Joseph J. Krygiel, chief executive officer and secretary for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Atlanta, Inc., was recently elected to serve on the board of trustees for Catholic Charities USA.

Joining the board for a three-year term with the possibility of one renewal, Krygiel will represent Region C, which includes Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia.

Krygiel, who has served as director of the local organization for approximately two and a half years, said he is grateful for the honor.

“This is a great honor for me personally, and I believe it shows how our local Atlanta archdiocesan Catholic Charities is gaining influence and recognition on a national level,” he said. “I have an outstanding staff of 80 professionals who exemplify the reflection of Jesus Christ to those we serve.”

As a board member, Krygiel will serve as a link between local and national agencies.

“My experience at the local level and that from other agencies I represent will help provide input to the Catholic Charities board so the decisions made nationally focus on the needs of our membership,” he said. “This will ensure that Catholic Charities USA provides the highest quality of leadership to the network.”

As head of Catholic Charities of Atlanta, Krygiel directs an agency with a budget of $5 million, which serves over 34,000 people a year with direct housing assistance, services in counseling, education, employment, adoption, crisis pregnancy assistance, legal representation within immigration services, refugee assistance and parenting training.

Krygiel expressed his thanks to Archbishop Wilton D. Gregory for his support of Catholic Charities in the archdiocese.

“Archbishop Gregory, at his ordination as bishop, promised to be welcoming and merciful to the poor. As the diocesan director of Catholic Charities, I assist Archbishop Gregory in fulfilling his pastoral responsibility to promote the social mission of the church and to provide the necessary social services and programs for the people of God entrusted to his care,” he said. “Archbishop Gregory has been very supportive of Catholic Charities since his arrival in Atlanta, and he shares our vision to expand our programs and services to those in need throughout North Georgia. Our recently completed strategic plan defines goals we hope to achieve through our own growth and collaboration with other charitable agencies.”

Krygiel joined Catholic Charities after 26 years with Delta Air Lines, serving in a management administration capacity, including instructing on various aircraft programs and serving as a program developer and coordinator of training projects and programs for Delta’s Flight Training Department. He also served Delta as a line check and management pilot retiring as captain on the B-737 aircraft.

Krygiel holds a bachelor’s degree in personnel management from the University of Missouri in Columbia, Mo. After college he served as an active duty U.S. Navy officer and aircraft carrier pilot for more than six years before leaving in 1978 to join Delta. Remaining in the Navy Reserves, he retired after more than 22 years of active and reserve service at the rank of Navy captain.

An active parishioner at St. Peter Chanel Church in Roswell, Krygiel is also a member of Serra International, the Knights of Columbus, and the Knights of Malta. He and his wife, Pamela Richardson Krygiel, have been married for 29 years and have two children, Tim, 23, and Rebecca, 20.