President’s Letter

Dear Friends,

On Saturday, November 6, 2010 the Croatian National Association will be featuring its third annual Lifetime Achievement Award Gala Dinner and Dance. This year the gala has a special, more prominent significance as it coincides with the 70th anniversary of the Croatian National Association which, for that occasion, decided to expand the number of laureates. This year the honorees are; Mr. Michael D. Antonovich, Mr. Mladen and Mrs. Nada Buntich, Mr. Frank Politeo, and Msgr. Janko Segarich.

All of them epitomize, by their talents and successes in their professional fields, philanthropic achievements and contributions to American, and particularly Croatian American communities, what it means to be an extraordinary Croatian American, worthy of the now already traditional and coveted Lifetime Achievement Award.

Mr. Michael D. Antonivich has been, for many years, a Los Angeles County Supervisor, invincible in many turns. He is the highest local politician of Croatian ancestry and one of the highest and more distinguished nationwide. He is the pride of all Croatian American community.

Mr. Mladen Buntich has excelled in heavy engineering, developing one of the most prominent companies of such nature in California. He has been very active in the Croatian American community and was one of the leading forces in the construction of the Saint Anthony’s Croatian Parish Center, both as a board member and financial contributor. In all these efforts he has had an equal partner in his lovely wife, Nada, who additionally was one of the leaders of the very successful Croatian mothers organization.

Mr. Frank Politeo is one of the most prominent Croatian American architects and indisputably the most prominent Croatian Orpheus. He has designed many private and public edifices, one of which is Saint Anthony’s Croatian Parish Center, and has sung in almost every private and public Croatian American event, where his beautiful tenor voice made every occasion even more jovial and festive.

Msgr. Janko Segarich had wisely and courageously headed Croatian American Saint Anthony Parish for many years. During his tenure as a parish pastor, the new Saint Anthony’s Croatian Parish Center was erected under his leadership. It has been a Croatian American community’s shrine where many Croatian Americans gather together in special and solemn occasions, like the Lifetime Achievement Award Gala Dinner and Dance.

In addition to honoring distinguished and extraordinary Croatian Americans, the Lifetime Achievement Award Gala has been an annual fundraiser for the Croatian National Association, the umbrella organization of all Croatian American organizations in the metropolitan Los Angeles area. Because of the Gala successes in the past two years, the Croatian National Association has become financially self sufficient, in spite of difficult economical times, able to pay all its operational expenses as well as help numerous needy Croatian American organizations and causes in the United States and Croatia.

It is for these reasons that we at the Croatian National Association are so grateful for your attendance and support, hoping that the Gala will be successful this year as well and remain traditional.
Everybody is invited to attend and celebrate the Croatian National Association’s 70th anniversary honoring this year’s laureates. We will be honored with your presence.

For reservations please call Mrs. Kay Jordan at (626) 445-5900 or Mrs. Vesna Cerovecki at (818) 606-6680.
God bless you all,

Mirko Giaconi, MD

CNA President