PARSIPPANY, N.J. – The New Jersey District Committee of the Ukrainian National Association held its 2019 annual meeting here at the UNA Home Office on Monday, May 13. Representatives of UNA Branches 25, 37, 42, 133, 155, 171, 269 and 287 participated.
New Jersey District Chairperson Oksana Stanko, who is also a UNA advisor, opened the meeting and welcomed all branch representatives as well as UNA Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer Roma Lisovich.
Ms. Stanko chaired the meeting, while George Stanko, who read the minutes of the 2018 annual meeting that he had prepared, recorded the minutes.
Ms. Stanko delivered a report on the district’s activity, noting that the New Jersey District in 2018 sold 23 new policies for insurance coverage totalling $563,000 and annual premiums of $13,586. Top organizers were Maria Drich (17 policies with a premium of 47,644), and Valentina Kaploun (11 policies with a premium of $57,100). The top annuities salesperson was Stefko Woch (12 annuities).
The district chair noted that the UNA was once again well-represented at various festivals throughout New Jersey, as well as at Ukrainian Heritage Night at the New Jersey Devils. She pointed to the work of Michael and Nancy Bohdan, who always help at festivals. Ms. Stanko herself manned a UNA table after Sunday liturgy at St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Whippany, N.J.
Walter Honcharyk, the district treasurer, reported on the income and expenses for 2018. Finally, the district’s Auditing Committee, in a letter signed by Ms. Kaploun, proposed a vote of confidence for the outgoing officers.
Ms. Lisovich then offered remarks about the status of the UNA, underscoring that the organization in 2018 experienced another year of increases to its surplus, which now stands at over $11 million. Indeed, the surplus has grown over the last five years by 48 percent. The CFO/treasurer also was happy to note that 2018 was the seventh consecutive year of profits for the UNA.
During the ensuing discussion, among the topics raised were the March increase in rates offered on UNA annuities and the upcoming gala concert in New Jersey celebrating the UNA’s 125th anniversary. The November 2 event at Dolan Performance Hall, College of St. Elizabeth, in Morristown, N.J., will feature the Ukrainian Shumka Dancers of Edmonton, Alberta; the Women’s Bandura Ensemble of North America; the Ukrainian-born virtuoso violinist Vasyl Popadiuk of Canada; and others.
The following officers were unanimously re-elected to lead the district for the next year: Ms. Stanko, district chair; Ms. Drich, vice-chair; Mr. Stanko, secretary; Mr. Honcharyk, treasurer; Michael Bohdan, organizing director; Ms. Kaploun and Michael Koziupa, auditors.