NOTES ON PEOPLE (09/05/04)

NOTES ON PEOPLE

Named Conservationist of the Year for 2003

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Charlie A. Stek was named the 2003 Conservationist of the Year by the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, a conservation organization dedicated solely to saving the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Mr. Stek, 49, is the projects director for U.S. Sen. Paul Sarbanes (D-Md.) and has spent nearly 20 years working for the senior senator from Maryland.

"This award means a great deal to me and today is a day I will always remember," Mr. Stek said in an acceptance speech during the awards ceremony, which was held in Washington on January 21. The Conservationist of the Year award, first bestowed in 1980, has previously gone to members of Congress and other prominent individuals.

Mr. Stek received the award for a number of reasons. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation cited his work as the principle author of the Chesapeake Restoration Act of 2000, which authorized $40 million annually to aid the work of the Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay Program, as well as his efforts to expand funding for conservation programs in the 2002 Farm Bill.

Additionally, the foundation cited Mr. Stek's writing of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Nutrient Removal Assistance Act to provide $660 million over five years to support installation of nutrient removal technologies at major wastewater treatment plants; and his development of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways and Watertrails Act.

According to the foundation, the Conservationist of the Year award acknowledges, encourages and promotes environmental stewardship in the Chesapeake Bay region and "recognizes superlative service and commitment to the restoration and protection of the Bay watershed."

Mr. Stek, born and raised in New Jersey's Woodbridge Township, attended church at Ukrainian Assumption Parish in Perth Amboy. He began his career in Washington as a volunteer in 1978 and was hired the following year. He joined Sen. Sarbanes' staff in 1985.

During the awards ceremony, Mr. Stek was introduced by Sen. Sarbanes. "I am truly overwhelmed both by that generous introduction and by even being considered for this award," Mr. Stek said during his acceptance speech. "He is not only a great boss, but one of the most principled, intelligent, effective and hard working individuals I have ever known."

"The accomplishments for which I am being feted today are really his accomplishments and I know, first hand, that the vast majority of the Federal Bay restoration programs that are in place today - and practically every congressional legislative initiative to restore the Bay for the past 18 years would not have been possible but for his leadership," Mr. Stek said of his boss.

Mr. Stek is a member of Ukrainian National Association Branch 155. News of Mr. Stek's award was forwarded to The Weekly last week by fellow UNA'er Tom Hawrylko.

Elementary school grad gets presidential award

HOUSTON - Andrew D. Kuchta recently graduated from Shadowbriar Elementary School and was presented with the Presidential Academic Excellence Award during graduation ceremonies.

This award is presented to those students who have achieved an overall A average, a 95 percent or higher in mathematics national testing, and a 90 percent or higher in reading national testing during their elementary school years.

Andrew received the award, which is signed by President George W. Bush and Secretary of Education Rod Paige, and a letter of congratulations from the president.

Andrew is the son of Eugene and Irene Kuchta, and the grandson of the late Ihor and Josephine Kuchta of Hillside, N.J., and Maria and the late Petro Majnich of North Port, Fla., formerly of Willimantic, Conn.

The Kuchta family is active in Houston's Ukrainian community and they are all members of the Ukrainian National Association. Andrew is a member of Branch 368.

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