrived for seventy years plus. Gary’s brothers continue to own and operate restaurants to this day. Gary’s path diverted from the restaurant business when the building location of his last restaurant in Wilmington, De was scheduled for demolition as part of a downtown revitalization project and Gary lost his lease.
Gary graduated from Dickinson College in Carlisle Pa in 1986 with a double major in Economics and Political Science with a specialty in Third World Economics. Soon after college he fulfilled a desire to learn more first hand about developing countries and embarked on a trip around the world. Gary travelled across Europe, Africa, and Asia using all means of transport. Bus, boat, trains and planes were used along with long stretches of hitchhiking. The trip included about 9 months in Africa starting in Tangiers, with highlights of crossing the Sahara Desert , exploring Moroccan Berber hill towns, encountering desert Tuareg nomads, bustling cities Lagos, Nigeria and Nairobi, Kenya, camping next to Mt Kilimanjaro, visiting Livingston Falls, swimming with crocs in the Okavango Delta in Botswana, and ultimately reaching South Africa, with visits to Soweto, Lesotho, and many small and large cities and villages. Beyond Cape Town, South Africa the end of the African trip was the very tip of Africa, The Cape of Good Hope. Beyond Africa Gary spent large amounts of time in India, Turkey, Japan, and Hong Kong. Altogether Gary has visited 75 countries and 37 states.
After many successful years in hands-on restaurant ownership, this was the opportunity to fulfill a different career goal. Gary made the change to serving as a Financial Advisor in 2002, shortly after the devastation of Sep 11, 2001. Rather than relocating his restaurant , Gary took a different career path in financial planning in 2002. Starting his financial services journey at the end of the “Financial Tech Wreck Crisis” was inauspicious. However, helping families and individuals through this struggling time period set the stage for Gary’s emphasis on personalized attention to each family’s unique needs.
Community Service has been another passion for Gary. Being fortunate to be a successful Financial Planner for over 20 years has offered insights into the lives of many people from many different walks in the community. Gary has served in several leadership roles as part of Rotary International, Toastmasters, and several local Chambers of Commerce. Also, Gary has participated in Kiwanis International, Jaycees, Quaker Hill Historic Preservation Foundation , Wilmington 2000, Wilmington Business Improvement District, and other arts and cultural groups. Gary has volunteered on alumni groups for is Alma Mater, Dickinson College, in Carlisle, PA.
In 1994 , Gary was awarded “Outstanding Young Delawarean” by the Jaycees of Delaware. At age 25, in 1992, as a restaurant owner, Gary became President of the “Downtown Business Association” of Wilmington ,DE” This organization was comprised of local merchants, along with nationally recognized large employers , banks, and law firms and promoted the business and cultural climate of Wilmington DE. As President of the organization Gary interacted with state and city government and the media to help local merchants and the larger community. A seven night festival “Walkabout Wilmington” was a highlight of the group’s efforts.
Gary’s wife Mimi has a thriving business , Chester County Estate and Tag Sales. Her business holds on-site sales of antiques, and personal contents when families are moving or downsizing. Plus, she has antique booths at both the Pennsbury-Chadds Ford Antique Mall and Adamstown Antique Mall. Gary gladly assists in helping Mimi’s business.
As a fun diversion, Gary also has a labor of love where he creates artwork collages from recycled toys, games, records, and all kinds of other items saved from going to a landfill. Gary’s work has been displayed in galleries and restaurants and arts festivals.
Gary lives in Avondale PA with his wife Mimi and their wonderful Chihuahua, Star. Their four children live in Newark, DE, Hockessin, DE, and Pittsburgh, PA and Old Orchard Beach, Maine. Recently granddaughter Lenora was born and at age 1 ½ is their first Grandchild.