Arthur Skodnek was born into a family of displaced immigrants who came to the United States under fear of religious persecution in their home country. Living in extreme poverty, the family of six resided in a one-room storefront in Jamaica, Queens. When the children were still small, their father abandoned them, leaving the four siblings and their mother to fend for themselves. The two eldest dropped out of school to work full time, while Arthur, aged 10, delivered newspapers and groceries before and after school to help the family survive. They developed a fierce motivation, their sibling bond fueling their ambitions and supporting their resilience. They worked together, and as young adults they developed the aluminum storm window and door, selling their creation door-to-door. Eventually embarking on a road to financial freedom, they incorporated their company, JASCO, named after the brothers, Jack, Arthur, & Scott Company. In the early 1940's, they opened a factory to produce and sell their product on a larger scale. They sold the company in the late 1950’s and decided to rent the building to tenants, organically shifting their efforts into the business of commercial real estate development. Together they founded Skodnek Industries, a real estate development firm, and American Millwork, a commercial construction company. It was a family business in the truest sense of the term, the siblings and their children working together until the turn of the century.
When Arthur was in his early forties, being an avid gardener and feeling drawn to learning more about plants, he took his questions to a botany professor at the local university. The professor suggested he enroll in classes, which he had never considered until that moment. After being promised two years honorary credit from his service in the U.S. Air Force, he enrolled at Hofstra University. His spare time was spent learning about botany, and being fascinated in the subject, he eventually received a Bachelor of Arts degree. He continued learning and taking classes, and in 1966, he earned a Master of Arts in Biology. Arthur was still working full time as a building developer when he began a journey of self-inquiry and exploration into the psyche through the study of psychoanalysis. He earned his certification in psychoanalysis in March of 1987 from The Center for Modern Psychoanalytic Studies and became a licensed psychoanalyst in the State of New York at the age of 67. Five years later, at the age of 72, he obtained his Doctorate in Philosophy in Psychoanalysis. He was a practicing psychoanalyst for 26 years, seeing patients in his private practice until he was 93 years old.
Dr. Skodnek was immensely concerned with the mental health of our society and spoke earnestly about his goal in helping people move through their personal growth and self-expression for the good of humanity as a whole. He fostered a deep respect for people working on themselves and pursuing higher education at any age.
Respected by many friends and contemporaries, Dr. Skodnek maintained a charismatic, strong character throughout his years. He was kind towards others, intensely passionate about life, and above all, remarkably humble until his last day. Dr. Skodnek’s love for the animals and plants who sustain the biodiversity of our planet and his dedication to mental health has created the basis for the Arthur Skodnek Foundation’s evolving mission.
