UNA executives focus on investments, sale of headquarters (06/29/97)

UNA executives focus on investments, sale of headquarters

JERSEY CITY, N.J. - The regular quarterly meeting of the Executive Committee of the Ukrainian National Association was held on Monday, June 2, at the Home Office.

The meeting was convened and chaired by Ulana Diachuk, president of the UNA. In attendance were: Nestor Olesnycky, vice-president, Anya Dydyk-Petrenko, vice-presidentess; Martha Lysko, secretary; Alexander Blahitka, treasurer; and the chairman of the Auditing Committee, Stefan Hawrysz. Dr. Petro Savaryn, director for Canada, was unable to attend due to prior commitments.

The executives discussed the work of the recently formed Investment Advisory Committee, the outcome of the determination made by the Division of Civil Rights, New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, in regard to a complaint of sexual harassment made by an employee against Svoboda Editor-in-Chief Zenon Snylyk and the formation of the UNA Convention Committee for the 1998 Convention.

The sale and purchase of new UNA headquarters was the most widely discussed topic at the meeting, since the move is scheduled to take place in September of this year. The executives further discussed the upcoming season at Soyuzivka, UNA summer teaching programs in Ukraine and the visit of UNA executives to the New Jersey Insurance Department on April 29.

As is customary, each executive reported on his activities during the report period beginning with the treasurer's report.

Treasurer's report

The treasurer noted that the UNA's total assets in 1997 rose to $67,702,834. The treasurer submitted the first quarter report for the UNA. Income from the Ukrainian National Urban Renewal Corp. (UNURC) was higher due to the fact that the UNA recaptured income earned, but not received, in 1996. The building is currently almost fully occupied, with small pockets of space still available. In preparation for the sale of the building, the buyers have conducted a full due diligence, which also kept the UNA's accountant, Stefan Kaczaraj, and staff very busy.

During the discussion it was proposed to explore the possibility of selling promissory notes on a limited scale for the purchase of the new UNA headquarters. There are two possible alternatives the UNA can offer all present noteholders: allow them either to buy new promissory notes or to buy UNA annuities. The UNA Investment Advisory Committee, which meets on a monthly basis, has given a full report and recommendations to the Executive Committee. The recommendation of the advisory committee is to unload some of the low-yield mutual funds and buy into stocks.

Secretary's report

Mrs. Lysko reported that April was a very successful organizing month for the UNA. Branch secretaries organized 66 new members, and the Canadian office and professional sales department organized 27 members, for a total of 93 new members. To date UNA has achieved 21 percent of the quota established at 1,250 new members for 1997.

At the last UNA convention in 1994, new requirements for convention delegates were set. The secretary said that she will write to each branch secretary individually advising him or her of the number of voting members in their branch. This will be done by July so that each secretary can work to achieve the desired member count for the convention in May 1998.

In April Jaroslaw Bylen of Branch 17 handed over the duties of branch secretary to his son, Peter Bylen. On May 1, Juliana Lozynsky assumed the duties of branch secretary from Anne Remick, UNA advisor and longtime secretary of Branch 238 in Boston. To both Mr. Bylen and Mrs. Remick Mrs. Lysko extended sincere thanks for their many years of service to the UNA and for having provided for continuity in finding persons to take up their posts. Mrs. Lysko also thanked Jaroslaw Krysztalovych, secretary of Branch 222 in Cleveland, and Ruth Jaworsky, secretary of Branch 395 in Chicago, for their years of service to the UNA. Both branches merged with local area branches.

Two new projects were initiated by the UNA secretary: in order to market UNA term insurance products to the Ukrainian community, 200 promotional packets were mailed to mortgagees of the Selfreliance Credit Union in Newark, N.J., and 300 packets were sent to the Selfreliance Credit Union in Warren, Mich. The UNA also received full cooperation from the pastor, the Rev. R. Lucavei, and the Parents' Club of Immaculate Conception Schools in Detroit. With the help of UNA Branch Secretary Lesia Lawrin of Branch 175, Mr. Lysko said nearly 200 promotional packets were mailed to the parents of the parochial schoolchildren.

Reports of vice-presidents

Ms. Dydyk-Petrenko presented the summer entertainment program for Soyuzivka. Entertainment programs at Soyuzivka have been Ms. Petrenko's pet project for years. This year again she has planned an outstanding summer entertainment program for Soyuzivka. She noted that, due to high travel expenses, fewer groups from Ukraine are available to perform at Soyuzivka. Two groups from western Canada will perform at Soyuzivka and at the nearby SUM-A resort, and both organizations will share the costs. She noted that Sunday afternoon programs will be canceled for this season due to poor attendance last year.

Mr. Olesnycky reported on his attendance at the UNA District Committee meeting in New York. There was a lot of criticism and negative publicity at the meeting regarding the sale of the building and other issues. Mr. Olesnycky further reported on his trip to the National Fraternal Congress of America meeting in Florida. The Fraternal Code is currently being revised in New Jersey and every member-society, including the UNA, can make recommendations for these revision until June. He briefly commented on the aforementioned sexual harassment case. A special UNA committee has been called to prepare a mission statement for the UNA, and Mr. Olesnycky said he will contact all members of the committee to send in their ideas.

The director for Canada, Dr. Savaryn, was unable to attend the June meeting due to prior commitment, but mailed his report.

