Discover Max's Story

Nice to meet you! I want to start with the question I get asked the most:
“How do you say your last name?”

It’s pronounced “YOU-dack.” Just remember, “Long U. Silent J.” There are only seven Ujdaks in the United States, and I am related to all of them. Just like Waunakee, I am the only Max Ujdak in the world.

Now that that’s out of the way, I’d like to tell you a little about myself.

I didn’t grow up in Waunakee. I’m from South Bend, Indiana, the heart of the Rust Belt. At a young age, I learned from my Polish-immigrant grandparents that it truly takes a village. The motto “service above self” is paramount in my family, and anyone who knows me will tell you that.

After high school, I attended the University of Notre Dame, where I majored in business. I spent four years in the Marching Band, sold 155,000 t-shirts through The Shirt Project, and spent just over two years working for Notre Dame Football in their recruiting office. During my senior year, I was honored with the Mike Russo Spirit Award.

While I was in college, I also had the opportunity to work for the City of South Bend’s Department of Innovation and Technology during Mayor Pete Buttigieg’s administration. My work focused on using data and design to improve how local government connects with residents. I helped rebrand city programs, including efforts within the South Bend Police Department and workforce development initiatives, to strengthen community trust and accessibility. I served as a branding and marketing consultant for multiple city departments, repaired large public datasets, such as the St. Joseph County 9-1-1 dispatch address database, and helped design and implement South Bend’s Open Data Portal 2.0 using ArcGIS. That platform later became the backbone of the city’s Police Transparency Hub.

Mayor Pete emphasized revitalization, pedestrian-friendly communities, and growing commerce through intelligent traffic control. I learned a lot from that experience, but one lesson stuck with me more than any other: you meet people where they are. I will always share my message with anyone who wants to hear it.

How did I get here?

During my time at Notre Dame, I met my wife, Katie. She graduated a semester before I did and moved back home to the Madison area. I knew she was the one, and after graduation, I followed her up to this great state. I moved to Waukesha and took my first job in industrial automation. After visiting over 80% of Wisconsin’s counties and close to 300 factories across Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota, I knew it was time to spend less time on the road. I eventually moved to Madison and took a role with Price Engineering, where I designed industrial motion and safety systems.

Katie and I got married in 2020, and our wedding was featured in the New York Times! We bought our first home in Waunakee in April of 2021.

I told myself, wherever I end up. I’m all in. Waunakee is home. Since moving here, I’ve become an active member of the community.

In 2022, I grew tired of the chip shortage in the industrial automation sector and made a considerable career change. I took a job at Endres Manufacturing, where I am employed today. I am personally responsible for overseeing large multi-million-dollar construction projects throughout Wisconsin. From stairs and railings to large structural steel, I love what I do.

One day I drove past the fire station, and I asked myself, “I wonder if they are volunteer.” Sure enough, they were! I put in an application, and on July 13th, 2021, I joined the Waunakee Fire Department. I’m a daytime/evening volunteer firefighter and am regularly among the department's top responders. I slowly learned the history of Waunakee and grew to appreciate the many people who make this village what it is.

At the age of 26, I was introduced to Waunakee Rotary. I joined in January 2022 and became the youngest member of the Waunakee Rotary Club. I’m an active member of the Community Service board and worked to bring lights to the Waunakee Dog Park. As a kid who grew up receiving presents from an Angel Tree, I take great pride in organizing the Club’s Christmas Gift drive in partnership with Waunakee Neighborhood Connection. In December of 2025, I was elected to serve a one-year term on the Waunakee Rotary Club’s Board of Directors.

For the past two years, I have served on Waunakee’s Public Works Committee, where I’ve had the opportunity to dig into infrastructure, budgeting, and long-term planning decisions that directly impact residents.

Thanks for your support, and I look forward to connecting with you throughout this campaign!