The MacGyver

Craig Ambrosio grew up in Whippany, NJ riding whatever he could get his hands on. On and off the road, Craig whipped around on dirt bikes, motorcycles, and quads. Arriving home after dark with mud caked to every inch of his body meant the day had been a day well spent.

In 1987, Craig moved to Toms River, NJ where he began a career as a self-employed home inspector. He ran CSA Home Inspections for 25 years while volunteering for Toms River Fire District No. 1. Last year marked 31 years as a volunteer firefighter - 15 of which were spent as the publicly elected Fire Commissioner of Toms River Township. 

Along the way, Craig became “#1 Dad” to Kate and Craig Junior who now work at and attend Stevens University, respectively. They’ve enjoyed many crazy shenanigans traveling across the United States instilling in them a shared love of adventure and travel.

In 2008, Craig was recruited by the town as the Director of  Parks, Buildings, Grounds, and Code Enforcement. When he’s not working to maintain the quality of life for the residents of Toms River, Craig is hopping on his Harley to tour the country side with friends or flying down to the Keys for a spontaneous fishing expedition. 

His passion for spontaneity and desire to get his hands dirty stems from working on his family’s farm in Illinois every year since he was a young boy. Craig spent each summer learning the farming business. Little Farms is home to the best dang crop of corn and soy beans this side of the Mississippi River! It was on the farm - where something is always broke or needs a quick fix - that Craig honed his MacGyver skills and learned to make repairs in the middle of nowhere with very little at his disposal. Whether he’s stuffing a pack of tire plugs into a hole and filling up every 30 minutes to get out of the woods or working to improve standards of living for Toms River residents, Craig is always searching for solutions.

Craig has been a Very American® ambassador since day one. He says, “We can all agree on the statement, but it has a different meaning to everyone. It is the freedom to have diversity of thought.”

Freedom means something to a lot of people. For Craig, he’s built his life around the freedom to discover, create, and learn. To discover new destinations on a Road King, to create solutions for his fellow neighbors, and to learn from his kids what it means to be a father and role model. 

Thank you for your endless support, Craig! We wish you and ALL a Very American® New Year!