UKRAINIAN NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ASSOCIATION
HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING
The Ukrainian National Credit Union Association (UNCUA) held its 29th Annual Meeting June 11-12, 2010 at the Ukrainian Youth Center in Yonkers, New York. Some 40 representatives of 15 Ukrainian American credit unions gathered to discuss current issues facing credit unions, and to elect a new board of directors.
SUMA Yonkers Federal Credit Union hosted the conference and annual meeting, commencing with a welcoming reception Thursday evening, June 10th at their impressive corporate headquarters built in 2003.
Pictured from left: Walter Kozicky, CEO, SUMA Yonkers FCU, Michael Fryzel, NCUA Board Member, Bohdan Watral, President/CEO, Selfreliance Ukrainian American FCU.
On Friday the delegates were welcomed by Bohdan Watral, UNCUA Chair and CEO of Selfreliance Ukrainian American Federal Credit Union (Chicago). Greetings were then delivered by Ihor Laszok, President of the World Council of Ukrainian Cooperatives and Board Member of Selfreliance Ukrainian American FCU, Walter Kozicky, CEO of SUMA Yonkers Federal Credit Union, Anatoli Murha, President of the Ukrainian Bandurist Chorus and Board Member of Ukrainian Future Credit Union (Warren, MI), Oleh Karawan, Board Member of the Ukrainian Catholic Education Foundation and Selfreliance Ukrainian American FCU, and representatives of the press.
Presentations on topics of interest to the credit union leaders followed. Tun Wai, PhD, Chief Economist of the National Association of Federal Credit Unions, spoke on the current state of the economy, and Michael Fryzel, Board Member of the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) provided the delegates with an update. Special Eugene Czolij, President, Ukrainian World Congress guest speaker was Eugene Czolij, President of the Ukrainian World Congress, who spoke on “The Work of the Ukrainian World Congress: Defending the National Interests of the Ukrainian People and Linking Ukrainians Around the World”.
A banquet held that evening was attended by such distinguished guests as His Excellency Paul Chomnycky, OSBM, Eparch of Stamford, Consul Bohdan Movchan of the Consulate General of Ukraine in New York, Ambassador Yuriy Sergeyev, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations, and Tamara Gallo Olexiy, President of the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America. The keynote address was delivered by Eugene Czolij, who received a standing ovation. Mr. Czolij awarded several credit unions with certificates for their contributions to the World Congress: Self Reliance New York FCU, Selfreliance Ukrainian American FCU, SUMA Yonkers FCU, Ukrainian Selfreliance FCU (Philadelphia), and Self Reliance (NJ) FCU (Clifton).
The Association conducted its annual general meeting on Saturday, June 12th, with reports by management and committees, as well as the election of board members for the 2010-2011 term. UNCUA Chairman Bohdan Watral and President Orysia Burdiak reported on the current status of the Association. As of December 31, 2009, assets of the sixteen UNCUA member credit unions totaled $2.507 billion, with reserves and undivided earnings totaling $358 million. Member deposits totaled $1.963 billion, with $1.458 billion total loans issued in 2009. 105,211 individuals are members of Ukrainian American credit unions in the US (down by 1277 individuals from 2008). Despite the recession in 2009, Ukrainian American credit unions contributed near $4 million in support of community organizations, once again emphasizing the tremendous impact of credit union membership on the development of our Ukrainian American communities.
The 2010 credit union calendar illustrating stamps of Ukraine was well received by the UNCUA Board of Directors’ meeting. Picture from left: Stephen Kerda (Selfreliance Baltimore FCU), Bohdan Kurczak (Self Reliance NY FCU), Walter Kozicky, (SUMA Yonkers FCU), Jack Burscu (Osnova Ukrainian FCU). membership. Over 31,000 calendars were distributed to credit union members. Lew Mykola Hryhorczuk, PhD, Vice-Chair of Ukrainian Selfreliance Michigan FCU, authored the 2008, 2009 and 2010 calendars.
Delegates
The following individuals were elected to the 2010-11 UNCUA Board of Directors and committees:
UNCUA Officers: Bohdan Watral – Chair (Selfreliance, Chicago); Stephen Kerda – Vice Chair (Selfreliance, Baltimore); L. Mykola Hryhorczuk – Vice Chair (Selfreliance, Michigan); and Mary Kolodij – Secretary (Selfreliance, Philadelphia).
Executive Committee members: Walter Kozicky (SUMA Yonkers, NY); Bohdan Kurczak (Self Reliance NY); and Walentyn Polywko (Ukrainian National, NY).
Members of the Board of Directors: Jack Burscu (Osnova, Parma OH), Bohdan Czepak (Cleveland Selfreliance), Andrew Diakun (UHD, Buffalo NY), Jaroslaw Fedun (Self Reliance NJ), Andrew Jakymowych (Future CU, Warren MI), Raymond Komichak (Selfreliance, Pittsburgh), Wasyl Kornylo Ukrainian, Rochester), Yuri Pedenko (Ukrainian, Minneapolis) and George Stachiw (Selfreliance, New England).
Supervisory Committee: Andrew Jakymowych (Future CU, Warren MI); Oleh Karawan (Selfreliance, Chicago) and Bohdan Sawycky (Self Reliance NY).
Delegates
Nominating Committee: Jaroslaw Fedun (Self Reliance NJ); Orest Liscynesky (Cleveland Selfreliance); George Stachiw (Selfreliance, New England); and Catherine Popovech (alternate, Self Reliance NY).
By-Laws Committee: Bohdan Kurczak (Self Reliance NY); Orest Liscynesky (Cleveland Selfreliance); and Lubomyr Lypeckyj (Selfreliance, Warren MI).
Loan Protection and Life Savings Insurance Trustees: Orysia Burdiak, Stephen Kerda, Mary Kolodij, Bohdan Kurczak, Ihor Laszok, John Olijarczyk and George Stachiw.
Orysia Burdiak was elected President of the Association and the Ukrainian Cooperative Insurance Agency in Chicago. UNCUA staff members are Christine Pylypowycz and Nina Bebko.
Andrew Jakymowych, Treasurer of Ukrainian Future Credit Union, invited the delegates to schedule their 2011 UNCUA annual meeting in Warren, MI on the occasion of Future’s 50th anniversary.
Conference delegates are deeply obliged to Walter Kozicky, CEO of SUMA Yonkers FCU, for all his efforts and dedication in organizing this year’s conference.
Respectfully submitted by Orysia Burdiak
