Grants from this fund are recommended by the family in conjunction with the Jonathan Flickinger Giving Heart Award presented to students of Washington & Jefferson College.
On Thursday, December 28, 2017, Jonathan Drew Flickinger passed away tragically at the age of 34 years. He was born June 9, 1983.
He will be forever remembered by his wife and soul mate, Jenna, and their beloved children, Lydia and Isaiah; his parents Tom and Debra; and his brother and sister-in-law, Christopher and Annissa. He will always be remembered by his grandparents, nephews, extended family and dear friends.
Mr. Flickinger had many interests, ranging from his love of sports to his love for God. He began playing baseball at an early age with the 84 Baseball League. He also played for Trinity High School's basketball team. Most would remember him in high school for his infamous yellow Mustang with license plate "FLICK13."
He was an involved member of Church of Christ in Washington, where he participated in serving during worship. In his spare time, he loved to read and spend time with his family.
Mr. Flickinger began his early education in Trinity Area School District, graduating from Trinity High School in 2001. He then pursued his undergraduate degree at Washington & Jefferson College, where he obtained a bachelor of arts degree in history and economics in 2005, and was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity. He continued his education at Duquesne University School of Law, receiving a Juris Doctor degree in 2011 while working full-time as a server at TGI Fridays.
After graduating, his passion for sports continued in his pursuit to be involved with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. With years of networking, he was able to connect with many fighters and people within the field, ultimately meeting the president of UFC, Dana White. In 2012, his hard work paid off when he landed his first job in the mixed martial arts field working with StarPR Las Vegas LLC. His experience with mixed martial arts, along with his passion for helping others, transformed his vision for launching his career into the world of human resources.
Mr. Flickinger began his human resources career at Centria as an HR specialist in 2013. He prided himself on being a life-long learner, and during his time at Centria completed an advanced certificate in strategic human resources management from Cornell University. With his talent, he advanced quickly in his career, working his way to become director of human resources at Swanson Industries in 2015. He was especially proud of his newly accepted position as chief human capital officer at Quality Life Services in November 2017.
While evolving in his HR career, Mr. Flickinger was honored with many awards and achievements and was the author of several publications. The most notable accomplishments were his being named "HR Rising Star" (Human Resource Executive) in 2016, "Game Changer" (Workforce magazine) in 2016, Top 25 HR Executives Under 40 (Workforce) in 2016, and Optimas Award Winner-Recruiting (Workforce) in 2017.
All of his prestigious career accomplishments aside, he was most proud of being a follower of Christ, a devoted husband, and extraordinary father and a loving son and brother.
Mr. Flickinger will always be remembered for his wit and humor that he used to touch so many lives. His legacy will continue to live on through his generosity, encouragement and compassion he so selflessly gave to everyone.