Meet William Guzik, Board Vice President

Bill Guzik serves as Vice President of Historic Port Royal and brings a lifelong passion for history, genealogy, and community service to the organization. Raised in Newport Beach, California, Bill’s early years were shaped by the unique setting of a coastal town where his elementary school sat directly on the beach (teachers would often let the kids out on to the blacktop to even watch the migrating whales)! Bill later earned a degree in History from the nearby University of California, Irvine, with minors in Political Science and Spanish, focusing on American and South American history.

Bill’s fascination with and love for American history and politics was shaped by his early experiences in Washington, D.C., which he first visited as a child while attending a convention with his parents.  He later returned for a youth conference, spent a summer interning in the capital, and eventually worked on Capitol Hill for a Southern California congressman, launching a career in public affairs. Later and at the encouragement of his father, Bill transitioned to a sales career with Mutual of Omaha Insurance Co, continuing a family legacy—his father served with the company for 55 years prior to his passing.

A devoted student of both history and genealogy, Bill takes great pride in his family’s colorful past. His grandfathers served in the Spanish-American War and World War I, while his father and uncle both served in the Pacific during World War II. His great-grandfather owned

an overall factory in Chicago and was a contemporary competitor of Levi Strauss, and his grandfather was among the first Jewish judges in Chicago. Innovation also runs in the family: Bill’s great-aunt invented and patented one of the earliest child car seats. 

Bill loves travel and has lived in Osaka, Japan, visited Mexico, Italy, England, Spain, France,

countries along the Adriatic, Israel, and Australia.

In 2024, Bill and his partner Matt moved to Port Royal, where they are enjoying restoring the historic Leckie/Holloway House (1775). Having previously restored historic homes in California, they relish the opportunity to care for a property in a town and in a state with such deep roots in American history. 

Bill also serves as President of the Port Royal Planning Commission and is an active member of the Chabad Jewish community in both Southern California and Fredericksburg. Coming from a large family that now includes 24 great-nieces and nephews, Bill values family and community deeply. When not working on historic preservation projects, he enjoys raising Akita rescue dogs and visiting his favorite city—Washington, D.C.