President's report

Mrs. Diachuk presented a detailed report on the organizing department. She reported that between January and April UNA organizers had enrolled 266 members for a total amount of insurance of $8,454,456. The four highest organizers were Bianca Hrnjak of the Toronto Office, and Andre Worobec, Branch 76, 16 new policies each; Maria Chomyn of the Toronto Office, 11 policies; and Vira Banit, Branch 473, eight policies. Leon Hardink, Branch 206, had seven policies; Joe Chabon, Branch 242, Nick Diakiwsky Branch 161, and Frank Kozemchak, Branch 113, enrolled six members each. The UNA District of Woonsocket, R.I., achieved 80 percent of its organizing quota.

Mrs. Diachuk also reported that George Klapischak of Fraternal Benefit Associates was retained as an independent contractor to help the UNA find, hire and/or train new sales agents. So far Mr. Klapischak has brought in Yaropolk Kopychuk, who agreed to become a general agent starting June 1. Through the efforts of Joe Binczak, the UNA's sales manager, a new sales agent was hired for the Parma Office: Oleg (Alex) Palashenko.

In her report on UNA publications the president reported that both Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly had lost subscribers. In order to increase advertising revenue from the publications and in keeping with a recommendation of the Committee on UNA Publications, which met in November during the annual meeting, the UNA hired an advertising consultant: Tom Hawrylko of Tom-A-Hawk Promotions. Mrs. Diachuk emphasized that we need to increase advertising revenue, as well as the number of subscribers.

The appeal to Svoboda subscribers, regarding the mailing of Svoboda had a surprising response, Mrs. Diachuk reported. The results: 782 respondents, that is 10 percent of Svoboda subscribers approved the mailing of Svoboda twice a week; 38 insisted on five times a week; 12 suggested a weekly mailing; six argued for an increase in subscription price to retain a daily delivery.

UNA estate income for the first quarter of 1997 was $59,206, almost the same as last year. The restaurant opened mostly on weekends, with Sunday brunch being the most popular. The schedule for the months prior to the 1997 summer season includes four weddings, one reunion, Priests Week and Seniors Week. Fathers' Day at Soyuzivka looks very promising this year with three districts planning to attend, Mrs. Diachuk reported. The UNA District of Albany-Watervliet, N.Y., has been celebrating Fathers' Day at Soyuzivka for many years; this time the New York and Northern New Jersey districts will do so as well.

For the fall, the president reported that Soyuzivka has already lined up four reunions, the Ukrainian American Veterans Convention, two more Priests Weeks, five weddings and the traditional Halloween, Christmas and New Year's Eve affairs. Summer season room rates were raised slightly due to the increase in the minimum wage mandated by the federal government.

The meeting with New Jersey Insurance Department on April 29 was attended by three members of the Executive Committee, Mrs. Diachuk, Mrs. Lysko and Mr. Blahitka; Mr. Nestor Olesnycky, the UNA's attorney; Stefan Kaczaraj, accountant; Bob Cook, director of Canadian operations; Peter Paluch of Ukrainian National Aid Association of America (UNAAA); and the UNA's actuaries, Sam Urda and Allan Ferrone of CPS. The UNA had proposed the agenda for the meeting, but the Insurance Department chose to discuss the Report on Examination which the department had concluded last year.

Regarding the UNA's merger with the UNAAA, the UNA's actuary presented to the Insurance Department a five-year projection. The merger with the Ukrainian Fraternal Association is pending due to the necessary sale of the Verkhovyna resort. Further discussions should be held with the UFA so that they may present their demands.

Mrs. Diachuk also briefly presented a report on the English Teachers for Ukraine program. This year 24 teacher volunteers will teach in 14 regional centers, and the Summer Institute for Teachers of English in Ukraine will be held in Luhansk with 60 participants enrolled.

Mrs. Diachuk reported on her two visits to the Toronto District in March and April to attend the meeting of the Toronto District and the initial meeting of the UNA Convention Committee.

As had already been reported in the press, the committee is headed by the Rev. Myron Stasiw, assistant chairman; Wasyl Didiuk, secretary; Mr. Roman Benesh, treasurer; and Ivan Szlapak. The concert committee is chaired by Yaroslawa Zorych, and her committee consists of Olya Svystoun, Larissa Hwozdulych, Svitlana Hrybinska, Vera Plavuschak and Jurij R. Karmanin. Anna Burij is responsible for the convention banquet; Stefan Czorney is information chairman; Svitlana Medwidsky heads the cultural committee; and Mr. Worobec is responsible for the archives.

Mrs. Diachuk devoted the last part of her report to the sale of existing, and purchase of new, UNA headquarters.

The executives then discussed at great length the meeting of the Special Committee for the Sale and Purchase of the UNA Headquarters which was held on April 19. At that meeting the three highest bids for the sale of 30 Montgomery St., the present UNA headquarters, were discussed . The offers were submitted by: Denholtz Associates $21,200,000; The Arden Group, $21,100,013; Blumberg & Freilich Equities, $21,005,100. The committee unanimously accepted the highest offer.

The same committee reviewed the purchase of a two-story building at 2200 Route 10 in Parsippany, N.J. The building, owned by the Fidelco Group, has 65,650 square feet of rentable space; 34,000 square feet are presently vacant. The committee found the building suitable for the new UNA headquarters. After negotiations and some changes in the proposed contract, Fidelco accepted the UNA's offer.

Under miscellaneous, the executives reviewed all requests for donations and decided not to honor any requests in this quarter. The UNA will keep all prior commitments, however.

This report was prepared by UNA Secretary Martha Lysko.

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