INTERVIEW: UNA president on the occasion of the organization's 110th anniversary

Stefan Kaczaraj, the current president of the Ukrainian National Association, has been professionally associated with the organization since 1988, first as the UNA's certified public accountant and auditor, and then as chief accountant. In 1988 he became the UNA's treasurer, and at the last UNA Convention, held in May 2002, he was elected president. On the occasion of the UNA's milestone 110th anniversary, Mr. Kaczaraj was interviewed by The Ukrainian Weekly's editor-in-chief, Roma Hadzewycz.

Q: On February 22 the Ukrainian National Association marks its 110th anniversary. How has the organization changed since its founding back in 1894? How has it remained the same?

A: One hundred and ten years ago, on February 22, 1894, a group of Rusyn-Ukrainians in Shamokin, in the state of Pennsylvania, organized the UNA, which was at that time called Ruskyi Narodnyi Soiuz. From the membership of 13 brotherhoods the organization has grown to 222 branches with a membership close to 50,000 and assets in excess of $70 million. In 1933, the UNA began to publish The Ukrainian Weekly, and in 1952 it purchased an estate in upstate New York, which became known as Soyuzivka.

The past leaders of the UNA experienced many difficult times. Today is no different. We face economic swings, competitive pressures, changes in the marketplace, shifts in technology, the geographic dispersal of our community, assimilation, not to mention increasing regulatory requirements.

The mission of the UNA has remained the same, as noted in our official Mission Statement: "... to promote the principles of fraternalism; to preserve and promote and cherish a lasting impression of the heritage and culture of Ukraine; to provide quality financial services and products to its members. As a fraternal insurance society, UNA reinvests its earnings for the benefit of its members and the Ukrainian community."

Q: Does the UNA have any special plans to mark its 110th anniversary?

A: We plan a large festival - "The UNA Kozak Festival 2004" - at Soyuzivka in the month of August. We'll announce more information in good time.

We will also publish in both our newspapers, Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly, articles about various UNA branches and articles about historic events of the UNA. In addition, we will encourage all large districts of our organization to organize 110th anniversary events in their localities.

Q: What's in store for the UNA in 2004 and beyond? What is your vision of the organization?

A: The UNA is striving to continue its pre-eminence as the most recognized and effective fraternal in North America among Ukrainians.

Notwithstanding the many changes in our society and family structure, the changing face of the new wave of immigrants and the assimilation of our communities, coupled with the increasing pace of a more mobile population, the UNA envisions a future of accomplishment and growth.

Through its strategic commitment to provide attractive, quality programs and services for its members, their families and friends, the UNA will continue to build a spirit of fellowship and social awareness, and promote heritage preservation. Modeling itself after other successful fraternal organizations, the UNA will redefine itself as the center for all Ukrainians in North America interested in preserving their culture and heritage who desire to continue to be loosely tied together in a new global and electronic community.

Q: How do you keep in touch with UNA members in various communities? What kind of feedback do you get from the UNA's diverse membership? What would they like to see the UNA do, what do they expect from the organization?

A: We keep in touch with our members through our publications, through informational correspondence, by visiting district meetings and by attending various events where we have a chance to meet members. For example, on Father's Day, Thanksgiving, July 4th, Labor Day at Soyuzivka and at other events we make sure that UNA representatives from the Home Office are always present.

So far, feedback has mostly pertained to Soyuzivka and it has been very positive. It seems that the future of Soyuzivka is of the greatest concern to most of our members. Our members expect our organization to hold on to Soyuzivka for the benefit of our Ukrainian diaspora.

Q: Let's rewind a bit now to the 2003 annual meeting of the UNA General Assembly held on November 21-22. This was the first opportunity for the entire board of advisors to come together and assess the UNA's performance under the new leadership elected back in May 2002. Can you share with us what that assessment was?

A: The assessment was positive overall, but great challenges remain. The Assembly members especially liked the changes that have taken place at Soyuzivka in personnel, in customer service and in its outward appearance.

