Born Frederick John Pollak in Chicago, F.J. graduated from Rutgers University in New Jersey and moved to Miami in the 1980s. He launched TracFone in 1996 and led the company as its President and CEO until his death in April 2016. Within several years of its launch, the company had arrangements in place with many major wireless service providers, and was selling its prepaid phones in retail outlets across the country.
F.J.’s success attracted the interest of Telefonos de Mexico (TelMex), the largest telephone company in Mexico. TelMex created a spin off mobile unit, America Movil, which became the parent company of TracFone in 2000. TracFone created brands like Straight Talk, Net10 Wireless, and SafeLink, and also acquired Simple Mobile, giving TracFone 4G service, mobile broadband and Blackberry service. Under F.J.’s leadership, TracFone continued to grow and prosper, becoming the largest Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO), and one of the largest wireless carriers in the United States.
Through F.J.’s vision, innovation, and commitment, TracFone developed a “resale” model for the provision of nationwide services, and then expanded accessible prepaid service to the public. His concept of reliable service on affordable devices revolutionized the industry and helped define prepaid wireless as it is known today.
F.J. played an important leadership role in the industry. He was a member of the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of CTIA, the wireless trade association, beginning in 2002. Throughout his involvement in the association, he served as a determined advocate for the industry in Washington, D.C. He was also an active corporate leader in many philanthropies, and was widely recognized for his charitable activities. F.J. was posthumously inducted into the Wireless Hall of Fame in 2016.