This past July, Kenmore Development lost a beloved member of its maintenance staff, Tom Dzielski.

Tom worked for KenDev for over 40 years. He was born in Kenmore and began working for KenDev after high school. He began as a general painter and eventually worked his way up to general supervisor.

KenDev veteran touched lives of many

If you’re a resident of KenDev who required work done in your apartment, it’s likely you would have met Tom at some point, as he truly did it all when it came to maintenance.

His long career at KenDev also means he had the opportunity to service multiple generations of residents.

“Tom was one of Kenmore Development’s first employees,” says Kenmore Development President Scott Hunt.

“He helped establish a strong culture of caring for both our residents and our properties. Furthermore, he set a positive tone for future generations of Kenmore Development employees.”

Kenmore Development’s Vice President of Operations, Louis Vaccaro, actually hired Tom over 40 years ago. He says that Tom’s favorite parts of his job were solving problems and getting things done.

Vaccaro says he believes employees and residents will remember Tom as a hard worker who was always receptive to others’ needs.

Forty years of hard work & dedication

Here are some anecdotes shared by Tom’s co-workers and residents at KenDev about their experiences with him:

“It was a pleasure working by his side every day. I learned a lot from his forty plus years of service.” – Brian S., co-worker

“I can only hope to someday match Tom’s longevity with and dedication to Kenmore Development. I asked Tom once about how he started with the company. His face lit up, and he told me the whole story beginning with him as a teenager. To see the passion reignited 40 plus years later with a simple question proved his respect for his entire career. No matter how busy he was, he always made time to hear my ideas, concerns or questions. It was an absolute pleasure to work alongside him and learn as much as I could.” Brian K., co-worker

“Sorry to hear of Tom’s passing. Sincere condolences to his family. He will be greatly missed especially when maintenance work is needed.” – Norma B., resident at Tudor Gardens Townhouses

“He was very pleasant and polite. Always professional when doing his work.” – Carolyn W., resident at Delaware Park Apartments

“My mother moved in to the property in 1969. She had a long standing relationship with Tom. Anytime something was wrong my mom would always say, ‘Call Tom.’ He was always reliable!” – Pat C., current resident at Delaware Park Apartments and son of a past resident

“All business. He knew his business inside and out. He was very respectful coming in your apartment. I can see that same respect translated into his co-workers. It is an extreme loss.”  – Joan B., resident at Delaware Park Apartments

Tom Dzielski’s Legacy Continues at KenDev

To Vaccaro and many others at KenDev, Tom was more than a co-worker — he was a true friend, and even close to family.

“In all ways, he is missed every day by me,” Vaccaro says. “For 40 years we met every morning and discussed all aspects [of life], personal and business.”

Following in his father’s footsteps, Tom’s son Thomas currently works for KenDev as a controller.

We’re honored to have been able to work with Tom and send our condolences to his family and friends. He was everything you could want in an employee, and he will be sorely missed by all of us here at KenDev.