Winter is the busiest time of the year for Greg Zayac.
A manager for Baker Tilly, a certified public accounting firm in Wilkes-Barre, Greg is most engaged to his work during tax season, running from December to April. He’s also the treasurer and a coach for Dunmore Biddy Basketball in the winter, and volunteers his time with the tecBRIDGE Business Plan Competition; helping teams with their ProForma financials at the BPC Help Sessions. Add that together, plus being a board member for Junior Achievement of NEPA, and he has a lot on his plate.
But what keeps Greg the busiest is the foundation he and his family started: The Jude Zayac Foundation. When he was three months old, Greg’s son Jude passed away unexpectedly of SIDS, or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Hosting the largest SIDS awareness 5K in the country, the foundation’s goal is to raise awareness and research dollars for the disease and to combat the stigma of losing a child.
“My best help through the grieving process has been to talk about it,” said Greg. “We started the foundation on a whim and a prayer, and it’s wonderful knowing we’re helping.”
The third annual “Jog for Jude” 5K is April 23rd at 9:00 a.m. in Dunmore. More information can be found on their website. The group is hoping to build off the success of last year, where more than 1,700 were in attendance.
When it comes to balancing his different responsibilities, Greg admitted it’s been a learning process.
“I’ve gotten pretty good at learning to prioritize and lean on others for help when I need it. The key is to utilize your resources and your support group to make things easier on yourself,” Greg said. However, Greg is happy to do it despite the time commitment.
“It’s so rewarding to see and make a change in someone’s life, whether that’s on a basketball court or in a boardroom. Making an impact on the big picture is its own reward.”