[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
____________________