Born in Baltimore, MD, Jak grew up in Florida, receiving a BS degree from USF. He studied glass at Penland in 1968 and set up a studio in St. Petersburg shortly thereafter. He was an art teacher, having taught in the Pinellas County School system and at Florida Presbyterian (now Eckerd) College. His work can be found in the permanent collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg; The Mint Museum of Art, the Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Chrysler Museum of Art, and the Jacksonville Museum of Art. Jak participated in numerous shows at the Arts Center throughout the 1970s and 80s, including the very first show at the 7th Street South location.