[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 108 (Thursday, July 25, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1140-E1141]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO BERNARD M. LUKETICH

                                  _____
                                 

                         HON. MICHAEL F. DOYLE

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 25, 2013

  Mr. DOYLE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend the long service of 
Mr. Bernard M. Luketich as National President of the Croatian Fraternal 
Union, which is headquartered in Pittsburgh.
  Since its founding in 1894, the Croatian Fraternal Union has grown 
with the Croatian community in the United States. It is estimated that 
30,000 Croatian Americans currently live in the Greater Pittsburgh 
area, and I am very happy to represent many of our local Croatian 
Americans in the U.S. Congress.
  The Croatian Fraternal Union has provided much-needed insurance, 
investment, and social services for its members since its inception and 
has helped many Croatian Americans establish successful families and 
communities over the past 100+ years.
  The Croatian Fraternal Union also ardently supported the Republic of 
Croatia's establishment as a stable democratic and free market-oriented 
nation-state as a result of the devolution of the Soviet Union and the 
Balkan Wars in the 1990s. The CFU was instrumental in developing 
American support as a founding member of and in steady concert with the 
National Federation of Croatian Americans for the new Republic's full 
accession into western multilateral organizations. This includes full 
membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, in early 
2009 and the European Union on July 1, 2013.
  This year, Mr. Luketich was re-elected to serve his 35th year as 
President of the CFU, the largest and oldest Croatian American 
organization in the United States. I would like to congratulate Bernie 
for his 35 years of strong leadership as President of the Croatian 
Fraternal Union.
  As we all know, the president of any organization cannot do it alone. 
It is important to also to note the contributions of his long-time 
senior staff at the Pittsburgh headquarters--Executive Assistant/Editor 
Lorraine Turkall, Secretary/Treasurer Ed Pazo, VP Franjo Bertovic, VP 
George Pavlecic, Editor Ivan Begg, and CFU Board of Trustees President 
Bernadette Luketich Sikaras.
  Mr. Speaker, I submit a June 5th article on Bernie Luketich's career 
that appeared in the Croatian American community's premier ethnic 
newspaper, the ``Zajednicar.''
  Mr. Speaker, congratulations again to Bernie for his steady 
leadership and service to his diaspora community and to our United 
States.

                  [From the Zajednicar, June 5, 2013]

Bernard M. Luketich--Celebrating 35 Years as National President of the 
                  Croatian Fraternal Union of America

       A record-setting milestone was achieved on June 1, 2013 as 
     CFU National President Bernard M. Luketich began his 35th 
     anniversary year serving as National President at the helm of 
     the Croatian Fraternal Union of America. Consecutively 
     elected as National President since the 1979 CFU National 
     Convention, President Luketich is currently serving his ninth 
     full term as president of the Society.
       Prior to becoming National President on June 1, 1978, 
     Luketich had served as a Member of the Society's National 
     Administration in various capacities, beginning with his 
     election to the National Board of Trustees at the 1959 CFU 
     National Convention held at Detroit, Michigan.
       The son of Emma and Ivan Luketic, Bernard Luketich was born 
     and raised in Cokeburg, Pennsylvania. His father, Ivan, 
     emigrated from the village of Zagorje, Ogulin, Croatia and 
     settled in Cokeburg where he found work in the Pennsylvania 
     coal mines. A coal miner himself in his youth, Bernard 
     Luketich carried his family values and love for his Croatian 
     ancestry to become a leader of the largest Croatian fraternal 
     organization outside of the old homeland.
       Recognized as the ``Founding Father'' of the CFU Junior 
     Cultural Federation, President Luketich counts this youth 
     cultural program among his proudest achievements since it 
     perpetuates Croatian identity and heritage among CFU children 
     and young adults. In addition to the annual Junior Tamburitza 
     Festivals, President Luketich was further instrumental in 
     initiating the annual CFU Adult Tamburitza Festivals, both 
     cultural events which have flourished over the years to 
     promote Croatian tamburitza music throughout the United 
     States and Canada.
       Interested in Croatian activities at a young age, Bernard 
     Luketich became a member of the Croatian Fraternal Union in 
     1932. He was elected President of his local CFU Lodge 354 at 
     Cokeburg, Pennsylvania at the age of 16 and has served in 
     that capacity since that time. Luketich established the St. 
     George Junior Tamburitzans of Lodge 354 in 1950 and later 
     organized the St. George Adult Tamburitzans of Lodge 354 in 
     which he currently participates as an active tamburitzan.
       President Luketich has been the recipient of numerous 
     prestigious awards, including the Redom Hrvatskog Pletera in 
     1996, the Redom Danice Hrvatske s Likom Katarine Zrinske in 
     1998, both bestowed upon him by the late Croatian President 
     Dr. Franjo Tudjman, and the Red Kneza Trpimira s Ogrlicom i 
     Danicom in 2003, presented to him by former Croatian 
     President Stjepan Mesic.
       Without question, Bernard Luketich has been the driving 
     force in promoting Fraternal Unity among the CFU Membership 
     and is the identifiable face of the Croatian Fraternal Union 
     who has been instrumental in making our Fraternal 
     Organization what it is today.
       Bernard Luketich, along with his wife, Martha, and their 
     family, continue to make their home in the small mining town 
     of Cokeburg, PA. The full legacy of National President 
     Luketich is yet to be written but we can continue to expect 
     great things from Bernard M. Luketich as he greets his 35th 
     Presidential Year with the same pride that he has espoused 
     since first becoming a member of our Fraternal Society. His 
     lifelong passion remains the principles, programs and 
     benefits of the CFU and the preservation of Croatian 
     heritage, culture and identity.
       ``Zivio!'', President Luketich!
                                  ____


