Twardowski graduated from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business.
Twardowski spent 30-years at Whelan Security until representing his family in the sale of the Whelan companies in 2019. When Twardowski joined Whelan Security in 1989, the organization was a well-respected local provider of contract security services. Under Twardowski’s leadership, Whelan Security grew from that single local office in St. Louis to one of the largest security staffing organizations in the country. He was active in industry-related organizations including the American Society for Industrial Security, the Building Owners and Managers Association, and the International Security Management Organization. He was also a former multi-term board member of the National Council of Investigative and Security Services, as well as a founder and former chairman of TransNational Security Group LLC.
Active in the St. Louis community with a strong desire to positively impact the lives of others, Twardowski serves on the boards of the St. Louis Police Foundation, SSM Health Cardinal Glennon Children’s Foundation, and the Today and Tomorrow Educational Foundation of the Archdiocese of St. Louis (Executive Committee), and previously served as vice chair of the Mercy Hospital Foundation Board.
In addition to his philanthropic work, Twardowski serves or has served on several private corporate advisory and civic boards. He is past chairman of the Regional Business Council, an organization comprised of the presidents and CEOs representing the region’s largest companies united to engage in and act on high-impact business, civic, and philanthropic initiatives aimed at developing and sustaining St. Louis as a world-class region. He was a founding Board Member of AllianceSTL. Twardowski is a member of YPO (Gold) and previously served as Chairman of YPO—St. Louis. Twardowski was engaged in the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Program, serving as a regional judge from 2016-2018 and national judge from 2019-2021.
Twardowski been married to his high school sweetheart, Mimi (Basler), for more than 30 years. The couple has three adult children: Maggie, Luke, and Max.
Twardowski is an outdoor enthusiast with a passion for hunting, fishing, and conservation.