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 … Read More »
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. … Read More »
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. … Read More »
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 … Read More »
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 … Read More »
Pat Dowd is the daughter of the late Tom and Millie Dowd and the oldest in her family of five siblings: Judy Wade, Kathy Dowd, Ginny Gaskill, Maureen Dowd, and Joe Dowd. She attended St. Agnes and St. Aloysius grade … Read More »
As a young woman being raised in a Serbian Orthodox home, Georgine Welo (maiden name Coso), would be spotted on Friday nights at Saint Sava Serbian Orthodox Cathedral’s Cultural classes, attending Sunday School, reading the Epistle and working at all … Read More »
Michael D. Polensek, the “Dean” of City Council, and Councilman representing Cleveland’s 8th Ward, has served the neighborhoods of northeast Cleveland since 1978, making him the longest-serving Council member in the city’s history. Currently he serves as the Chair of … Read More »
Joyce Mariani has a deep love for the culture of Italy handed down from her family which is of Florentine origin and Roman origin. Upon her return to Cleveland from Italy where she studied and worked, she founded the Cleveland … Read More »
Joe Valencic Joseph Valencic is a dynamic and creative presence within Cleveland’s Slovenian-American scene. His enthusiasm for all things Slovenian inspires others to discover and celebrate the uniqueness of their own cultures. Joe sees the commonalities and synergies between Slovenian … Read More »