Inductees – Europe

Branka M. Malinar - Biography

Branka Malinar was born in Popovec, Croatia in 1941. At the age of four, the family fled the Communist Revolution in Croatia and escaped to Austria to a DP (refugee) camp. After living in the camp for two years, they moved to Munich, Germany. The final leg of their migration took them across the Atlantic Ocean traveling on the S.S. General Muir arrived on Ellis Island on May 17th, 1951. The family that sponsored them through Catholic charities helped them to settle in Cleveland, Ohio.

Family Life and Education

Branka was a bright young girl who by the age of 10 learned three languages. She attended St. Paul's Croatian Elementary School and then Notre Dame Academy for high school. For 6 years she taught Croatian Folk Dancing to younger children. She was accepted to Flora Stone Mather College for Women, a branch of Western Reserve University where she pursued a chemistry degree for three years. She danced in UAC KOLO Dancers where she met her husband, Jerry Malinar. They married in 1961 and were blessed with four daughters: Drina, Mirna, Vesna, and Nada. They moved to North Ridgeville in 1968 and while her children were young, she was a member of St. Peter's Elementary School PTA, a Girl Scout Leader, and a Library Assistant.

Teaching Career

In 1973, she completed an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education at Baldwin Wallace College and began working for North Ridgeville City Schools teaching math and science. She did not stop there and quickly began working on her master's degree from Cleveland State University in Curriculum and Gifted Education in 1980. During that time, she was approached and accepted the task of creating the Gifted Education Program in North Ridgeville, teaching students in three grade levels for 22 years. Other responsibilities she took on while teaching included: Science Olympiad Competitions, Star Lab, Computer Coordinator at Wilcox Elementary (6 years), and Young Authors Program Coordinator (18 years). She did all while running her daughters around to clubs, sports, and scouts; helping with their homework while preparing lesson plans around the dining room table! Branka was named Teacher of the Year for Northeast Ohio by the Ohio Association of Gifted Coordinators. She was also nominated for the book "Who's Who Among American Teachers" in 1996, and Teacher of the Month in 1997. After many years of educating and challenging young minds, she decided to retire in 2002 becoming a member of the Retired Teachers Association.

Civic Engagement and Volunteerism

In the summer of 1976, Branka helped assemble a committee of North Ridgeville residents who approached the city council to request permission to let the people of North Ridgeville restore the second floor of the original town hall building. Permission was granted and so began the hands-on work to restore the space and produce community theater productions. She chaired the restoration committee as they sanded the old seats, repaired and painted walls, and held fundraisers for the restoration. In Sept of 1977, after producing shows outside the theater, the first production "Little Women" debuted in the newly renovated space of the Olde Towne Hall Theatre. The OTH Theatre is fast approaching its fiftieth year!

In 1977, Branka and Jerry were part of a group of founding members of The North Ridgeville Historical Society. They helped maintain a museum in the Cahoon House from 1978 to 1987 until it moved into the first floor of North Ridgeville Old Towne Hall in 1989. In 1983, both Branka and Jerry were founding members of The American Croatian Lodge in Eastlake, Ohio and their focus quickly became establishing the Croatian Heritage Museum and Library, a keystone for the vision of the lodge. As legacy volunteers, they helped plan many exhibits in the museum and develop the library. Another opportunity arose in 2009 to create a cultural garden in Rockefeller Park, Cleveland, Ohio reflecting the Croatian landscape, culture, and art. Jerry and Branka both volunteered in all aspects of launching and continuing the growth of this Cultural Garden. She has written many grants and written dozens of fundraising letters.

Collectively the goals of the two entities are to promote the Croatian culture in Cleveland by educating the general public (along with recent and past immigrants), collecting, preserving, and maintaining the collections. Branka is a member of the North Ohio Inter-Museum Council. She has also been a member of the Cardinal Stepinac Croatian National Women's Club for over 40 years.

In 2006, Branka encouraged two of her grandkids to join the American Zagreb Junior Tamburitzans. She drove them weekly for their lessons in Croatian instruments, singing, and dance for seven years.

