SERBIAN UNITY CONGRESS CELEBRATES 20th ANNIVERSARY
By Mimi Dae
A wonderful convention weekend was had by all participants. Guests arrived from all over the country and Serbia beginning mid-week. Many thanks goes out to Mr. Nikola Djukic who helped to shuttle VIP guests from the airport to the hotel and meetings. There was a new force of Serbs present. A gathering of young adults from all over the natio and Serbia.The schedule was well organized, beneficial and extensive! There was a clear agenda for the delegation of Serbs to visit specific contact people pertaining to their focus of business. The appointments began on Tuesday September 21st with a schedule of diverse meetings , including presenters like Mr. Tom Waltermire, Chief Executive Office of Team Northeast Ohio (Team NEO), Mr. Baiju Shah of BioEnterprise and Mr. David Fleshler of CWRU.
This was a new face of SUC, never seen before! This is a new improved organization with an office directly in Belgrade. This is an organization every Serb should join and take part of. Working together with Serbs from Serbia proper is most inspiring and fulfilling. Let me share with you just some of the names and organizations represented by the Serbian delegation.
Serbian Delegation included Mr. Ljubisa Zivadinovic of Afeja Consulting, he is a lawyer and owner of the company. Mr. Veselin Sjekloca, of Omnistock. He is the owner and director. Miodrag Gavrilovic, GBD Director which does commercial and residential security systems. Agrobank was represented by Milan Antonic, one of the only banks in Serbia still owned by a Serb (most are German owned now). Many of you may remember journalist Marko Lopusina from Vecernje Novosti who was also present in Cleveland 20 years ago for the first SUC conference. Mr. Dragan Mijanovic is the director for Royal Eco Foods, specializing in many specialties and organic products. The Bureau for Strategic Planning of the Minister of Interior was also represented by Drazen Marojevic and Dejan Jovanovic. As one can see from this list, many diverse businesses were represented and the average age of these delegates was 45. This is the new face of the future!
Mr. Sjekloca, the first guest to arrive from Belgrade was given an orientation over dinner and then a tour of Invacare at its world headquarters in Elyria on Wednesday, September 22. Mr. Veselin arrived with an interest to become a partner with Invacare to expand the sale and distribution of healthcare products through the Balkans and possibly Russia. Mr. Veselin was also introduced to John Tomsich, President of Nesco, Inc. with some discussion of possible investment opportunities in Serbia.
On Thursday, September 23, Veselin and Miodrag Gavrilovic were hosted at lunch with Andradia Scovil, Program Director for the Civic Innovation Lab, which support startup companies. Many thanks to Svetozar and Ana Nikolic who housed Gavrilovic for part of his visit.
In the afternoon on September 23, a meeting was held with Baiju Shah, CEO of BioEnterprise, and David Fleshler, of Case Western Reserve University. The significance of that meeting is that there is a chance for dialogue to be established between the CWRU Medical School and the huge military medical academy in Belgrade. The second result of that meeting was the possibility for a dialogue to be established between the Case Institute of Engineering and the University of Belgrade Engineering faculty, since Belgrade is well-known throughout the world for the quality of engineers it trains. Baiju Shah heads up a consortium consisting of the Cleveland Clinic, University Hospitals and Case Western Reserve University, that nourishes some 600 small bioscience and technology companies in Northern Ohio. This is similar to what Veselin would like to create with his American House to showcase the products and services of American companies in Belgrade. Also present later that day was Mr. Tom Waltermire, who is part of the Greater Cleveland Partnership and very much involved in economic development in Greater Cleveland and Northeast Ohio.
Friday’s schedule began early and never slowed down! Opening the forum was Ms. Bernadine van Kessel, Director, International Business Attraction for Team NEO, and many ideas were exchanged at that meeting. The Serbian delegation program was extensive and these meetings were accrued through the tireless efforts of Mr. Alex Machaskee. The schedule encompassed various meetings with Cleveland area and Ohio business community representatives. Some highlights included a visit to the Business Incubation Center in Beachwood for a tour of the facilities, where many countries have established beachheads for their businesses, followed by a panel discussion and a tour of Cleveland State University. Bob Scherer, Dean of the CSU Business School, said a year ago when President Boris Tadic was here that he would like to see a partnership with a Belgrade College. Slavka Draskovic brought a Memorandum of Understanding from the Fakultet Organizacionih Nauka (Faculty of Organizational Sciences) in Belgrade to be signed by CSU for an ongoing dialogue and enhancement of best practices. In the afternoon, Mr. George Delgado, who has been employed by the Cleveland Foundation to attract business from around the world to Cleveland also met with part of the delegation.
