University mourns loss of Professor Emeritus Frank B. Guadagnolo

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Frank Guadagnolo, professor emeritus of recreation, park, and tourism management, passed away on March 27, 2026, in State College.

Guadagnolo twice served as interim head of the Penn State Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management and founded the department’s Professional Golf Management (PGM) Program accredited by the PGA of America — which was the fourth PGA accredited program in the country.

“Frank was a wonderful teacher, committee member, mentor and friend,” said Andrew Mowen, Penn State professor of recreation, park, and tourism management. “I have many memories of Frank, his stories, his life experiences, his wisdom and his humor. He lived a full and honorable life, and I will remember him for the rest of my days. I really appreciated what Frank did for the department and for our students.”

In 1975, Guadagnolo joined the Penn State Department of Recreation and Parks (now Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management) as an assistant professor. Guadagnolo was well known for his role as the primary instructor of Legal Aspects of Recreation and Parks, a required course in the major that included a legislative field experience in Washington, D.C.

While at Penn State, Guadagnolo created the Professional Golf Management program option in 1990. He served as professor-in-charge of the program from its inception until 2005.

In response to Guadagnolo’s work, the PGA of America enhanced its efforts to welcome women and other underrepresented groups into golf management programs around the country.

“Dr. Frank Guadagnolo’s influence on the Penn State PGA Professional Golf Management program is profound and lasting,” said Burch Wilkes, current director of the PGA Professional Golf Management program option. “As a friend and mentor, he brought vision, integrity and unwavering dedication to the creation of a program that has positively impacted students and alumni for many years. His legacy lives on through the strength of the program and the many professionals whose careers were shaped by his guidance and leadership.”

Guadagnolo also was entrepreneurial. While completing his master's degree, he and friends started a sporting goods store in Davis, California. He later co-owned a student newspaper and founded Venture Publishing Inc. with Penn State faculty member Geoffrey Godbey in 1985. The publishing company, located in State College, was considered the seminal publisher for textbooks and reference material in the recreation and parks field until 2016, when it was sold to Sagamore Publishing.

After graduating in the 1960s from California State University, Sacramento with bachelor's and master's degrees in physical education and recreation, Guadagnolo began his career at Aerojet General in Rancho Cordova, California. He worked in supervisory and management positions, overseeing employee recreation programs that served more than 30,000 people. He then moved on to direct El Cerrito, California’s Recreation and Park Department.

In 1975, Guadagnolo completed his doctoral degree in forestry at Oregon State University.

After working at Penn State for 30 years, Guadagnolo retired in 2005 to explore golf destinations in the United States and Europe and start a wine-making lab in his home with friends.

Guadagnolo is survived by his wife, Deb Kerstetter; daughters, Kimberly Batty and Michelle Komlenic (husband, Jim Axelgard); his granddaughters, Ali Hazelgrove (husband, Zach), Sydney Komlenic, and Samantha Batty; great grandson, Brooks Hazelgrove; brother-in-law, Doug Wirth and his family (daughter Amy Callahan, her husband Shawn, and their children Grace and Jake); and brother-in-law, Derek Kerstetter and his children (Kayla, Courtney and Shelby) and their significant others.

Guadagnolo’s family asks those wishing to honor his legacy consider donating to the Golf Teaching & Research Center in his memory. Please note this in the "comments" section on the second page.