Q: As noted in the UNA Executive Committee's news report about the General Assembly meeting, sessions during the annual meeting were dedicated to strategic planning for the UNA's publications, its Soyuzivka resort and marketing. What came out of those sessions?

A: Among the topics discussed during the strategic planning sessions were our publications and our resort - our most visible fraternal benefits.

As regards our publications: readers would like to see more human-interest stories and a focus on community events and people. We'd like to change the focus of the papers from "news from Ukraine" to more of a resource and community information vehicle. That, we believe, will be a key element to our success.

A feasibility study has to be conducted on how to expand our newspapers' distribution network through newsstands and utilize other means by which to expand distribution channels. We are also talking about developing subscription Internet newspapers as a means to reach a geographically dispersed readership more effectively than through the postal service. Also, we are developing a new media kit to be used in efforts to solicit more advertising for both Svoboda and The Weekly.

Speaking about Soyuzivka, we discussed the feasibility of building townhouses on part of the UNA's property which would be sold among our members. Not only would this create a source of revenue, but since these would be pre-sold on a pre-construction basis, a limited outlay of initial funds would be needed on our part. Profits from the sale of townhouses would be used for renovations of various buildings at the resort.

Q: Unity within our community seems to be a key goal of the UNA at this point in time. Our readers, of course, have seen the UNA Executive Committee's statement on the General Assembly's decision that the UNA will rejoin the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America. Please tell us how that decision came about and the rationale behind it.

A: At the May 2002 UNA Convention, delegates requested at a future meeting of the General Assembly to review the "return of the UNA to the UCCA."

At the annual UNA General Assembly meeting held on November 21-22, 2003, after a lengthy discussion, a motion was made to rejoin the UCCA. And, I must note that the motion was passed unanimously.

Q: In the aforementioned statement, it is said that the UNA General Assembly had voted "to restore" the UNA's decades-long relationship with the UCCA "on the same basis and status as had been established during its original membership." What exactly is that basis and that status? What does it mean for today's UNA?

A: The basis and status was that the position of the UCCA executive vice-presidency was to be rotated among the four Ukrainian American fraternals. Until 1976 that position had been automatically assumed by the UNA president.

At present, there are three fraternals and, therefore, every third year the UNA's president will occupy the position of UCCA executive vice-president.

Q: In addition, the statement quotes you, as the UNA president, as saying: "This action in no way impacts our present memberships and relations with any other community organization." Does that mean that the UNA still is a member of the Ukrainian American Coordinating Council and will remain so?

A: My answer is unequivocally yes. The UNA represents members with various points of view, and therefore we should belong to both organizations. Belonging to both organizations will also give us a chance to work on both sides in order to create one umbrella organization that will represent all organizations in the U.S.A. diaspora.

Q: Where do we go from here in order to achieve the long-illusive unity of our community? And what role does the UNA intend to play in all this?

A: By becoming a well-run financially sound organization with a diverse membership, and by having a well-developed communication network, the UNA will take a leadership role in unifying our diaspora.

Q: Finally, how does the UNA plan to serve the Ukrainian community in the 21st century, in keeping with the new demands of new times?

A: The long-range success of our membership development and retention programs will ultimately depend upon the satisfaction of members and families within the UNA fraternity. The UNA must be able to offer a competitive range of products, while fostering the sense to the consumer that we are not just "another insurance company."

We have to get the message out that our dollars go to work to help our community and preserve our heritage. In this manner, we will be able to attract a new core membership and generate revenue, which in turn will support increased fraternal activity.

The UNA will work aggressively and judiciously to restore members' confidence and improve its financial performance through marketing, branding and offering financially prudent and selective fraternal benefits. Therefore, it becomes imperative that our fraternal society develop community programs to enhance our image as a hub community organization - one that is essential to the well-being and development of our Ukrainian community.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, February 22, 2004, No. 8, Vol. LXXII

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