Joseph Najdek

September 23, 1948 — March 13, 2008

Joe Najdek grew up in Portland, OR, in a family with many siblings. He enrolled in Oregon State University as a freshman in 1967. As a member of Chi Phi Fraternity, he shared a unique and humorous perspective on life with his many friends. Not coming from a wealthy background, Joe paid for his college tuition and living expenses with his earnings from working in the wholesale fruit business during his high school and college summers. He graduated with a BA degree in Business Administration in 1971. He then went on to create Najdek Produce, a wholesale fruit business, in Portland.