In Memory of Vasek Polak

In Memory of Vasek Polak 1914 – 1997

Courage, determination, and generosity – these are the qualities that will be remembered by those whose lives were touched by Vasek Polak. A native of Prague, in what is now the Czech Republic, Polak was a member of the Czech resistance during World War II. His daring as a motorcycle racing champion was matched by his escape from communist Czechoslovakia in 1948. Polak journeyed to freedom in West Germany and, later, made his way to the United States in 1956.

A self-made businessman, Polak opened the first Hermosa Beach, California auto service business in 1958. He specialized in servicing Porsche automobiles and racing vehicles. In 1959 he received the first exclusive Porsche dealership in the United States. He parlayed his experience as both the owner of a motorcycle repair shop in Prague and a mechanic for the Porsche racing team in Germany into the development of a successful automotive enterprise. By the 1990s Polak had expanded his automobile business into an organization which included six automobile dealerships, a successful racing program, a world-renowned race car collection and extensive real estate holdings.

Polak’s business success made it possible for him to share his good fortune with others. He gave back generously, providing support to healthcare facilities in the South Bay area through The Vasek and Anna Maria Polak Charitable Foundation, Inc. which he established in 1994. The Vasek Polak Institute, Inc., created after his death, fulfilled his desire to establish a breast diagnostic center in his native Czech Republic.

The philanthropic spirit of Vasek Polak lives on through his Foundation’s support of the Vasek Polak Cardiovascular Institute at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center Torrance.