by UNA | 2023 24, Jun | Announcements, News
NORTH PORT, Fla. – The Ukrainian National Foundation, Inc. (UNF), organized and incorporated in August 1992, has as its primary mission the promotion and cultivation of the rich cultural heritage of Ukraine.
A 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable corporation, the UNF is governed by a seven-member Board of Directors, which reorganizes at the beginning of each calendar year. Traditionally, the Board has worked to provide a structure for the growth of Ukrainian cultural resources within the Ukrainian-American and Ukrainian-Canadian communities. The following is a review of what the UNF does and has done:
- Approved funding for the publication of a colorful Ukrainian children’s storybook called “Ivasyk Telesyk”;
- Sponsored the English Teachers for Ukraine Program, to teach conversational English to students in Ukraine;
- Promoted and organized fundraising efforts for the Lviv-based Vasyl Stefanyk Scientific Library of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine;
- Continually aided in fundraising efforts for the National University of Ostroh Academy;
- Managed a Publications Endowment Fund for the benefit of Svoboda and The Ukrainian Weekly;
- Has owned the Soyuzivka Heritage Center since January 2015.
At present, the UNF Board includes President Roman B. Hirniak, Treasurer Gerald (“Slavko”) Tysiak, Secretary Bohdana Puzyk, as well as Directors Valentyna Tabaka, Andrij Cade, Volodya Krul and Ariana Babczenko.
Collectively, the members of the Board have vast experience in the business world and the greater Ukrainian community, with each member bringing to the table a wealth of knowledge and expertise in philanthropic work.
An attorney who has handled myriad legal matters regarding insurance, financial institutions and corporate law, Mr. Hirniak is also the president and chief executive officer of the Ukrainian National Association, Inc. (UNA). He is an active member of the Ukrainian diaspora, having served in leadership roles in many Ukrainian organizations and assumed senior positions in schools and various youth organizations. He is also the former mayor of Randolph Township in New Jersey.
Mr. Tysiak is the founder of E-3 Financial Solutions, an audit services firm. He has provided both audit-related services to local governmental entities and economic impact analyses for commercial development projects. Mr. Tysiak has also served on the Audit Committee of the UNA and is a former first vice president of that corporate entity.
Ms. Puzyk is a long-time volunteer at the Soyuzivka Heritage Center with various camps, programs, the Adoptive Families Weekend and has been a judge for the Miss Soyuzivka Pageant. She is currently a member of the UNA’s Corporate Board of Directors and serves as its secretary. She is also president of the Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (UNWLA) Branch 56 in North Port, Fla.
Ms. Tabaka is a department manager at RWJBarnabas Health’s Jersey City Medical Center, a comprehensive integrated health care system in New Jersey. She has been on the Board of the UNF for over five years and has been instrumental in organizing the Soyuzivka Festival for the past three years. She also serves on the Executive Board of the UNWLA.
Mr. Cade is an information technology specialist with the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, where he develops and optimizes systems with corporate and consultative settings. He has an extensive knowledge of the Soyuzivka Heritage Center, having been a part of the previous management team. He is also a current member of the UNA’s Corporate Board of Directors and serves as one of its directors.
Mr. Krul, who has many years of experience in the hospitality and hotel management fields, has worked for the largest hotelier in the world. His expertise in digital marketing and e-commerce adds an extra level of knowledge to the UNF Board. He is also a former member of the band Svitanok, confirming his dedication to the promotion of Ukrainian heritage through music.
Ms. Babczenko is a manager at PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) within the organization’s customer transformation practice. She is actively involved in the Ukrainian community and is passionate about promoting and preserving Ukrainian culture. In 2022, she drove awareness at PwC of the war in Ukraine, which led to nearly $3 million in donations to directly counter the effects of the war. She is an active member of the Plast Spartanky sorority.
At its core, the UNF is dedicated to ensuring the future of Soyuzivka Heritage Center, the UNF’s cultural gem. In their capacity as stewards of a nonprofit charitable foundation, the Board members strive to ensure that the Soyuzivka Heritage Center will expand beyond even what was envisioned by those individuals who purchased the property back in 1952. With the recent addition of Managing Director Stephen Barankewicz leading a revival at Soyuzivka, the course forward has been set.
The 15th annual Ukrainian Festival at Soyuzivka will take place between July 14 and July 16. All members of the UNF Board will attend the festival, participating in both the Friday evening gala and the weekend-long festival. They will each be available to answer any questions individuals may have.
source: The Ukrainian Weekly
by UNA | 2023 19, May | Announcements, News
The state award “for assistance to the military” from the Armed Forces of Ukraine Commander-in-Chief General Valerii Zaluzhnyi was presented to President and CEO of the Ukrainian National Association Roman B. Hirniak.
