Dreams come true
Andrzej Konieczny has been the member of the Voivodship Management for the Environment and Water Balance Protection Fund in Katowice, and he has been the Chairman of the Upper-Silesian Fund for five years. When he was young, he wanted to manage people, therefore he got solid education in law and economics, and he went through all career levels in banking, starting with an inspector position. In private life, he is a husband and a father, and continues to develop his passions, although it is not easy with so many professional duties.
The Chairman Andrzej Konieczny while giving a speech at the 20th anniversary celebration of the Upper-Silesian Fund activity.
Youthful plans and dreams
- I am emotionally attached to Gliwice, although I wasn’t born here, but I finished a primary school and a high school here – Andrzej Konieczny says. – My mother lives in Gliwice, and I have lots of friends there who are fans of the Piast football club. In his youth he also played football, and went running. He had very good results, he entered the extramural competitions. The fighting spirit was to useful in the future …
He never had problems with learning. Initially, he dreamed about the Polish philology and wanted to write plays. When he was a teenager, he read all dramas that were available at that time, he was particularly fascinated with the Shakespeare’s works. In the last grade of high school he decided to study law, so he graduated from the University of Silesia with a specialization in the civil law. When learning by heart many acts of law, he trained his memory so that now he rarely needs to use notes while speaking in public.
Later he studied accounting at the Warsaw School of Economics (SGH), which turned out to be really useful for the job position of the financial executive in banking or in supervisory boards.
Getting experience and achieving professional successes
Andrzej Konieczny has gained experience in finance management by working for different banks for many years – he worked the longest for Pekao SA at the executive position at the branch in Katowice, but also among others for Bank Pocztowy or Bank Przemysłowo-Handlowy. This way he has gained broad knowledge about financial tools management. – I have had different job positions, I have climbed all the career levels in banking starting with an inspector post – he recalls.
In 2006-2011 he was the Financial Executive, and then the First Deputy to the Chairman of the Voivodship Management for Environmental and Water Balance Protection Fund in Katowice, and in 2011 he became the Chairman of the Upper-Silesian Fund SA.
- Currently, the Fund employs 110 people, but I had to start my work from restructuring. I got familiarized with the company documentation and I introduced savings, which gave us positive changes. – the chairman informs. – We also took over the Upper-Silesian Agency for Regional Development. In the recent years of his activity he has improved a lot the Fund’s image, as being friendlier to the entrepreneurs and being managed efficiently. He gives financial support to small and medium companies, less often to bigger companies. Using the EU funds he gives low-interest loans – to people starting their own business activity – below half per cent (0,25%), and loans for investments with 1 per cent interest rate to bigger companies which have been active at least for a year.
- My wife jokes that I am a workaholic. However, I think that keeping balance in life is really important and a family can’t be less important than work, therefore I like spending free time with my wife and daughter.
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After hours
At the weekends Andrzej cooks for his family and friends, especially Italian dishes, which he got to like during his frequent trips with the family to sunny Italy. He also studied the language of that country. When he has time, he does winter sports such as skiing or skating. Sometimes he goes roller-skating as well. It is really relaxing and gives energy. He supports Real Madrid.
- My sixteen-year-old daughter went to Spain recently on a school exchange trip, and then her friend from Barcelona revisited us and she brought for me as a gift a T-shirt of the well-known club – he laughs. – The daughter asked me not toadmit whichwas my favorite team and so I even put it on to please the girls.
The Chairman Konieczny has remained faithful to his reading passion. In free time he reads contemporary literature and books on history and economics. The daughter is also into reading. She is about to finish a middle school and start a high school in Katowice, maybe just like her father, she will also study law.
- I don’t know the best recipe on how to be the leader, but I think that you should be creative for sure, have an idea about you and face challenges. – he sums up. – A bit of good luck is also useful. After years of experience I can say that dreams come true.
Beata Sekuła