In 1993, Branka participated in the Ellis Island Oral History Project, which is stored at the Ellis Island Immigration Museum to be used by researchers, students, historians, and interested members of the public. In 2016 she donated two Croatian folk dress and a home-made towel with a letter that explains the construction of the garments and a biography of her father, Nikola Frigan to the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island. The donation is a valuable contribution to the understanding of the personal lives of the immigrants who came to the United States from Croatia through Ellis Island.

Retirement and Beyond

At age 83, Branka continues leading and volunteering weekly for The Croatian Heritage Museum and Library and The Croatian Cultural Garden. She is still a member of the Cardinal Stepinac Croatian National Women's Club, The North Ohio Inter-Museum Council, and the Retired Teachers Association.

We have no doubt that her personhood planted in Croatia and transplanted to Cleveland has inspired many, but most importantly she has inspired her first, second, and third-generation descendants and their families!

Branka was inducted by Thomas Turkaly

Watch the video of the speeches.

https://youtu.be/BKuCcyGsdek

Congratulations Branka

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Honorable Frank G. Jackson served as the 56th Mayor of the City of Cleveland. He served four full terms from 2006 to 2022 making him the longest-serving mayor in Cleveland history.

Mayor Jackson grew up in Cleveland's Central and Kinsman neighborhoods. After graduating from Max S. Hayes High School, he served in the United States Army during the Vietnam War. After his discharge, Jackson attended Cuyahoga Community College where he earned an associate degree. He later attended Cleveland State University (CSU), earning a bachelor's degree in Urban Studies and History, a master's degree in Urban Affairs from the Maxine Goodman Levin College of Urban Affairs, and a Juris Doctor from the Cleveland State University College of Law.

He passed the Ohio bar exam and started his legal career as an assistant city prosecutor. In 1989, Jackson won a seat on the Cleveland City Council for Ward 5. As Councilman, Jackson spearheaded efforts to bring in approximately a half billion dollars of community investments, working to clean up and stabilize his ward. Jackson's progress in Ward 5 aided his election to Council President in 2001.

On January 2, 2006, Jackson was sworn in as Cleveland's 56th mayor at East Technical High School. In his inaugural address, Jackson vowed to make Cleveland a city where we are "one people, one community, living and working together, with respect, justice and equality." He promised improvements in the city's school system and better relations with Cleveland's neighboring suburbs.

He was instrumental in opening the City Hall Rotunda to people celebrating their diverse ethnic heritages resulting in annual Italian Heritage Day, Lebanon Day, Hispanic Heritage events, Black History Month, Asian Pacific heritage and so on.

He was part of celebrations for the Polish, Jewish, Chinese, Rusyn, Armenian, Irish, Albanian, Liberian, Serbian, Slovenian, Ethiopian, Puerto Rican, Russian, Hungarian and many more communities.

He solidified and grew Cleveland's Sister City relationships with places such as Rouen, France and Fier, Albania.

Mayor Jackson was inducted by Albert Ratner and presented by Valarie J. McCall (Mr. Ratner could not attend so Valarie included his remarks with hers)

Watch the video of the speeches.

https://youtu.be/diVkkJkn0sY

Congratulations Mayor Jackson

Back to the 2025 Cleveland International Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

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Ambassador Edward F. Crawford is the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Park-Ohio Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ Symbol PKOH) (1992 to 2019).   This Cleveland, Ohio based industrial enterprise has annual revenues of approximately $2 billion and employs 8,000 associates worldwide.  Park-Ohio specializes in integrated logistics systems and manufactured products. 

A serial entrepreneur, Mr. Crawford was co-founder of Cleveland Steel Container in 1962, Founder of The Crawford Group in 1972 and Chairman of Crawford United since 2010.

Crawford’s grandparents both emigrated from Cork. His grandmother, Catherine McCarthy, was from New Market, Boherbue. His grandfather Healy was a Corkman.  In his honor, the Mayo Society of Greater Cleveland changed their bylaws in 2014 so for the first time ever, a person without Mayo roots was honored as Person of the Year.

