Frederick Stodolak

Frederick "Fred" Stodolak was born February 3, 1957 at Passaic General Hospital. His parents Fred and Loretta Stodolak were residing in Wallington, New Jersey at the time. Fred & Loretta took Fred and his older sister Debbi to Fair Lawn in 1963 where four years later Fred’s sister Lori was born and where they lived for twenty years.

Fred began kindergarten in Fair Lawn where he met Fred Paliani, Dominic Bianco and Gordon Hogard. Three of them graduated Fair Lawn High School together and all four of them still remain friends today.

Fred joined the little league, wrestling, and football teams, but in fifth grade he developed in interest in playing the drums which remains his passion today.
In fifth grade, Fred learned to play the snare drum for the school band. In sixth grade, Fred formed a band with his friend Fred Paliani where Fred was the lead singer rather than the drummer. Fred listened to the Beatles, Kinks, Dave Clark Five, Herman’s Hermits, and Donovan during these years.

During the summer of ’69 between sixth and seventh grade Fred spent time at both the recreation center and youth center in Fair Lawn where he made two new friends, Scott London and Danny Heise. Fred soon learned that Danny was a fantastic, if not child prodigy, on the keyboard. Fred asked his friend, Fred, who was already playing guitar with a fine band locally, to come over Danny’s house to jam. The session was so great that they decided to form a new band called Sun Company. Danny and the two Fred’s played for 2 ½ years together at numerous parties and dances for which they actually got paid.
Danny Heise introduced Fred to the music of Grand Funk Railroad and Chicago. In fact, the drummer of Chicago, Danny Seraphine, became Fred’s biggest influence along with Buddy Rich. Fred remembers the time that Danny, Dominic and the two Fred’s saw Chicago at Carnegie Hall at the age of 14, and because they arrived early the security guard let them in. Fred remembers running down to the stage where his idol Danny Seraphine was casually testing the drums and the two had a brief exchange. Just this year Fred had the opportunity to meet Danny Seraphine once again where the two spoke and took a picture together.

In 1972, ninth grade, Fred met Harry Barone while on the football team together. Harry also had the lead part in a school play in which Fred played the drums. Meanwhile, Gary Gerber, a fellow school mate also played keyboards for this same play. When Fred suggested that they all get together along with Fred Paliani for a jam session, Strange Days was formed.

While the four of them played together all through high school they had numerous bass players including Rich Meyer (still performs throughout NJ today as a solo act), Zac Garipoli, and Ron Bienstalk. In their final two years, however, ironically they acquired two fine musicians who were at the time playing with Danny Heise during this period. Their names are Rich Borge (lead guitar) and Robert Brempt (Bass). These additions to the band solidified the bands sound and success. The band played numerous partys, concerts and dances in the Bergen County area. Knowing that 1975 would be their last year to play together before they all went off to work or college on January 3, 1975 they promoted their final concert which was a huge success.

After high school, Fred went to college at nights and was fortunate to find an accounting job at Saddle Brook General Hospital where he worked for three years between 1976 and 1979. The years that Fred worked at Saddle Brook General Hospital proved to be a strong foundation for his successful career in Healthcare Finance and Software Development.

During those years at Saddle Brook, Fred performed a few nights per week at the Pompton Pub, Fox’s Lair, Charlie’s Uncle, William Paterson College, UPSALA College, and many other places with a country rock band named Ketch. The band featured Fred on drums, George Zeitler on bass, Rich McGirr and Joe Sparacio on Guitar, and Donna Sparacio on lead vocals. Often during these gigs Mike Orlovsky would join in on harp adding an exciting dimension to their sound.

It was at Saddle Brook that he met his first wife, Diane. The two were married September of 1979 and moved to Brick, NJ. In 1983, they moved to Toms River and in this same year they adopted their first child Amy Beth. In 1987, Kevin Blake was born and, in 1993, Cindy Margaret was born. Today Amy, a teacher, is married and living in New Jersey with her husband Mark Spivey, a sports writer for Gannet. Kevin is living in Tampa, Florida with Fred and his second wife, Rebecca, where he is attending Pasco Community College studying computer science while also working at Chili’s. Kevin plays guitar and sometimes jams with his dad. Cindy lives in Celebration, Florida with her mom where she enjoys singing lessons, computer games, and excels at school.

After moving to the Jersey Shore, Fred concentrated on building his career and family and relegated his musical passion to “closet musician” status where it remains today. Fred would like to begin performing again if he can find a band that prefers to play only once or twice per month rather than weekly.

After Saddle Brook, Fred became a senior partner in Kaden Arnone (now CBIZ KA) from 1986 to 1998 while also being the founder of Healthcare Design Systems in 1989 which later became the foundation for a NASDAQ offering under the name Quadramed. Both these companies remain viable entities trading publicly today. After leaving these companies in 1998 Fred was saddled with a non-compete in Healthcare and decided to form a golf company named the Golf Society of the U.S. which became a successful web-site, print magazine and dues paying membership club. Fred sold the company to a publicly traded company in 2001. In 2002, Fred formed Innovative Health Solutions where within four years he grew to become a nationally recognized leader in software development for hospitals. Fred sold the company in late 2005 to Accuro Healthcare Solutions and remains on board with the company working at the corporate level.

Fred and his new bride Becky are residents in Tampa, Florida and where they spend October through May. They also maintain a second home in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey where they are also members of the Atlantic Highlands Country Club and keep their boat in the marina two blocks from their house.

Fred reconnected with his childhood friend, Danny Heise, in 2003 when he found an entertainment magazine in a local bar and saw that Danny was playing locally. Fred and Becky went to see Danny perform and found out that he was now living right down the road in Keyport. For the past three years, Fred and Becky have enjoyed spending time with Danny and his sister, Maureen.
Fred and Becky enjoy reading, dining out, biking, golfing, tennis, running, racquetball and listening to live music. They both have a passion for music and have not hesitated to fly or drive for hours to see their favorite musicians. This past year, along with Fred’s childhood friend, Scott London, and his wife Lindsey, they had season tickets to the Garden State Arts Center where they saw great bands such as Roger Waters(from PinkFloyd), The Who, The Cars, Santana, Crosby Stills Nash and Young (yes Neil Young was there), Steely Dan, Aerosmith and, of course, Chicago.

What Fred and Becky enjoy most is spending time with their family and friends. Both are proud that they have been able host and attend some great family events and to spend time with childhood friends. The two are looking forward to a trip this summer which will include a drive from Southern California to LA to San Francisco to Napa Valley, Lake Tahoe, Las Vegas and ending in Utah where Becky’s father and step mom live. Soon thereafter, the two plan on taking a trip to Europe.
Fred is most proud of his continued strong relationships with his three beautiful kids, his wife, childhood friends and business partners /associates.