Chad Fridsma Celebrating 24 Years of Purpose and People
NHA Communications TeamNHA Communications Team
Articles by NHA Communications Team
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First-year Teacher’s Investment in Community Paying Off
Published: May 08, 2025
This Employee Spotlight series celebrates NHA’s 30th anniversary during the 2025-26 academic year and honors those whose dedication, leadership, and Moral Focus™ values have shaped our schools.
A Career Move That Turned Into a Calling
When Chad Fridsma joined National Heritage Academies® in 2001, he was ready for his next professional step and looking for a workplace that stood for something bigger.
“What I liked about it was the Moral Focus™,” Chad said. “And honestly, my father knew J.C. Huizenga, and the quality man that he was, and said, ‘You should go try work for National Heritage Academies.’”
At the time, Chad had already built experience in health care, working at Butterworth Continuing Care and Laurel Healthcare. But NHA offered something different, a mission-driven environment where the work connected back to students and families.
“You’re working indirectly affecting kids’ lives,” he said. “That was one of the draws: doing something good for society in general.”
Watching NHA Grow
Over the last 24 years, Chad has had a front-row seat to NHA’s growth and the ways that growth has shaped the culture.
“When I started, we had five people in HR,” he said. “Now we have 70-something.”
Back then, HR was a small team doing a little bit of everything, from workers’ compensation and benefits to recruiting and employee relations.
“There was really just kind of two to three of us that handled everything that everybody handles now,” Chad said.
He also remembers a time when the Service Center felt smaller and more connected in the day-to-day.
“Back then, you used to know everybody, we’d get together every Friday, we’d have bagels. So, you got to know everybody.”
Today, Chad serves as Director of Employee Relations, leading a team that helps support schools and Service Center teams through some of the most complex and important workplace challenges.
“We deal with all the employee performance issues, employee legal issue and the employee handbook. If a new policy needs to be put together, we might coordinate that with the appropriate teams.”
At its core, the work is about helping leaders navigate situations with clarity, consistency and care while keeping students and staff supported.
If you ask Chad what keeps him energized after more than two decades at NHA, his answer is simple: the variety.
“Every day is different in my position. You never know what’s going to happen.”
From urgent situations to everyday coaching moments, Chad enjoys the problem-solving that comes with helping teams work through real challenges.
Moral Focus: Still the Heart of the Work
Moral Focus has always been part of NHA, but Chad has seen it become even more intentional in recent years.
“Moral Focus was always important, but I think it’s become much more.”
For Chad, Moral Focus is about more than messaging it’s about living out shared values and simply doing the right thing, which is one of the reasons he felt drawn to NHA in the first place. He also values the strength and stability of the organization, especially as the education landscape continues to shift.
“We’ve never had to go through any type of layoffs,” Chad said. “A lot of times, you can see that rough weather coming ahead. But we would start tightening our belts, so when that comes, we were going to be OK.”
Looking back on his career, Chad says he’s always felt like he was part of something meaningful. “Just being able to give parents a choice that was really J.C.’s vision.”
The Best Part: The People
After 24 years, Chad says the biggest reason he’s stayed is the people and NHA’s culture.
“They treat their employees well. It’s just a good company. They are good people.”
From a five-person HR team to a growing organization supporting schools across multiple states, Chad’s journey reflects what NHA has always been about: mission, people, and doing the right thing while continuing to grow and evolve.
“I’ve loved every minute of it.”
Fun Fact
“My grandpa, Bernie Fridsma, was known for his leadership as a leading authority on the history of Friesland and the Frisian language. He even corresponded with Winston Churchill during World War II. In fact, there’s a street in Friesland, Netherlands named ‘Fridsma,’ honoring our family history.”
That family pride and purpose is part of why Chad continues his work at NHA, because making an impact on students and families is so fulfilling to him.
Congratulations on 24 years Chad!
About National Heritage Academies
National Heritage Academies (NHA) is a network of 103 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 67,000 students in kindergarten through high school. For more information, visit nhaschools.com. To find the nearest charter school near you, use the NHA school finder.
A Career Move That Turned Into a Calling
When Chad Fridsma joined National Heritage Academies® in 2001, he was ready for his next professional step and looking for a workplace that stood for something bigger.
“What I liked about it was the Moral Focus™,” Chad said. “And honestly, my father knew J.C. Huizenga, and the quality man that he was, and said, ‘You should go try work for National Heritage Academies.’”
At the time, Chad had already built experience in health care, working at Butterworth Continuing Care and Laurel Healthcare. But NHA offered something different, a mission-driven environment where the work connected back to students and families.
“You’re working indirectly affecting kids’ lives,” he said. “That was one of the draws: doing something good for society in general.”
Watching NHA Grow
Over the last 24 years, Chad has had a front-row seat to NHA’s growth and the ways that growth has shaped the culture.
“When I started, we had five people in HR,” he said. “Now we have 70-something.”
Back then, HR was a small team doing a little bit of everything, from workers’ compensation and benefits to recruiting and employee relations.
“There was really just kind of two to three of us that handled everything that everybody handles now,” Chad said.
He also remembers a time when the Service Center felt smaller and more connected in the day-to-day.
“Back then, you used to know everybody, we’d get together every Friday, we’d have bagels. So, you got to know everybody.”
Today, Chad serves as Director of Employee Relations, leading a team that helps support schools and Service Center teams through some of the most complex and important workplace challenges.
“We deal with all the employee performance issues, employee legal issue and the employee handbook. If a new policy needs to be put together, we might coordinate that with the appropriate teams.”
At its core, the work is about helping leaders navigate situations with clarity, consistency and care while keeping students and staff supported.
If you ask Chad what keeps him energized after more than two decades at NHA, his answer is simple: the variety.
“Every day is different in my position. You never know what’s going to happen.”
From urgent situations to everyday coaching moments, Chad enjoys the problem-solving that comes with helping teams work through real challenges.
Moral Focus: Still the Heart of the Work
Moral Focus has always been part of NHA, but Chad has seen it become even more intentional in recent years.
“Moral Focus was always important, but I think it’s become much more.”
For Chad, Moral Focus is about more than messaging it’s about living out shared values and simply doing the right thing, which is one of the reasons he felt drawn to NHA in the first place. He also values the strength and stability of the organization, especially as the education landscape continues to shift.
“We’ve never had to go through any type of layoffs,” Chad said. “A lot of times, you can see that rough weather coming ahead. But we would start tightening our belts, so when that comes, we were going to be OK.”
Looking back on his career, Chad says he’s always felt like he was part of something meaningful. “Just being able to give parents a choice that was really J.C.’s vision.”
The Best Part: The People
After 24 years, Chad says the biggest reason he’s stayed is the people and NHA’s culture.
“They treat their employees well. It’s just a good company. They are good people.”
From a five-person HR team to a growing organization supporting schools across multiple states, Chad’s journey reflects what NHA has always been about: mission, people, and doing the right thing while continuing to grow and evolve.
“I’ve loved every minute of it.”
Fun Fact
“My grandpa, Bernie Fridsma, was known for his leadership as a leading authority on the history of Friesland and the Frisian language. He even corresponded with Winston Churchill during World War II. In fact, there’s a street in Friesland, Netherlands named ‘Fridsma,’ honoring our family history.”
That family pride and purpose is part of why Chad continues his work at NHA, because making an impact on students and families is so fulfilling to him.
Congratulations on 24 years Chad!
About National Heritage Academies
National Heritage Academies (NHA) is a network of 103 tuition-free, public charter schools across nine states, serving more than 67,000 students in kindergarten through high school. For more information, visit nhaschools.com. To find the nearest charter school near you, use the NHA school finder.