Fred Kundrata, III (R-OH-2)

Fred Kundrata, III (R-OH-2)

Frederick L. “Fred” Kundrata, III

Fred Kundrata Congressional Candidate Ohio District 2

Biography from Fred Kundrata for Congress, Inc.

Early Life

Fred Kundrata was born in Detroit as the middle of five children to Fred and Marilyn Kundrata, hard-working and loving parents, who instilled in their children the values of religious faith, obedience, love toward others, honesty, and forgiveness. From an early age Fred knew that he loved and respected his country, and cherished its freedoms.

During high school Fred excelled in sports and student government at Traverse City High School in Michigan.  After finishing his senior year he brought his all-state track skills and goals to serve his country to Bowling Green State University in northern Ohio. At BGSU, Fred was a varsity track letterman and an Air Force ROTC cadet, serving in leadership positions and earning a three-year scholarship. He also was elected to student government. Upon graduation, Fred was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force and entered flight training in California, pursuing his goal of serving his country in uniform.

Military

For the next eleven years Fred flew Air Force jets in fighters, tankers, reconnaissance, and super-sonic training aircraft as an instructor pilot. The highlight of his active duty career came during the 1991 Gulf War, following Iraq’s invasion and occupation of Kuwait.  During the Gulf War, Fred flew the first night of the war over hostile territory followed by several more combat reconnaissance missions over enemy territory. He was awarded the Air Medal and the Aerial Achievement Medal for his courageous flying, which included being recognized and honored by General Norman Schwarzkopf for actions taken during a mission to save an American pilot shot down behind enemy lines.

Following active duty military service, Fred continued his commitment, love of country and service by volunteering in the USAF Reserves. In Fred’s first flying tour in the Reserves, his squadron was called to active duty by President Clinton to fly combat missions in Operation Allied Force, the Kosovo War. Fred was named a Wing Outstanding Performer and was awarded with the Kosovo Campaign Medal and his second Aerial Achievement Medal.

In 2000 Fred transitioned from USAF pilot duties to leadership assignments as a staff officer at Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, Ohio and then to the Pentagon in Washington D.C.  In his Pentagon experience, he held positions in organizations under the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition and the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of the Air Force. Fred was credited with saving the government $11 million as a member of the acquisition team to select the next air refueling tanker of the Air Force, a $50 billion program. In 2007 Fred served in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in the war zone of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), where he was the Director of Operations and Chief of Staff of a Joint Task Force. He provided vital leadership in the organization’s capture and apprehension of a Person Indicted For War Crimes (PIFWC), and then successful transfer to the United Nation’s International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia at The Hague.

Fred was also a crucial team member of the US Ambassador’s Embassy’s country team in BiH, attending regular meetings at the US Embassy. Fred was instrumental in working closely with the BiH Assistant Minister of Defense and Office of Defense Cooperation enhancing Bi-Lateral defense planning. If elected, Fred plans to ask House Speaker John Boehner for a coveted seat on the House Armed Service Committee (HASC). With Fred’s relationships at the Pentagon and in the acquisition community, coupled with his international military relationships, a HASC seat can be very beneficial to bringing good defense sector jobs to Ohio’s 2nd District. Fred retired from the military in 2011 and was honored with the Meritorious Service Medal for his dedicated service to the United States of America.

Life in Ohio

Commercial Pilot and Global Contacts

Fred’s bond with southwest Ohio started in 1995 with his move to Dayton, and he became a member of the Cincinnati community in 1997 when he became a commerical pilot, where he was based in Cincinnati at the Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport.  Fred continues today as a fourteen-year veteran commercial pilot flying international aircraft at America’s largest international airport, New York’s JFK. He has travelled to four continents, over 60 countries in the world, and to every state and several territories of the United States. Fred has fostered friendships with people from around the world and plans to leverage those contacts here in Ohio and the 2nd District to promote global business initiatives.

Business Owner

Fred’s experience as a successful business owner in Cincinnati started with his small apartment business in Hyde Park in 2000.  This was not his first small business and like so many others, he had business failures before his success as a sole proprietor of multi-family homes. Fred expanded his business over the years and has built long-lasting business relationships with many employees and business owners in the 2nd District.  Fred’s close relations with the small and medium size business owners have given him great insight into the struggles they are up against regarding the oppressive government taxes and regulations.

Education

Fred has always placed a high priority on his education, particularly in the fields of business and law. His degrees include a Bachelor of Science in Procurement and Materials Management at BGSU; a Master of Science in Business Management from Troy State University; and most recently, a Juris Doctor degree in 2011 from Northern Kentucky University’s Salmon P. Chase College of Law, where he made the Dean’s List several times and formed lasting relationships with students, staff, faculty, and administrators.  Fred’s education will serve him well in representing the district’s interests in Washington, toward improving the economy, and in crafting and understanding legislation that will make lives better in the district and for every American.

Interests

Fred has done volunteer work with:

• the Children’s Hospital system
• Habitat for Humanity
• Special Olympics
• The Fisher House for Disabled Military Veterans at Walter Reed Hospital

Among many groups and organizations, he is a member of:

• National Rifle Association
• Air Line Pilots Association
• American Bar Association
• Lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

He enjoys running, exercise, reading, travel.