UKRAINIAN NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ASSOCIATION
HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING IN WASHINGTON, DC
The Ukrainian National Credit Union Association (UNCUA) held its 31st Annual Meeting June 7-9, 2012 at the Four Points by Sheraton Washington, D.C. Downtown. Forty participants representing fourteen Ukrainian American credit unions gathered to hear presentations on current issues facing credit unions, and to elect a new board of directors.
Thursday evening the delegates, representing credit unions in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, Connecticut and Maryland, attended a reception at the hotel, during which they had the opportunity to network and socialize.
Delegates
Friday morning attendees were welcomed by UNCUA Chair Bohdan Kurczak, followed by a presentation on the Holodomor Memorial to be installed in Washington, DC in 2013. Michael Sawkiw, Jr, Chairman of the U.S. Committee for Ukrainian Holodomor-Genocide Awareness 1932-33, presented background information on the project, followed by an in depth update by Mary Kay Lanzillotta, partner at Hartman-Cox Architects. Ms Lanzillotta reported that twelve out of twenty four steps to the realization of the project have been completed. The goal is to dedicate the memorial in November 2013.
Following the presentation, Minister-Counselor and DCM Vadym Prystaiko of the Embassy of Ukraine to the U.S. spoke about current events in Ukraine. His remarks were of great interest, and delegates had the opportunity to ask questions afterwards.
Presentations on topics specific to the credit union industry followed. Kirk Drake, CEO of Ongoing Operations, LLC, spoke on the technology that would take credit unions into the future, David Legge, CPA, Principal at CliftonLarsenAllen LLP, provided the delegates with an update on the latest regulatory issues set forth by the National Credit Union Administration, and Lydia Cole, Director of Industry Analysis at Callahan & Associates spoke on credit union mortgage lending.
The Association conducted its annual general meeting on Saturday, June 9th, with reports by management and committees, as well as the election of board members for the 2012-2013 term.
Delegates
UNCUA Chairman Bohdan Kurczak reported on the current status of the Association. As of December 31, 2011, assets of the fifteen UNCUA member credit unions totaled $2.520 billion, with reserves and undivided earnings totaling $383 million. Member deposits totaled $2.125 billion, with $1.483 billion total loans issued in 2011. 101,638 individuals are members of Ukrainian American credit unions in the US (down by 1261 individuals from 2010). Despite the recession, Ukrainian American credit unions contributed near $1.5 million in support of community organizations, once again emphasizing the tremendous impact credit union membership has on the development of our Ukrainian American communities.
The 2012 credit union calendar was dedicated to landscapes of Ukraine. Near 25,000 calendars were distributed to credit union members, as reported by UNCUA President Orysia Burdiak.
A conference for CEOs and managers was held October 4, 2011 at Tryzubivka in Horsham, PA. Twenty two individuals representing six credit unions attended the conference, which was hosted by Ukrainian Selfreliance FCU in Philadelphia.
Two credit unions are celebrating 60 years of service to their Ukrainian American communities in 2012: Ukrainian Selfreliance FCU, Philadelphia, and Ukrainian Selfreliance Michigan FCU. Ukrainian Home Dnipro FCU in Buffalo, NY commemorates 50 years of service. Congratulations to their Board of Directors and management teams for achieving these milestones.
Delegates
The following individuals were elected to the 2012-13 UNCUA Board of Directors and committees:
UNCUA Officers: Bohdan Kurczak – Chair (Self Reliance NY); Stephen Kerda – Vice Chair (Selfreliance Baltimore); George Stachiw – Secretary (Selfreliance New England). Executive Committee members: L. Mykola Hryhorczuk (Selfreliance Michigan); Marusia Kolodij (Selfreliance, Philadelphia); Walter Kozicky (SUMA Yonkers, NY); and Bohdan Watral (Selfreliance, Chicago).
Members of the Board of Directors: Bohdan Czepak (Cleveland Selfreliance); Andrew Diakun (UHD, Buffalo NY); Jaroslaw Fedun (Self Reliance NJ); Roman Jakubowycz (Osnova, Parma OH); Andrew Jakymowych (Future CU, Warren MI); Wasyl Kornylo (Ukrainian, Rochester); Vsevolod Salenko (Ukrainian National, NY); Eugene Szestak (Selfreliance, Pittsburgh).
Supervisory Committee: Andrew Jakymowych (Future CU, Warren MI); Oleh Karawan (Selfreliance, Chicago) and Bohdan Sawycky (Self Reliance NY).
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: Marusia Kolodij (Selfreliance, Philadelphia); Orest Liscynesky (Cleveland Selfreliance); and Lubomyr Lypeckyj (Selfreliance, Warren MI).
Loan Protection and Life Savings Insurance Trustees: Orysia Burdiak, Bohdan Czepak, Stephen Kerda, Mary Kolodij, Bohdan Kurczak, Ihor Laszok, John Olijarczyk, Vsevolod Salenko, 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.
Bogdan Zakharchishin, delegate from the Ukrainian Federal Credit Union in Rochester, invited the delegates to schedule their 2013 UNCUA annual meeting in Rochester on the occasion of the credit union’s 60th anniversary.
