MARTIN PYSZCZYMUKA
About Martin Pyszczymuka
Four years ago, Martin retired medically from the FBI due to injuries, and he and his family had the chance to control their future and move to St. Johns County. Martin experienced Hawaii's tyrannically oppressive Covid policies first-hand, and due to his fiscally conservative lifestyle was able to move to a state that aligned with his family's conservative values.
Martin is already working to preserve the quality of life that he's seen erode tremendously in just four years of living here. On March 5, he spoke before the Senate Rules Committee to oppose SB 352 that would have fast-tracked development of 35,000 acres in St. Johns County. He pointed out that there are already 35,000 approved homes in our county yet to be built, which was highlighted as a valid argument by Senator Pizzo. Martin and others helped defeat the bill which he was interviewed about in a First Coast News report.
Martin currently owns a small business out of state that installs drywall and ceilings for commercial projects. It is professionally managed, therefore he can work full time as county commissioner, in contrast to his opponent who recently announced she has a second job.
February 6th, Martin filed to run for county commissioner, and he hit the ground running. SJ Citizen ran a story on him which received so many hits, according to the publisher, that the server crashed and his story was offline for several days. It's back online now.
On April 30, Martin qualified to be on the ballot with 2200+ signed petitions, thanks to the many volunteers who pitched in to help. He still needs your help. Please let him know if you can volunteer. Order a bumper sticker or a yard sign. Donations are needed and appreciated. Every dollar helps.
Martin was also a SWAT Team Operator and a firearms instructor with the FBI. As SWAT operator his specialty was Team Breacher; he would be the first to confront violent criminals. You can view news coverage of his SWAT team being credited for apprehending an ISIS loyalist. Martin's SWAT teams have also apprehended child predators, bank robbers and other dangerous offenders.
Martin put his life on the line many times, and like all law enforcement officers, he knew there was no guarantee that he would come home to his family at the end of the day. That's why he feels so strongly that our police, fire and rescue workers must receive the funding and resources they need to do their jobs, keeping citizens safe.
The first thing people learn about Martin Pyszczymuka is that he has a very unusual last name. It's Ukrainian and is pronounced pish-chih-MOO-kah. Martin is second generation American; his grandparents met in a POW slave labor camp in Germany in WW2. Through grit, hard work and determination, they survived to make their way to the United States. In this video, Martin explains how their experience shaped his attitude towards government and the country he dedicated his career to protecting. As you read his story, you'll see his qualifications unfold.
Martin grew up in New Jersey, excelling in sports and academics. He earned a full scholarship from Rutgers University where he was recruited to play football and became Co-Captain of the Division 1 team. He entered the program as a defensive lineman but switched to offensive line his sophomore year. He is at the center of the photo below where he was coached by Mario Cristobal, now head coach for the University of Miami Hurricanes (far left in the photo). For three years, Martin played with Anthony Campanile (not pictured) who helped lead the Jaguars to a 13-4 season as defensive coordinator.
Overcoming major injuries and 4 surgeries, Martin was the sole recipient of The David Bender Trophy, awarded to "the offensive and defensive football lineman to properly recognize merit." But his most meaningful honor may have been The Frank R. Burns Award presented to "the player who demonstrates extraordinary mental and physical toughness during spring football." He also excelled academically, and was awarded four-time academic All BIG EAST honors and made the Dean's List.
Martin graduated Rutgers with a degree in Economics and later earned a Masters in Business Administration, specializing in entrepreneurship, while achieving Golden Key Honor Society status. He reflects on those years in a speech he gave to a local Toastmaster chapter, where he describes making "halftime adjustments" in life, in his video by that name.
After college, Martin entered the Federal Air Marshal service, working undercover to detect and defeat threats to transportation security. He was also a member of a highly trained elite unit called the Global Response Team that was designed for the highest risk missions and multiple modes of transportation. He then became an instructor at the Federal Air Marshal Training Center (FAMTC) and he specialized in Mission Tactics along with Defensive Measures, Firearms, and Physical Fitness. (He earned the "Iron FAM" which goes to the highest performer in the Instructor Training Program for Physical Fitness.) It was during his time at the FAMTC that he met and married his wife Ava. They have two young children, Luke and Amelia, who are already exhibiting an interest in volunteerism and helping others. They attend public school in St. Johns County.
Martin always had his sights set on the FBI, and he rigorously trained for it. He became a Special Agent and was assigned to Hawaii where he spent six years on the White Collar Crime Squad where he specialized in corporate fraud, investment fraud, and public corruption. He says he knows how corruption and fraud work and how to find them.