Philadelphia center recognizes philanthropist John Hynansky (03/25/01)

Philadelphia center recognizes philanthropist John Hynansky

by Petrusia Sawchak

PHILADELPHIA - John Hynansky, entrepreneur and philanthropist, received the Recognition Award at the 22nd annual banquet of the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center (UECC) held on February 24. In addition to this featured presentation, guests were treated to a "Celebration of Dance" and an art exhibit.

On view during the cocktail hour were the paintings of Stefan Rozok, most of them oils. Alexander Mychaluk, vice-president of the UECC, gave the opening remarks about the exhibit that was organized by Branch 67 of the Ukrainian National Women's League of America for the benefit of The Ukrainian Museum in New York City. Six other paintings by other artists were also displayed.

Petrusia Sawchak, president of the UECC, gave the welcoming address. She spoke about the diverse programs at the center, thanked everyone for the phon-athon and "koliada" contributions, and gave an outline of new projects. Mrs. Sawchak spoke about the upcoming children's operetta titled "The Brave Rooster," a new musical composed and directed by Bohdan Yanivsky of Lviv. The entire cast, already in rehearsals, will be composed of children from the Ukrainian American community in Philadelphia. A spring debut is planned.

After the Rev. Mitred Roman Mirchuk delivered the invocation, Eugene Luciw, a trial attorney and Ukrainian community activist, took over as master of ceremonies. He introduced the special guests seated at the head table and representatives of organizations.

"A Celebration of Dance" was the theme of the concert program. The Voloshky Dance Ensemble, whose artistic director and lead dancer is Taras Lewyckyj, opened the program with the "Welcoming Dance," the traditional Ukrainian greeting of bread and salt. The troupe also performed the "Eve of Ivan Kupalo" and a smashing rendition of the "Hopak."

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Recognition Award to Mr. Hynansky. On behalf of the UECC board of directors, Mrs. Sawchak lauded Mr. Hynansky for his professional accomplishments and contributions to Ukrainian causes both in the United States and Ukraine.

Mr. Hynansky was born in Germany and immigrated to America with his parents in 1949 after they fled Ukraine during World War II. They settled in Wilmington, Del., where Mr. Hynansky was raised. After attending Villanova University, Mr. Hynansky entered the automobile business. He married Deanna (Pelensky), and they have three children, Leah, Alexandra and Michael.

Many hard-working years later, in 1984, he established The Winner Group, an affiliation of 20 companies all owned by Mr. Hynansky. Additionally, his Winner Group Management firm was created to provide service and support to the Winner companies. Today he owns 24 companies, nine of which are automobile dealerships in Delaware, Pennsylvania and Maryland. He is also a real estate investor and developer.

Despite his successes, Mr. Hynansky never forgot his Ukrainian roots or heritage. After Ukraine proclaimed independence, he was determined to help the economic growth of that country. He partnered with the Ford Co. in 1992 to become its exclusive importer and distributor in Ukraine, which created hundreds of high-paying jobs. Today there are seven Winner Ford dealerships in that country. Just a few weeks ago Winner inaugurated a partnership with Volvo and opened the first Volvo facility in Kyiv.

By establishing companies in Ukraine, Mr. Hynansky created a benchmark for other Ukrainian businesses to aspire to for years to come. Most importantly, Mr. Hynansky taught his employees in Ukraine a new way of looking at life and work. Along with his program of incentives, his workers felt a new vitality and sense of hope that things could be better.

Apart from his professional accomplishments, Mr. Hynansky has given magnanimously to various Ukrainian causes. First, Mr. and Mrs. Hynansky have been very generous to the Ukrainian Educational and Cultural Center during a critical time in its inception. He also supported other organizations at the center as well.

In addition, Mr. Hynansky, a tennis player himself, is a staunch supporter of Ukrainian American sports. On his own initiative for the past 20 years, Mr. Hynansky contributed approximately $100,000 in stipends to the Ukrainian Sports Federation of the U.S.A. and Canada (USCAK) national tennis championships held at Soyuzivka. In 1988 Mr. Hynansky was one of the principal supporters of the Ukrainian Olympiad and Youth Rally held at Tryzubivka and funded the building of four tennis courts there.

Besides sports, Mr. Hynansky is also a patron of the arts. In 1988 he, along with the Mazepa Foundation, funded the "Religious Music of Ukraine" concert commemorating 1,000 years of Christianity in Ukraine. The event was held at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center. Throughout the years he and his wife have also generously contributed to The Ukrainian Museum in New York City.

He has also made regular donations to the Shevchenko Scientific Society to fund the microfilm archiving of Ukrainian newspapers.

In 1993 Mr. Hynansky facilitated the purchase of the Consulate building in New York City when the Ukrainian government was not in a position to do so.

His charitable contributions in Ukraine are extensive. A partial list of his endeavors includes: funding orphanages and children's hospitals, donating an ambulance to the city of Lviv, providing police cars in many regions, organizing an environmental project and resettling 150 children at a summer camp to prevent disease when the water in the city of Kharkiv was polluted.

Joining Mr. and Mrs. Hynansky on stage for the award presentation were members of the center's executive committee, Mrs. Sawchak, Borys Zacharczuk, Alexander Mychaluk, Askold Rudakewych, Zwenyslava Romaniw and Dr. Lew Kushnir, as well as the center's executive director, Orysia Hewka.

Mr. Hynansky thanked the center for the award and spoke about some of his projects in Ukraine. He underscored that "The people of Ukraine are hard-working, generous and intelligent."

The keynote speaker was Andrij Bihun of the U.S. Department of Commerce, who is a member of The Washington Group. He recently returned from a four-year post as commercial attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv and developed the idea of creating a new committee in TWG dedicated to business development issues - the Business Development Forum. Mr. Bihun provided many personal vignettes about Mr. Hynansky and business in Ukraine in general.

The International Ballet Theatre continued "The Celebration of Dance" under the artistic direction and choreography of Volodymyr Shumakin. Natalia Bondar-Shelest, prima ballerina, and premier danseur Oleksiy Burakov beautifully executed "Carnival in Venice" set to music by Puni. Child protégée, Christina Shevchenko, performed "Cherub" (variation) from Don Quixote and "Kozachok," a musical adaptation of a Ukrainian folk melody by Mr. Yanivsky. Ms. Shelest and Oleksander Boitsov then performed a waltz titled "Nezabud," also to the music of Mr. Yanivsky. A special finale dedicated to Mrs. Hynansky, an accomplished ballroom dancer, was a stunning tango, "La Comparsita," by the two merited performers from Kharkiv.

Concluding the evening were two unexpected donations: the 1st Security Federal Savings Bank forwarded a $5,000 check and the Ukrainian Selfreliance Federal Credit Union pledged $2,500 to the center.

The Rev. Vasyl Sivinskij from St. Josaphat Ukrainian Catholic Church gave the benediction.

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