NOTES ON PEOPLE (07/22/01)

NOTES ON PEOPLE

Orest Fedash named manager extraordinaire

EAST HANOVER, N.J. - Orest Fedash, the manager of the Ramada hotel in East Hanover, N.J., was recently honored with Ramada's General Manager Extraordinaire Award. This award, given annually to the general manager who "consistently goes above and beyond the call of duty," is Mr. Fedash's latest accomplishment in a 21-year tenure that has been marked by continued service to the Ukrainian community.

Born in Ukraine, Mr. Fedash's family was forced to resettle in Poland in 1947 as a result of Akcja Wisla, an operation executed by the Polish government to destroy Ukrainian communities lying within its borders at the time. He completed his studies there, earning a master's degree in economics and management at the University of Lodz.

Mr. Fedash then moved to the United States in 1972. He earned another master's degree from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, N.J., this time in accounting and marketing.

While at Fairleigh Dickinson, Mr. Fedash began working part-time in the hotel business, becoming the general manager of a Holiday Inn in 1976. Four years later, Mr. Fedash took over his current position as general manager of the Ramada in East Hanover.

It is in this capacity that Mr. Fedash garnered professional recognition, his being the only one of the 1,000 Ramada Inns to be selected as a finalist in three annual award categories: "Inn of the Year," "Food and Beverage of the Year" and "Renovation of the Year."

Said Ramada President and CEO Steven Belmonte, "Through his generous support and tireless dedication, Orest has earned the admiration of the entire Ramada chain and continues to be a source of inspiration to all."

Throughout his years at the Ramada, Mr. Fedash has remained active in the Ukrainian community. He serves on the board of directors of the Children of Chornobyl Relief Fund and the Carpathian Ski Club. In addition, he belongs to the Ukrainian Institute of America, the Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA) and Ukrainian National Association Branch 25. He is also a member of Plast and belongs to the "Chornomortsi" fraternity.

Ever since Mr. Fedash took the reigns, the Ramada Inn has been what he calls a "home away from home" for many Ukrainian organizations.

The hotel has hosted formal dances in the ballroom for the Ukrainian community since 1980, including an annual ball organized by the Chornomortsi the Friday after Thanksgiving. The conference rooms and banquet halls regularly serve as the sites of luncheons, conferences, performances and fund-raisers for such organizations as Plast Ukrainian Scouting Organization, the Ukrainian American Youth Association (SUM), the Ukranian National Women's League of America, the Ukrainian Engineers' Society of America, The Ukrainian Museum, the UCCA and others.

As Mr. Fedash explained, "It is my pleasure to be able to help serve different Ukrainian organizations through my position and work as manager. It is very important to me to be highly active in the Ukrainian community."

The General Manager Extraordinaire Award was especially meaningful, said Mr. Fedash, because it capped off what he called a "triple crown." This year, Mr. Fedash and his wife, Adia, saw their son, Darian, graduate from River Dell Regional High School in Oradell, N.J., while their daughter, Talia, received her bachelor's degree from Georgetown University.

Connecticut resident recognized for bravery

WINSTED, Conn - Rep. Nancy L. Johnson addressed the U.S. House of Representatives last fall in order to publicly recognize Wolodymyr Luchkan for his bravery during World War II.

The 91-year-old Ukrainian native is now an American citizen and a resident of Winsted, Conn. He is a member of Ukrainian National Association Branch

According to the account in the Congressional Record, Rep. Johnson said of Mr. Luchkan's heroism in April of 1945: "Mr. Luchkan, seized by the Germans into forced labor, overheard the impending attack against an American tank force approaching the city of Swizel [Germany]. Mr. Luchkan commandeered a boy's bicycle and pedaled through German lines, risking his life to reach the Allied forces. Without his timely warning, the loss of American lives would have been considerable."

Rep. Johnson continued, "I present Mr. Wolodymyr Luchkan as a spokesperson for freedom whose stage for heroism was made possible by the great audience of men and women who gave their lives in service of our country and those who, thanks to the efforts of people such as Mr. Luchkan, have survived to share in the quality of life that only this great nation can afford."

Notes on people is a feature geared toward reporting on the achievements of members of the Ukrainian National Association. All submissions should be concise due to space limitations and must include the person's UNA branch number. Items will be published as soon as possible after their receipt, when space permits.

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