A Man of the People
Frank Jonna honored at Chamber dinner
By Sarah Kittle
People tend to get emotional when talking about Frank Jonna, the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Businessperson of the Year. Frank, who will be honored at their 21st Annual Awards Dinner on April 26, has the reputation of a man who listens to people and makes them feel valued.
Frank was born in Iraq, coming to the United States when he was just 5 months old and settling with his family on the edge of the Boston Edison District. There, he and his six brothers and one sister grew up within walking distance of Mother of God Church, Palmer Park, and Blessed Sacrament School. It was a great time and place to grow up Chaldean, with many families on the block.
Sports were a common theme in his family, and Frank and his siblings and friends broke the local park rule of “No Ball Playing,” on many occasions and with many kinds of balls, much to his parents’ dismay. “We played any sports we could find the equipment to use,” says Frank. “We even scoured the alleys to uncover anything we could put wheels on.”
Frank’s brother John was a gifted student who paved the way for his brothers to follow his path at Catholic Central High School, setting Frank on a course which would guide him his entire life. “I immediately embraced the spirit of Catholic Central,” recalls Frank. “It was a life-changing experience.”
Jonna Construction
His brother Jimmy founded Jonna Construction, creating a family legacy that lives on in the firm Frank runs today. Jimmy was a tireless worker, says Frank, and a great communicator and innovator. “He was clearly the most intellectual,” states Frank, “and was able to treat a bank president the same way he treated a laborer on the job.”
When you treat people with respect, people notice. Jimmy was the “captain of customer service,” a model that Frank has taken to heart. Eddie, another brother, was “the prime guy I learned retail from,” says Frank. Eddie also served as a great example of good customer service. Countless customers speak about the Jonna family’s exemplary service, one that builds a relationship of trust and loyalty. They feel known and heard when in the Jonna Construction offices.
Jimmy was the CACC’s 2005 Businessperson of the Year. A photo of him at the podium, arms raised in a victory salute, hangs just inside the entrance to the CACC office in Farmington Hills. It is the first in a line of black and white photos detailing the long and successful history of the Chaldean business community that grace the walls of those offices. Frank’s photo will join his brother’s there, spanning two decades of success for Jonna Construction.
The Jonna Family has a rich history in retail, food and beverages. Union Pacific grocery store stood in what is currently Brush Park. Jimmy took over the supermarket and opened an expanded 12,000 square foot store called Big Dipper in 1957. Frank’s brother Manuel was partner. All the family members were involved in the operation of the store. Frank’s brother Eddie was “a forward thinker” who owned several food and beverage operations. His skill in sales gave him the confidence to launch Trade Winds, a specialty food store in the Palmer Park area. Out of this grew a chain of six Merchants Fine Wine stores which were ultimately sold to Whole Foods.
Relationships
“I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Frank for a long time,” says Robert Riney, president and CEO of Henry Ford Health. “I first met him when he was a trustee on the Henry Ford West Bloomfield Board. And, you know, you instantly know after spending just a little time with somebody that they are a ‘What you see is what you get’ kind of guy.
“He is a really effective listener,” adds Riney. “He has a good sense of humor, and he really cares about people. And so, all his questions as a trustee were always about how we’re going to enhance our relationship with the community.”
“Frank is one of the leaders that joined in this movement to create an economic transformation of New Center in Midtown in Detroit, one of the early adopters,” shares Riney. “You know, there’s a lot of people excited now, but you always appreciate those early adopters who are willing to take some risk when you’re not sure how it’s going to, you know, exactly pan out.”
Rich Homberg, president and CEO of Detroit Public Television, shares, “In the late nineties, we were looking to build a building for WWJ; we knew nothing about building buildings, and we came across a company called Jonna. And as Frank built our building, he guided me through something I’d never done before. And I know sometimes you finish a building, you never want to talk to the contractor again. In this case, we were friends by the end of it.
“There are a few people I know who, they’re just people that give you energy in life,” says Homberg. “And Frank is one of those people – great smile, positive vibe. When the blackout happened in 2003, our generator at WWJ started to run out of fuel and I started calling people for help. Frank said, ‘Rich, I’ll call you back.’ An hour later, a truck pulls up with fuel for our generator. That’s Frank. He’s all about customer service. I invited him to join the Board of DPTV.”
“I met Frank and Judy about 25 years ago when I first started,” remembers Barbara Urbiel, Chief Development Officer at Angel’s Place, a residential care service for individuals with developmental difficulties. “They couldn’t have been any warmer or welcoming to me my first day on the job.”
Frank and Judy’s son Jeffrey has developmental challenges which require round-the-clock care. “What strikes me about Frank is that he’s so humble,” says Urbiel. “He is such a smart, loving, kind man, and he’s very humble. I admire that.”
“I admire watching the Jonna Family and Frank in particular,” says Urbiel. “He loves his family deeply and he’s really passed on a legacy of giving and selflessness to his children and grandchildren. He’s built a legacy of giving to others; he’s truly a servant.”
Family
“Albert was a great basketball player,” remembers Pete, Frank’s brother, talking about childhood friend Albert Yono. “He was shot to death, I mean riddled, for no reason.” Albert was murdered while at work in a Detroit convenience store in 1969.
“Frank and my brother John were shot at in Food Farm Market on Dexter and had to run back into the office for their lives,” recalls Pete. “The guy was hiding in the store that night and came running out and it was gunfire. That was the end of being a store owner for Frank.”
Family was too precious to risk.
“Frank was special,” says Pete. “He was an incredibly loving son and did everything for mom and dad above and beyond all the rest of us; he just knew what they needed, and he took care of it.”
“Franks was a really hard worker from the day we got married,” says Judy, Frank’s wife of nearly 50 years. “What attracted me to him was he was very funny and worked very hard…he used to come home so dirty after work that sometimes I made him take his clothes off in the garage before he came into the house.”
“My dad was always present,” says Frank’s son Joey. “He always had time for us at home and was involved in our activities.”
Frank led by example. “He’s a doer,” says Joey, “who doesn’t require recognition or accolades. He listens intently and then just goes out and does it.
“He has a famous saying: ‘Are you committed to the line of scrimmage?’ and it means so many things to different people,” explains Joey. “You’ve got to be willing to get in the trenches to get things done. My father is that committed.”
Legacy
Frank has served as director on the Board of Henry Ford Health West Bloomfield as well as the boards of Catholic Central High School, Angel’s Place and Detroit Public Television. In 2022, Frank was inducted into the Michigan Construction Hall of Fame. Last year, he was honored as the 2023 Distinguished Alumni for his many years of service to Catholic Central.
Frank served on the Board of the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce in its early years, including a stint as Chairman. He wasn’t initially a believer that the Chamber could make a difference, but he put his whole heart into it and became one of the CACC’s greatest ambassadors.
His legacy lives on in the beautiful buildings his work has made possible. “We are thrilled to have historically preserved buildings in our portfolio,” says Frank. That portfolio also includes the Michigan National Building, the newest Detroit Piston’s Center, Mother of God and St. Thomas Churches, Shenandoah Country Club, and the Chaldean Community Foundation in Sterling Heights. Jonna Construction is currently working on the new Oakland County Campus for the Chaldean Community Foundation in West Bloomfield.
“My legacy is one of gratitude,” says Frank. It is a gift he has passed down to his 4 children, 7 grandchildren, and the countless lucky individuals who get the opportunity to deal with him daily.