          Official Family--Croatian Fraternal Union of America

  100 Delaney Drive, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15235, Phone: (412) 843-
                       0380 / Fax: (412) 823-1594


                             national board

       Bernard M. Luketich, National President, 100 Delaney Drive, 
     Pittsburgh, PA 15235
       Franjo Bertovic, Vice President/Member Services, 100 
     Delaney Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15235
       Edward W. Pazo, National Secretary/Treasurer, 100 Delaney 
     Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15235
       George Pavlecic, Second Vice President, 3419 Eisenhower 
     Drive, White Oak, PA 15131
       Bernadette Luketich Sikaras, President, Board of Trustees, 
     1135 Thomas Eighty Four Road, Eight Four, PA 15330
       Stan Blaz, Secretary, Board of Trustees, 809 East 3rd 
     Street, Anaconda, MT 59711
       Michael Loncarich, Member, Board of Trustees, 32 Leawood 
     Drive, Grimsby, Ontario L3M 4E2
       Michael Ricci, Member, Board of Trustees, 18 Cambria Point, 
     Pittsburgh, PA 15209
       Catherine Obenour, Member, Board of Trustees, 241 Homhead 
     Road, Hickory, PA 15340
       Ladislav Meze, Member, Board of Trustees, 177 Gatwick 
     Drive, Oakville, Ontario L6H6T7
       Robert Novosel, Member, Board of Trustees, 3880 Los Angeles 
     Avenue, Warren, MI 48091


                      alternates board of trustees

       Charles Lesko, 748 Prince Street, North Versailles, PA 
     15137
       Andrew Sepich, 32 Oak Ridge Point, Morton, IL 61550
       Nikola Bilandzich, 46th Street, Sacramento, CA 95819


                            high trial board

       Richard Major, President, 3915 West Prosper Street, 
     Seattle, WA 98199
       Robert Luketic, Secretary, 902 Washington Boulevard, 
     McKeesport, PA 15133
       Maryann Bojkovac, Member, 22 Canerouth Drive, Etobicoke, 
     Ontario M9C 3R5
       Robert Panenic, Member, 12218 Rue James Morrice, Montreal, 
     Quebec H3M 2H1
       Donald Weakley, Member, 2242 Tenth Street, Waukegan, IL 
     60085
       Frank M. Jerbich, Member, 6422 S. Kostner Avenue, Chicago, 
     IL 60629
       Stephen Vrkljan, Member, 185 Stephen Dr. #202, Etobicoke, 
     Ontario M8Y 3N5


                      high trial board alternates

       Carolin Banjavcic, 336 Osler Street, Toronto, Ontario M6N 
     2Z5
       Marsha Puz, 3955 Harvey Lake Road, Highland, MI 48356
       Theresa Rocca, 2489 Elkridge Drive, Wexford, PA 15090


                          management personnel

       John Zupancic, Accountant, 100 Delaney Drive, Pittsburgh, 
     PA 15235
       Ivan Begg, Associate Editor, 100 Delaney Drive, Pittsburgh, 
     PA 15235
       Lorraine Turkall, Associate Editor, 100 Delaney Drive, 
     Pittsburgh, PA 15235
       Catherine Brnich, Coordinator of Sales, 100 Delaney Drive, 
     Pittsburgh, PA 15235


                                advisors

       William R. Balaban, Esq. Legal, 27 North Front Street, 
     Harrisburg, PA 17101-1606
       Stephen J. Kruljac, Medical, 115 Cider Lane, McMurray, PA 
     15317

[[Page E1141]]

                         chief agent in canada

       Doug Gray, F.C.A., Suite 1400 BCE Place, 181 Bay Street, 
     Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5J 2V1


                            honorary members

       Goldie Malone, Honorary Lifetime Member, 667 East 241 
     Street, Euclid, OH 44123
       Elizabeth Morgavan, Honorary Lifetime Member, 419 Las Olas 
     Drive, Crown Point, IN 46307
       Mary Maki, Honorary Lifetime Member, 8020 Pine Drive, 
     Eveleth, MN 55734
       Gojko Markic, Honorary Lifetime Member, 1243 Cardinal 
     Court, Sudbury, Ont., Canada P3A 3C2
       Stephen W. Vukson, Honorary Lifetime Member, 508 Zone 
     Street, Trafford, PA 15085
       George J. Pavlic, M.D., Honorary Lifetime Member, 1943 
     Overland Court, Allison Park, PA 15101
       Richard L. Major, Honorary Lifetime Member, 3915 West 
     Prosper Street, Seattle, WA 98199
       Ante Capin, Honorary Lifetime Member, 154 East 23rd, 
     Hamilton, Ont., Canada L8V 2X1
       Ivan Salamon, Honorary Lifetime Member, 343 Alexandra 
     Street, Sault Ste Marie, Ont., Canada P6A 1J9
       Steve Namesnik, Jr., Honorary Lifetime Member, P.O. Box 
     295, Newton Falls, OH 44444
       Joseph M. Brigich, Honorary Lifetime Member, 121 Freedom 
     Drive N., Bridgeville, PA 15017
       Donald C. Langenfeld, Honorary Lifetime Member, 1020 Jerome 
     Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15220

                          ____________________