In 1948 his electrician father bundled his wife and three sons up and off they headed to sunny California. A couple days later, as they were traveling on Route 20 in Ohio, the engine in their truck blew up. Within a day his mother located an apartment for the family in Cleveland Heights and California became a faded dream. And, fortunately for the Cleveland community, the family took root in Ohio.

Mr. Crawford is committed to a balanced life of commercial activity, civic responsibility and political action.  For example, as he drove on Martin Luther King Boulevard a few years ago, Crawford was shocked to see the deterioration of the Irish Cultural Garden.  “Growing up in Cleveland Heights in the 50s and 60s, the gardens were still in pretty good order. They reflected the diversity of Cleveland and I thought it was very special.”

A couple weeks after first witnessing the deterioration he saw some volunteers working in the Irish Garden as he again drove by. He got out of his car and spoke with them. “After that I got on the phone and called some friends and that’s when I formed the Irish Garden Club.  This resulted in a massive restoration project of Cleveland’s four acre Irish Cultural Garden. Under his leadership, the garden has become the jewel of Irish Cleveland.

One particular jewel is the massive fountain in the garden. While in Dublin on business he saw a beautiful fountain in the garden of St. Patrick’s Church. Fascinated by, it he approached the Fred Lennon foundation about funding an effort to get a duplicate fountain built for Cleveland’s Irish Garden.

“I grew up with the Lennon family and they have never sought any public recognition in any way.” Crawford was able to convince their Fred Lennon Foundation to invest in the Irish Garden. The result is the spectacular fountain. 

In 2012, Edward Crawford hosted the Taoiseach of Ireland, Enda Kenny along with Ambassador Michael Collins, Consul General of Ireland Aidan Cronin and others to the Irish Cultural Garden in Cleveland.

His board memberships, awards and other activities are too numerous to list.  A few are listed below.  But a highlight is when President Donald J. Trump appointed Ed Crawford as the United States Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland in 2016.

Ambassador Crawford continues to lead and support various projects in the Irish and broader communities. 

Edward F. Crawford was inducted into the Cleveland International Hall of Fame Class of 2024 by Irish Ambassador to the United States Geraldine Byrne Nason.

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Partial Listing of Edward F. Crawford Activities and Awards

PERSONAL ACTIVITIES:

• United States Ambassador to the Republic of Ireland appointed by President Donald J. Trump in 2016
• Guarantor of Kent State University Ambassador Crawford College of Business and Entrepreneurship 2021
• Founder of Aspire Entrepreneurial Workshop Series (Turning rejection into positive energy)
• Member, Board of Directors, Hillcrest Hospital (Cleveland Clinic)
• Honorable Discharge-Army National Guard-Specialist Aviation Company 107^th
• Armored Cavalry (1963)
• College:  John Carroll University
• Host of President George  W. Bush at Fox Spring Farms (2004 and 2006)
• Presidential appointment (George W. Bush) to USO World Board of
• Governors (2007)
• Host of President Donald J. Trump at Fox Spring Farms (2016)
• Chairman, Board of Directors, Crawford United
• Member, Board of Directors, Park-Ohio Holdings Corp.
• U.S. Small Business Administration Man of the Year (1969)
• Ohio Chairman, RNC-Trump Victory (2016)
• Founder, Irish Garden Club, The Cleveland Cultural Gardens (2007)
• Member, Finance Committee, Cuyahoga County Republican Party
• Member, AAU 65+ Basketball Team
• Participant, Boston Marathon (1970)
• Golden Gloves Amateur Boxing (1956 and 1957)
• Member, Bluecoats, Inc.
• Member, The 50 Club of Cleveland
• Member, Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame Board of Advisors
• Guest Lecturer, Weatherhead School of Management (Case Western Reserve)

AWARDS:

• Ronald McDonald House Pillar of the House Award (2017)
• James A. Garfield Hall of Fame 2014 Inductee
• Mayo Society Person of the Year Award (2014)
• Our Lady of the Wayside Starlight  Guardian Humanitarian Award (2013)
• John Carroll University Entrepreneurial Award (2012)
• Northeast Ohio Business Hall of Fame Entrepreneurial Award (2007)
• Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital Advocacy Award (2007)
• SBN Master Innovator Award (2001)
• Ernst & Young Northeast Ohio Entrepreneur of the Year Award (1995)
• Weatherhead Entrepreneurial Award

