Frank Varischetti came from a humble beginning that shaped him into the kind and generous man people remember today.
He was born to Italian immigrants in the small town of Coal Hollow, Pennsylvania on December 18, 1938. After graduating from Ridgway High School, where he played football for the Elkers, he worked in various industries before becoming involved in construction in the mid-1960s.
Frank always said he was not a doctor, lawyer or accountant, so he had to find something that he could master in order to provide for his family. He knew manual labor was his specialty and an area in which he could thrive.
Varischetti Construction began as Frank, one employee, and an old Ford pickup to get them to and from the small excavation jobs they worked.
In 1967, Frank purchased a sanitation business and named it Varischetti Sanitation. Frank grew the business from one truck to one of the larger, privately owned sanitation businesses in Pennsylvania. In 1986, he finished the construction of Greentree Landfill, which was the first completely lined, state of the art landfill in Pennsylvania.
After 19 years in the waste management industry, he sold Varischetti Sanitation to Browning-Ferris Industries.
In 1989, Frank started Apple Tractor, which still operates today as a construction equipment dealership.
Frank began Varischetti and Sons, Inc. in 1991 to provide consulting services for the waste industry, as well as real estate development.
In 1995, Frank, along with his sons and Raymond Calhoun, founded Guardian Elder Care and ventured into the nursing home business. In 2018, Guardian owns and operates 68 skilled nursing, personal care and independent living facilities and includes a rehabilitation services company, a long-term care pharmacy and a home/health company.
Sadly, Frank passed away on August 22, 2002, but his generous spirit lives on through the mission of The Frank Varischetti Foundation, which is to continue his good will and keep his memory alive by helping those in need.
What Frank started, and what his family has continued since his death in 2002, has grown to include Superior Energy Resources and Phoenix Sintered Metals. Varischetti family-owned companies combined in 2018 employ approximately 10,000 people.
His name is most often associated with the qualities of hard work and generosity. He was a charismatic and motivational leader, and also the first one to lend a helping hand. Frank always had a vision and a drive to succeed.
In addition, he was a charitable man who gave from the bottom of his heart and never expected anything in return. He was a strong advocate for giving back to his community and helping those in need.
He believed everyone deserved to be treated with respect, which is what made him so likeable.
He had his share of adversity, but he never used that as an excuse for not moving forward.
Frank valued the gift of life and always said every day was to be enjoyed and was a blessing. He lived by the saying, “Dream big, work hard and have fun!”
