Jack Nordgren grew up on the south side of Chicago. He worked for his Dad in their hardware store. They faithfully attended Bellevue Baptist Church, where at age 12, he met his future wife, Maree, at a church rolling skating party. He attended Loop Junior College in 1968-69. In 1969 he joined the United States Navy. He spent 20 months on board the USS George C Marshall, during which time he married Maree. When he got out of the Navy, he attended Morraine Valley Community College, where he got his Associates Degree in Business Management. In 1978, he and his family moved to Hawaii to work with