Manchester High School Alumni Update: Nick Krzyzaniak, Class of 1981
Photo of Nick Krzyzaniak, courtesy of Carol Westfall.
submitted by Carol Westfall, Manchester High School Alumni Association
A 12-time letter winner, Nick Krzyzaniak played football, basketball and baseball at Manchester High School (MHS) and graduated in 1981. Nick is the son of Shirley and Richard Krzyzaniak. He played all three sports (a captain in each of them) throughout high school and was on several LCCA Championship teams. Nick was also selected Mr. Dutchman his senior year and was elected to the MHS Wall of Fame in the original class alongside his father, Richard Krzyzaniak, who graduated from MHS in 1949.
After graduation, Nick went on to Central Michigan University (CMU) where he was a member of the CMU Baseball team that won three Mid-American Conference Championships, and where he served as the team captain during his final season. He graduated in 1986 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (magna cum laude) and recently returned as the keynote speaker for CMU’s 2016 Graduation Commencement ceremony, where he received an Honorary Degree as Doctor of Commercial Science.
Nick has had a 26-year career with the Danone Company (Dannon here in the U.S.), a multinational food company. He has held over 12 positions, ranging from a Regional Sales Manager to Executive V.P. of Sales for Dannon U.S. from 1991 – 2006. In 2006 he became President and Managing Director for Danone in the United Kingdom and Ireland, where he lived in London for over three years. He then returned to the U.S. where he was named President and CEO of Danone Waters for North America, later moving to Montreal, Canada while leading the Danone Canada division as President and CEO. Nick currently lives in Thornwood, New York, where he is General Manager for Danone North America.
Nick still has a strong passion for sports, family trips, and hunting adventures. Although his career and travels have taken him all over the world, he remains proud of his Manchester roots – family, school and sports. When he thinks back to his high school days, Nick has special memories of winning a football championship with his older brother Rick, and a baseball championship with his younger brother Jim, not to mention some great coaches in Jim Fielder, Bart Bartels and Wes Gall. Nick believes that those MHS sports experiences, plus lessons learned from his parents about hard work, dedication, commitment, and working together on the family farm, provided him with a solid foundation of values and beliefs that have contributed to his success and still drive him today.
The MHS Alumni Association is proud of its many alumni – like Nick Krzyzaniak – who have had a strong start in Manchester. Our Alumni Association is dedicated to celebrating the MHS alumni history and supporting our future alumni through scholarships and encouragement.
For additional information about the Manchester High School Alumni Association, its June 17th Alumni Banquet, or the MHS Scholarship Fund, go to mhsdutchalumni@yahoo.com or call 734-428-0530.
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