UNA General Assembly holds first post-convention meeting (12/01/02)

UNA General Assembly holds first post-convention meeting

by Roma Hadzewycz

KERHONKSON, N.Y. - The Ukrainian National Association's General Assembly met here at Soyuzivka on Friday and Saturday, November 22-23. The focus of the assembly was revitalization of the Soyuzivka resort, which this year marks its 50th anniversary.

The agenda was a brief one, as this was a special meeting held during a UNA convention year and was the first full gathering of the General Assembly elected at the association's 35th Regular Convention held in May in Chicago.

Reports on the UNA's operations for 2002 were delivered by the fraternal society's three full-time executive officers, President Stefan Kaczaraj, National Secretary Christine E. Kozak and Treasurer Roma Lisovich, who took office on July 1.

In addition, members of the General Assembly - which encompasses six executive officers, three auditors and 11 advisors - reviewed organizing results for 2002 and discussed the plan of action for enrolling new members in 2003; approved the UNA budget for 2003; and approved several standing committees that are to spur UNA activity in the fields of fraternal activity, organizing efforts, finances and the UNA's Canadian affairs.

The committees - which are to function for the full four-year term of the General Assembly and are chaired by UNA executive officers - were constituted as follows:

Fraternal Committee: Second Vice-President Eugene Iwanciw (chair), Advisors Eugene Oscislawski, Vasyl Liscynesky and Barbara Bachynsky;
Organizing Committee: First Vice-President Martha Lysko and Ms. Kozak (co-chairs), Advisors Joseph Hawryluk, Stefan Hawrysz, Myron Pylypiak and Pawlo Prinko;
Financial Committee: Ms. Lisovich and Mr. Kaczaraj (co-chairs), Advisors Vasyl Luchkiw and Michael Kuropas;
Canadian Affairs Committee: Director for Canada Al Kachkowski (chair), Advisors Myron Groch and Andrij Skyba.

(Vice-President Iwanciw and Advisors Bachynsky, Skyba and Kuropas were not able to attend the General Assembly meeting.)

Members of the UNA Auditing Committee, Zenon Holubec (chair), Yaroslav Zaviysky and Alexander Serafyn, do not serve on standing committees due to their function as auditors.

Highlights of reports

Among the highlights of the reports delivered by the association's executive officers was the following information.

The UNA's bottom line was adversely affected by the general state of the U.S. economy; the UNA's conservative investment strategy has proven to be a wise one.
The Ukrainian National Urban Renewal Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary that is responsible for the UNA headquarters building, has seen a significant increase in income from rents.
The director for Canada is striving to activate the UNA's Canadian membership and to establish fruitful contacts with UNA branch secretaries in that country.
The UNA has signed a contract with a similar fraternal organization, Western Catholic Union, for the WCU to perform general marketing of UNA products and to recruit and train insurance agents.
In accordance with new mortality tables that are to be released in 2003, the UNA will review the costs of its policies. The review is expected to result in lower premiums.
The UNA will introduce a new education IRA that will become available next year.
The UNA will continue efforts to recover its financial losses via civil litigation against Joseph Binczak, a former insurance agent for the UNA who has been indicted on charges of theft and falsifying records in a scheme to defraud seven annuity holders of funds. It was underscored that no UNA policyholder suffered any loss as a result of this case.
In accordance with a decision of the UNA Executive Committee, Soyuzivka is to be transferred to a limited liability corporation that will be a wholly owned subsidiary of the UNA.
A preliminary plan for revitalizing the financially distressed Soyuzivka resort was presented. It encompasses a general makeover of Soyuzivka as a Ukrainian heritage center where Ukrainians and non-Ukrainians alike could come to be immersed in all facets of Ukrainian culture; the introduction of more family-oriented activities, such as miniature golf; remodeling of the Main House to include rooms for business meetings and smaller receptions, as well as renovation of its dining room; refurbishment of Lviv, which formerly housed children's camps; blazing of trails for hiking; and possible transformation of the Halych building into a timeshare property. Full details will soon be announced to the public. (The kick-off for the "new Soyuzivka" campaign occurred at the 50th anniversary banquet held at the resort on Saturday evening, November 23).
The Soyuzivka Redevelopment Committee established at the recent UNA Convention will become active in raising funds for the resort in connection with a new campaign called "Soyuzivka Project Renaissance."
UNA officers will attempt to tie their trips to various cities for UNA district committee meetings to seminars for secretaries and organizers, as well as presentations to the broader public about the role of the UNA and its products. Efforts will be made to increase attendance at district committee meetings and generate interest in the activity of the UNA.

The UNA's 2003 budget

A key item on the General Assembly agenda was adoption of the UNA budget for 2003, which foresees expenses and other decreases in surplus of $6,627,852 and income of $6,722,000, for a modest increase in surplus of $94,148. It was adopted as proposed by the Budget Committee, composed of Ms. Lisovich and Messrs. Holubec, Serafyn, Prinko and Hawryluk.

The 2003 budget envisions an aggressive marketing campaign for the UNA's two official publications, Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly, which together are viewed as a key fraternal benefit; as well as continued support for Soyuzivka, coupled with active promotion of the resort and a campaign aimed at raising funds for its improvement and its renaissance. The budget also foresees cutting the resort's deficit in half.

The General Assembly also voted to authorize the Executive Committee to use Soyuzivka assets as collateral in any arrangement of finances for its redevelopment.

In the spirit of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Soyuzivka, members of the assembly approved a motion to donate $50 each from their per diems in support of the UNA estate's revitalization.

Before they began their deliberations on Friday morning, General Assembly members participated in the traditional opening ceremony at Soyuzivka's monument to Taras Shevchenko, the patron of the Ukrainian National Association. Once the national secretary and treasurer had placed a wreath before the statue, assembly members sang the American, Canadian and Ukrainian national anthems. Ms. Lysko delivered a brief talk on Shevchenko's continuing relevance and the ceremony concluded with the singing of the bard's "Testament" (Zapovit).

After the General Assembly meeting was formally closed on Saturday before noon, the body's standing committees held their separate meetings. As well, the UNA's Ukrainian National Foundation held a meeting of its board.

That evening members of the General Assembly attended the gala 50th anniversary celebrations of the UNA estate, Soyuzivka.

The 2003 annual meeting of the UNA General Assembly is scheduled for November 21-22.

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