PAST ACTIVITIES:

• Former Member, Materion Corporation Board of Directors
• Former Member, Lake County of Ohio Port Authority
• Former Member, University Health Systems Board of Directors
• Former Member, Capital Resource Advisors Board of Directors
• Former Member, Continental Global Group Board of Directors
• Former Member, Leadership Cleveland Alumni Association (Class of 1985)
• Former Member, Advisory Board, John Carroll University School of Business
• Former Member, Western Reserve Historical Society Board of Advisors
• Former Member, Resilience Capital Partners Board of Advisors
• Former Member, Cleveland Tomorrow
• Former Chairman, American Cancer Society Cattle Baron’s Ball
• Former Member, Heather Hill Hospital Board of Directors
• Former Member, Leaseway Transportation Board of Directors
• Inductee, Cleveland Heights Alumni Hall of Fame
• Guest Professor, Shanghai University of Finance & Economics (Shanghai, China)
• Guest Speaker, Tsinghua University (Beijing, China)
• Former Chairman, Cleveland Olympic Torch Relay Committee
• Former Chairman, Private Industry Council of Cuyahoga County
• Former Member, Finance Committee, Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
• Former Member, Cleveland State University Board of Trustees
• Former Member, Corporate Council, Cleveland Museum of Art

INVESTMENTS

• Angel investor, Lola’s Restaurant, Michael Symon, First Iron Chef in America

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The April 23, 2024 induction event at Windows on the River was a sell out with 500 people in attendance.

Ambassador Crawford was inducted into the Cleveland International Hall of Fame by Ireland's Ambassador to the US Geraldine Byrne Nason. Prior to coming to Washington, Ambassador Nason spent five years as Ireland's Ambassador to the United Nations, most recently during Ireland's term serving on the Security Council as an elected member

Here is the video of entire Cleveland International Hall of Fame ceremony. You can jump to about 49:59 to watch Ambassador Crawford being inducted by Ambassador Nason and then his acceptance remarks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P34omi5XUiY

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Enjoy these images of Ambassador Crawford from the Cleveland International Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Congratulations Ambassador Crawford!

”Read

Dona Brady was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio and is of Albanian descent. She was a founder and first president of the Albanian American Association of Cleveland. Dona was instrumental in establishing a Sister City program with Fier, Albania and Cleveland, Ohio. She hosted events in Cleveland for the Mayor of Fier as well as artists and others from Albania,

Dona worked with several organizations to resettle ethnic Albanian Kosovar refugees who were sent to Cleveland following the war in Kosovo in 1999. Dona was recognized by the American Nationalities Movement for her work with the Albanian community in Greater Cleveland.

Dona Brady spearheaded the creation of the Albanian Cultural Garden and worked with the community to erect a statue of Mother Teresa. In 2012 Albanian President Bujar Nishani and Albanian Ambassador to the United States Gilbert Galanxhi attended the ribbon cutting ceremony.

Dona and the Albanian Cultural Garden hosted a canonization ceremony for Blessed Mother Teresa on Sunday September 4, 2016. "Many people don't know Mother Teresa was Albanian," she commented.

Dona earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, cum laude, in urban studies from Cleveland State University Levin College of Urban Affairs. She also graduated from CSU’s Leadership Academy.  Dona was inducted into the Golden Key National Honor Society and was the recipient of the 2005 Outstanding Elected Official’s Award from CSU’s Leadership Academy.

Dona Brady recently retired from the Cleveland City Council after 20 years of distinguished public service. She currently serves as the Chairwoman of the Albanian American Association of Cleveland and is the Albanian Ambassador to ClevelandPeople.Com, celebrating Cleveland’s cultural diversity.

Dona and her husband Dan live in the Edgewater neighborhood of Cleveland. They have visited Albania five times since 2007.

The April 23, 2024 induction event at Windows on the River was a sell out with 500 people in attendance.

