National Federation of Croatian Americans Cultural
Foundation
2 Massachusetts Ave NE, .PO. Box 78152, Washington, DC
20013
WWW.NFCACF.ORG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, April 16th, 2014
Contact Information
Jay Hunter
Phone: (202) 643-6606
E-mail: info@nfca.org
PRESS RELEASE: NATIONAL FEDERATION OF CROATIAN
AMERICANS (NFCA)
PRESENTS LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD TO BERNARD M.
LUKETICH
On May 31st, 2014, The National Federation of Croatian
Americans President, Mr. Paul Tonšetic-Kunder is honored to present Bernard M.
Luketich the recipient of the NFCA Lifetime Achievement Award.
Bernard M. Luketich
“This is in recognition of your lifetime of
involvement with the Croatian Fraternal Union (CFU) beginning as the President
of the Cokeburg, PA Lodge #354 at the age of 16 year to being its national
President for that past 35 years.
Under your leadership, the national CFU along with
many cultural organizations you have created and or supported, is the
centerpiece of Croatian Diaspora pride not only here in the United States but
the around the world.”
The Award will be presented to Mr. Luketich at the
21st Annual NFCA Conference and Assembly to be held on May 31st, 2014 at the
St. Lawrence Croatian Club (CFU Lodge #13) in Steelton, Pennsylvania.
Since its founding in 1894, the CFU has grown with the
Croatian community in the United States and provides much-needed insurance,
investment, and social services for its members.
Commonly known as the “Father of the CFU Junior
Cultural Federation" and the "CFU Adult Tamburitza Federation"
Brother Luketich has been involved with the CFU for more than 50 years. He
holds the record of maintaining the longest tenure of any national President in
the history of the Society.
He is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards,
including the Redom Hrvatskog Pletera in 1996, the Redom Danice Hrvatske s
Likom Katarine Zrinske in 1998, both bestowed upon him by the late Croatian
President Dr. Franjo Tudjman, and the Red Kneza Trpimira s Ogrlicom i Danicom in
2003, presented to him by former Croatian President Stjepan Mesic.
The son of Emma and Ivan Luketic, Bernard Luketich was
born and raised in Cokeburg, Pennsylvania. His father, Ivan, emigrated from
Ogulin, Croatia and settled in Cokeburg where he found work in the Pennsylvania
coal mines. A coal miner himself in his youth, Bernard Luketich carried his
family values and love for his Croatian ancestry to become a leader of the
largest Croatian fraternal organization outside of the homeland.
The NFCA is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization
dedicated to promoting the interest of the Croatian people; embodying heritage
of culture and language, integrity in human rights and equality in
self-determination, advancing economic development, and freedom from persecution.
Please visit us at www.nfcacf.org
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