PARSIPPANY, N.J. – Ukrainian National Association President and Chief Executive Officer Roman B. Hirniak received a state award from the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Gen. Valerii Zaluzhnyi. The award was presented by Prof. Eduard Balashov, rector’s assistant for international relations and fundraising at the National University of Ostroh Academy.
Mr. Balashov, in a letter to Mr. Hirniak, wrote: “We all thank you personally for your longstanding and selfless support of Ukraine, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National University of Ostroh Academy! We sincerely hope and believe in a quick victory over the enemy, and we will be happy to welcome you personally to the halls of Ostroh Academy and solemnly present you with this award from the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.”
Mr. Hirniak accepted the award on behalf of the Ukrainian National Association, which since its founding in 1894 continues to support Ukrainians in their homeland.
“It is indeed a great honor for me to receive this distinguished award and on behalf of the entire Ukrainian National Association I humbly accept it,” Mr. Hirniak said. “I sincerely hope that I will soon have the opportunity to visit the Ostroh Academy in person.”
The National University of Ostroh Academy is located in Ostroh, a city in western Ukraine. Founded in 1576, the university is considered to be the first institution of higher education on the territory of present-day Ukraine.
The award, dated January 19, 2023, was presented “for assistance to the military.” The medal features the Virgin Mary holding a veil of protection over two crossed sabers, surrounded by a wreath of oak leaves.
Source: The Ukrainian Weekly
by MATTHEW DUBAS
by UNA | 2023 18, May | Announcements, News, Social Media
UNA Home Office Celebrates Vyshyvanka Day
Members of the home office staff of the Ukrainian National Association gathered for a
group photo while wearing traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirts (vyshyvankas) at the
organization’s headquarters in Parsippany, N.J., on the occasion of Vyshyvanka Day, observed
around the world by Ukrainians on May 18.
– Steven Woch
by UNA | 2023 28, Apr | Announcements, Meetings, Meetings, News, Social Media
PARSIPPANY, N.J. – An independent, comparative analysis of the Ukrainian National Association’s (UNA) key financial ratios as of December 31, 2022, prepared by Standard Analytical Service, Inc., concluded that, based on financial results achieved in the year ended in 2022, the UNA received a rating of “favorable” when compared to the aggregate averages of 25 of the leading life insurance companies in the United States.
The report focused on areas of solvency (assets for each $100 of liabilities), liquid invested assets (bonds, stocks, cash and short-term investments for each $100 of liabilities) and additional organizational strengths based on assets, reserves and surplus.
The UNA showed assets of $107.05 per each $100 in liabilities and $102.42 of liquid invested assets per $100 of liabilities. The average among the top-25 companies was $47.54.
Other ratios show further proof of financial strength and stability. For example, per $1,000 of life insurance in force, the UNA had $1,825.93 in assets, while the average among the 25 companies was $149.03, it had $1,642.62 in reserves, while the average for the 25 companies was $63.69, and it had $120.27 in surplus, while the average was $9.75.
The UNA’s financial statement summary, as of December 31, 2022, included the following financial metrics:
Admitted Assets – $180,887,413
Policy Reserves – $162,728,249
Total Liabilities – $168,972,379
Gross Surplus – $11,915,034
Insurance in Force – $99,066,000
Benefits to Policyowners – $15,764,368
Net Investment Income – $8,542,267
Total Income – $21,467,953
Insurance Issued – $1,071,000
“We are tremendously pleased with our numbers when compared to these leading companies in the U.S., which have been in business for an average of over 100 years and own a significant portion of invested assets and life insurance in force,” said Roman B. Hirniak, the UNA’s President and Chief Executive Officer.
“When you examine those numbers, as against prior year 2021, you immediately notice that our assets increased by just under $2 million, our net gain from operations reflects a 93 percent increase in profit, our surplus increased by 2.1 percent and we were able to reduce operating expenses by roughly $56,000,” Mr. Hirniak said.
“When you couple those results with the attractive annuity products and crediting rates the UNA is offering, it’s clear to see that we’re singularly focused on earning the public’s confidence, while maintaining the fraternal nature of our organization and resultant membership benefits,” Mr. Hirniak said.
by UNA | 2023 28, Apr | Announcements, Community event, Community event, Meetings, News, Social Media
SOMERSET, N.J. – During the annual St. Thomas Sunday observances on April 22 and April 23 at St. Andrew Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery in South Bound Brook, N.J., faithful had the opportunity to visit information tables of various vendors at the Cultural Center. Among them was a table with information about the Ukrainian National Association (UNA). Staffing that table on April 22 were Maria Drich (left, holding small Ukrainian flag), secretary of UNA Branch 42 and a home office employee, with her granddaughters, Nelia (right) and Nastia (second from the left); Michael Bohdan (third from the left), secretary of UNA Branch 133 with his wife, Nancy (second from the right); and Oksana Stanko, secretary of UNA Branch 37 and a member of the UNA’s Fraternal Advisory Board.