Dona was inducted into the Cleveland International Hall of Fame by her former colleague Cleveland Councilman Michael Polensek. Ward 8 Councilman Michael D. Polensek, the "dean" of city council, has served the neighborhoods of northeast Cleveland since 1978, making him the longest-serving Council member in the city's history. He was inducted himself into the Hall of Fame last year.

Here is the video of entire Cleveland International Hall of Fame ceremony. You can jump to about 40:12 to watch Dona Brady being inducted by Mike Polensek and her acceptance remarks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P34omi5XUiY

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Enjoy these images of Dona Brady from the Cleveland International Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Congratulations Dona!

”Read

Erika Kikut Puussaar was born in a small village named Vandra in central Estonia. Artur and Elmire Kikut, along with their children Silva, Aksi, and Erika (Villi born later) escaped their homeland to avoid Soviet occupation. After many tumultuous events while escaping, they were finally united with an Estonian Displaced Person’s camp in Germany. The next procedure was the desire to immigrate to the USA.

To immigrate, their family of six had to obtain a guarantee of support from an American sponsor. Due to their large family, we had to wait in line for seven years to get that sponsor. Erika says, “When our ship arrived in New York and I saw the Statue of Liberty, I realized a dream come true! We first settled in Detroit, Michigan and then Ann Arbor. After many years of being a vagabond, we finally were homeowners!”

The Kikut children attended the Ann Arbor public schools. Erika  graduated from Pioneer High School and then from Northern Michigan University. In between those years, she was married to Aavo Puussaar (another Estonian). They were married for 54 years when he passed away.  They had one son, Martin, who is now deceased.

Erika earned a master’s degree from Cleveland State University. She had the great joy of being an elementary teacher in Wickliffe, OH for thirty years and was honored as “Teacher of the Year” in 1988. She is an active member of Faith Lutheran Church in Mentor, Ohio and school board member at Our Shepherd Lutheran School in Painesville. Erika says, “As has been proven in my case, education is one steppingstone to opportunity.  Being of service to others is my highest priority. After all, I was coached by many mentors to navigate through unfamiliar waters. I was raised by a strong family, as well as boiled potatoes and herring!”

Among her many activities and accomplishments, Erika has served as President of the Estonian Cultural Garden and has helped maintain the garden for over 50 years. She helps celebrate Estonian Victory Day and Jaanipaeva every June in the Garden.

Erika is Past Vice President/Board member of the Cleveland Cultural Gardens and Vice President of the Baltic American Committee Greater Cleveland Area.  She helped organize an annual Ecumenical Prayer Service in remembrance of the deportations to Siberia of the Baltic peoples.

Erika was   honored with the Freedom Award from the American Nationalities Movement which was formed for the purpose of uniting all the nationalities in the United States in the goal to educate, advocate and represent their interests of all the diverse ethnic groups to the public and mostly to the political leaders of the United States.

Erika continues to support the local Estonian communities’ activities as well as keeping informed of conditions in her homeland. She says, “I take great pleasure in watching my two grandchildren, Sam Puussaar and Elmire (Emmi) Puussaar thrive. As always, working in my precious flower garden brings me both happiness and peace!”

The April 23, 2024 induction event at Windows on the River was a sell out with 500 people in attendance. Erika Puussaar was inducted into the Cleveland International Hall of Fame by Estonia´s Ambassador to the United States Mr. Kristjan Prikk. Before assuming his current duties, Ambassador Prikk served for nearly three years as the Permanent Secretary of the Estonian Ministry of Defense. Ambassador Prikk performed his required military service in the Estonian Defense Forces, where he remains a reserve officer, and has been decorated with the Order of the White Star by the President of the Republic of Estonia, the Cross of Merit of the Ministry of Defense of Estonia, as well as other decorations.

Here is the video of entire Cleveland International Hall of Fame ceremony. You can jump to about 1:17:44 to watch Erika Puussaar being inducted by Ambassador Prikk.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P34omi5XUiY

Enjoy these images of Erika Puussaar from the Cleveland International Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Congratulations Erika!

”Read