The Friday evening cocktail reception was most elegant. This reception was held at the Cleveland City Hall Rotunda, where the Serbian flag was flying high! V. Rev. Vasilije B. Sokolovic began the evening with an invocation. There was a greeting to all guests by Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson and he presented a proclamation to SUC president Mirjana Samardzija on the occasion of the SUC 20th anniversary. Mirjana read the proclamation and became tearful as she said that Cleveland is a city which is dear to her heart as she was raised in the Cleveland area. Mirjana also thanked the Mayor and Mr. Machaskee as he hosted this event. This evening event presented everyone in attendance with an opportunity for networking by American Serbians and the visitors from Serbia.
In addition to the Serbian Business Delegation, there were two members of the Serbian Ministry of Interior, Dejan Novakovic and Drazen Marojevic, who were looking to learn about best practices in police work and create the same kind of an association between Ohio police and Serbian police like the Ohio National Guard has with the Serbian military. They were enlightened during a one-hour meeting with the Cleveland Chief of Police, Michael McGrath. He suggested that they should create a dialogue with the Attorney General of the State of Ohio, the chief law enforcement officer in Ohio. Alex suggested that the next time General Wayt visits Serbia to meet with the military, the Ohio Attorney General should accompany him to conduct seminars for the Serbian police.
Of course, no Serbian event would be held without the addition of Serbian wine and Sljivovica. You can only imagine the site of these cocktails served at City Hall! An array of Serbian red and white wines were donated by Mr. Nikola Djukic of Europa Import. Of course the hummus & pita bread with cevapi complimented the beverages. I do not believe that Cleveland’s city hall will ever be the same!
Saturday’s professional networking panels included a panel discussion on professional networking in the Diaspora, opportunities in the Former Yugoslavia, and business opportunities in Serbia. Representatives from Serbia gave presentations on what it takes to succeed in Serbia and representatives from the US spoke on what it takes to attract Diaspora business.
There were also policy panel workshops including a panel on restitution issues in Serbia and the Serbian American Voice Ambassador Program (SAVA network).
The gala dinner was held in the Gold Room of the Renaissance Hotel in Public Square. The reception was delightful as the voice of Dimitrije Lazic accompanied by Mr. Aleks Slavkovic, filled the room. Many participants joined in the singing and others sat back and felt as though they were at a prestigious concert venue. Once the guests arrived in the dinner hall they were greeted by the hosts of the evening, co chairmen Mr. Alex Machaskee and Mrs. Mira Damljanovic. Reverend Fr. Mile Matic and V. Rev. Fr. Vasilije Sokolovic blessed the food and guests. Responses were sung by the Melos Ensemble under the direction of Mr. Milan Damljanovic. This ensemble filled the room with music. The madrigal singers strolled through the ballroom and shared their musical talents with each table! The rest of the evening’s entertainment was provided by Mr. Drago Micic and the Zuta Osa band.
Key note speakers for the event included Congressman Dan Burton, Co-chair of the Serbian American Congressional Caucus and Senator George Voinovich who was honored for his efforts to aid the Serbian people.
Mrs. Slavka Draskovic, president of the SUC, Serbia, read many congratulatory letters from the offices of President Boris Tadic, Minister Oliver Dulic, and Verica Barac, anti corruption minister. The SUC prides itself on having a working office in Serbia, the only Serbian organization in the Diaspora to establish this connection.
Mira Djelic and Michael Djordjevich were recognized in the evening as founding members of SUC that were present. A program book was gifted to all guests and included a short history of the past 20 years of work. President Mirjana Samardzija included in her greeting the many changes and the adaptation of the SUC to new times and challenges. A blessing was included in the book from +Patriarch Irinej and he congratulated the work of the SUC. Mrs. Ivana Cerovic, Director of the DC office; Mrs. Slavka Draskovic, President SUC Serbia; and Mrs. Mira Damljanovic, board member and convention co-chair were recognized for their efforts and support of organizing the event.
Everyone was asked to join the SAVA network. The SUC is a changing organization with many new faces and a goal to work together to nurture our Serbian heritage; help economic, social, and cultural and other positive changes towards a free political system and a moral society in Serbian lands; and inform public opinion and key policy-makers about the true goals and aspirations of the Serbian people.
Mr. Milan Damljanovic coordinated efforts to bring participants to both St. Sava Church and Cathedral for Liturgy Sunday morning. Participants were welcomed to the community and afterwards visited the Serbian Cultural Garden where they were impressed by its beauty. A group of participants also visited the Inn Between bar and grill in the evening , where the Bjelicic family welcomed guests with sarma, cevapi and good old American steak! Participants were excited about participating in such a fruitful weekend. Many new relationships were formed and the professional networking has begun!
“This is not your father’s SUC” was quoted at the convention. These are difficult times and this is an organization with a new direction. SUC has a focused direction to work to promote the good name and positive cultural identity of the Serbian people. I am encouraging all our readers and supporters to look to the SUC, look at the website and inform your -self on all the good works it has accomplished and plans to do in the future.