Meet The Haddonfield Commissioner Candidate: Frank Troy

HADDONFIELD, NJ — Eight candidates will run for three open seats on the Haddonfield Board of Commissioners in the May 11 non-partisan elections.

Patch asked each candidate to complete a questionnaire outlining biographical information, their platform and their stands on a handful of issues.

This week, Patch will run profiles of all the candidates who responded. Profiles are presented here in the same format as the questionnaires given to the candidates. There were no further instructions, and none of the responses has been edited (beyond basic proofreading and formatting). Readers can make their own judgments on how the candidates did or didn't answer the questions.

Today's profile: Frank Troy.

Age (as of Election Day)

47

Family

Spouse: Debbie; Daughter: Carly (15 yo); Dog: Jetty (Boxer)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

MBA, University of San Diego; BS, Accounting, University of Rhode Island; High School, Bishop Eustace Prep

Occupation

Vice President, Albireo Energy (Smart Building Technology/Building Automation) 4 years

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

Haddonfield Zoning Board of Adjustment 2019-Present.

Campaign website

www.votefranktroy.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

Haddonfield is a great place to live, but there are several challenges that need to be addressed to guarantee the long term success of our town. I am not one to sit on the sidelines and complain about how things are or are not being done. I also happen to have unique business experiences that can be directly applied to our Borough to help solve some of these problems. This seems to be an ideal time to address these issues and build a sustainable plan for our future.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

Resolution to the Bancroft Property. The lack of resolution is costing taxpayers $500K a year in debt service and is preventing progress on open spaces (active and passive). As Commissioner, I would make this one of my three major focus areas. I would work with my peers to set goals for completion, set timelines, and make results measurable. The resolution would require immediate negotiations with HERD, other Commissioners, and 2 Hopkins Lane (O'Neill) to finalize development. If this cannot be resolved, I would pursue other properties in the Borough for development that would meet the original intent of Bancroft.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

The military teaches you to have a "bias for action" which has served me well for nearly three decades. I have a proven track record of turning around underperforming businesses in several different industries. I have consistently been selected or recruited to quickly identify issues, assign teams, put plans in place, assign Lean/Six Sigma principles, and institute plan-do-check-act procedures until success is realized. These same methodologies can and should be applied to Government.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

Better communication, including exploring better forms of social media. Additionally, there should have been planning in place to invigorate our downtown in a post COVID-19 world. They could have spent at least the last six months planning for the future.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Building a vibrant downtown, including asking business and building owners to build upon the 2007 Master Plan and allowing us to take action. Finding anchor tenants, defining standards, and driving more foot traffic should be a priority. Open space (passive and active) is another major priority. There is a 2018 Parks and Rec study that found that four additional acres are needed, especially in spring girls sports. Priority should be Borough assumption of Radnor Field and developing that to meet the needs of sports teams using Green Acres funds. Then, evaluate if other fields are required and make adjustments to the plan from there.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I started my professional career as a Naval Officer, having completed 2 deployments on a guided missile cruiser (USS Anzio) in the Persian Gulf and Adriatic. I managed large departments of sailors and learned how to manage all aspects of a floating city, including logistics, engineering, fire fighting and security. For the past 20 years, I have been a turnaround expert for publicly traded and private equity companies. My role was to take over underperforming businesses and make them best in class. These were all multi-million dollar P&Ls with hundreds of active construction projects (from commercial real estate to top secret government facilities). I also managed hundreds of employees, millions in inventory, fleet utility vehicles, and real estate assets across the United States. Finally, I have been involved with the Zoning Board since 2019, so I have an understanding of the needs of our Borough.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

You don't have to be bad to be better.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

With me, you will have a proven track record of operational excellence, collaboration, and financial acumen. I will put this to use to make Haddonfield an even better place than it is today.