SHA Board in 2013
Current SHA Board Members - 2017
Žarko Brestovac, President
Born in 1949 in Bosanski Brod, he graduated from the Mechanical Technical High School in 1968 and was employed by the oil refinery in Bosanski Brod. He continued education in Italy where he received the Attest as welder of boilers and generators. His next stop was Germany where he worked as a quality controller at Schober GmbH. He immigrated to Canada in 1970 on the basis of his expertise in steel structure construction and became chief inspector with the Toronto Municipal Public Works, leaving that position in 1982 to establish “Interex Construction”, his own firm.
Mr. Brestovac has been active in sports clubs and in the Serbian community. From 1997 to 1999 he served as Secretary of the St. Sava Church School congregation. Since 2010, he has been serving as president of the Readers’ Club of the literary magazine People say. He has received many recognitions and awards in appreciation for his philanthropy and humanitarian work: the Order of St. Sava in 1988; Thanksgiving Certificate from the Dabro-Bosnian Metropolitan for the restoration of the church in Bosanski Brod; Certificate of Appreciation from the Serbian Ministry 2008; Thanksgiving Certificate from the Institute for Health Protection of Mother and Child in Belgrade, 2009; Certificate of Appreciation from the Consulate of the Republic of Serbia for the renovation of the old and the new Serbian Consulate offices in Toronto.
Radovan Gajic, Vice President
Gordana Lakovic, Secretary
Vladimir Stjepanovic, Kustos Galerije
Davor Milicevic, Knjizevni program
Kristina Bijelic, Muzicki program
Zoran Rnjak & Nebojsa Madzarevic, Web site & digital programs
Pictures and Biography to follow.
Cviko Vidaković, Treasurer
Born in 1958 in Корита, Папраћа, Шековићи, Република Српска. He lived in Inđija, Serbia, since 1973. He graduated from the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Mechanical Aerospace Engineering in 1983. Settled in Toronto Canada with his family in 1985. Over 30 years of aerospace experience on a multitude of projects. Strong work ethic, combined with a very diverse set of skills.
Was involved in the following projects:
DC-10, MD80, MD11, Canadarm2, Global Express, Dash 8 (Q400), A380 Landing gears, Fd-728, CRJ-700/900, G650, D-Jet, MRJ, C Series and Boeing 787 development.
Over 25 years of public speaking in Toastmasters International including very high leadership position. Started two new clubs in GTA including Spar Aerospace. Spoke at conferences with over 7000 people in attendance.
Over 20 years volunteering in the Serbian Orthodox Church. Member of the BOD for 20 years. Served as a president for 4 years. Director of Charity Organization, Canada wide raising over $660,000 last year (in one month) for the floods in Serbia.
Cviko’s full profile can be viewed at: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/cviko
Was involved in the following projects:
DC-10, MD80, MD11, Canadarm2, Global Express, Dash 8 (Q400), A380 Landing gears, Fd-728, CRJ-700/900, G650, D-Jet, MRJ, C Series and Boeing 787 development.
Over 25 years of public speaking in Toastmasters International including very high leadership position. Started two new clubs in GTA including Spar Aerospace. Spoke at conferences with over 7000 people in attendance.
Over 20 years volunteering in the Serbian Orthodox Church. Member of the BOD for 20 years. Served as a president for 4 years. Director of Charity Organization, Canada wide raising over $660,000 last year (in one month) for the floods in Serbia.
Cviko’s full profile can be viewed at: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/cviko
SHA Board Members - 2013
SHA Board in 2013
See biography above.
Miro Miketić, Vice-president
Born in Montenegro in 1934, he came to Canada in 1962, graduated in engineering from Ryerson Polytechnic University. He was for many years a member of the Board of St.Sava Serbian Orthodox Church. Member of the SNA since its inception, in 1981. Author of a very important trilogy, based on his life experiences, which describes in detail the great tragedy of the Serbian people during the Second World War, titled Through hell and back, (2011).
Rajko Radojević, Secretary General
Rajko Ray Radojević was born in Serbia and immigrated to Canada during pre-teen years. He attend Prince Charles Public School and Riverside High School in Windsor, Ontario. In 1970 he graduated cum Laude in History and English Literature from the Detroit Institute of Technology and was mentioned in the Who’s Who Among the Students in American Colleges and Universities. In 1971 he received M.A Degree in Russian History from University of Waterloo. He was awarded the Province of Ontario Graduate Fellowship and a Teaching Assistantship. As recipient of Canada Council Doctoral Fellowship he spent 1971-1974 reading for Ph.D. Degree in Balkan History at the School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University of London. His research into the development of parliamentary democracy in Serbia, 1903-1914, was supervised by professors Hugh Seton-Watson and Phyllis Auty in London and Vaso Čubrilović, Director of Institute for Balkan Studies, Serbian Academy of Arts and Science in Belgrade. He has done research at the Public Record Office, London; Les Archives diplomatiques du ministère des Affaires étrangères Paris; Haus, Hof und Staatsarchiv, Vienna; and the Serbian Archives, Belgrade.
He has taught undergraduate courses at the Detroit Institute of Technology, Detroit, and St. Clair College, Windsor. In 1977 he joined the Public Service Commission of Canada and after a successful career retired as Manager, Canada Employment and Immigration Commission. In 1997, Jean Chretien, the Prime Minister of Canada, recognized his “loyal and dedicated service to the people of Canada” by awarding him with an Official Citation. He has presented scholarly papers at learned conferences and published works on historical topics in both Canada and Serbia. He is one of the contributors to Serbs in Ontario, a history of Canadian Serbs. In 1997 he received the Njegoš Medal from the Serbian Ministry of Science and Technology and in 2013 the Gold Pin from the Cultural and Educational Community of Serbia. He has been a member of the Serbian Heritage Academy of Canada since its founding.
He has taught undergraduate courses at the Detroit Institute of Technology, Detroit, and St. Clair College, Windsor. In 1977 he joined the Public Service Commission of Canada and after a successful career retired as Manager, Canada Employment and Immigration Commission. In 1997, Jean Chretien, the Prime Minister of Canada, recognized his “loyal and dedicated service to the people of Canada” by awarding him with an Official Citation. He has presented scholarly papers at learned conferences and published works on historical topics in both Canada and Serbia. He is one of the contributors to Serbs in Ontario, a history of Canadian Serbs. In 1997 he received the Njegoš Medal from the Serbian Ministry of Science and Technology and in 2013 the Gold Pin from the Cultural and Educational Community of Serbia. He has been a member of the Serbian Heritage Academy of Canada since its founding.
Dejan Dan Milićević, Treasurer
He was born in Canada. He graduated from York University and Sheridan College specializing in business management. He is managing the family business, 747 Travel Agency, Toronto – Belgrade.
Dragana Babić
She was educated in Mladenovac and studied in Belgrade. She came to Canada for a visit and stayed, got married and established her family. She obtained a diploma in Early Childhood Education from George Brown College in 1982 and opened a children's nursery in which Serbian language was nurtured. She and her husband have been active members of the SHA since 1982.
Dragica Veljković Braunstein
Dragica is a graduate of the University of Sarajevo and has worked as a psychologist and educator in Sarajevo and Belgrade. In addition to work in the field of education she is an accomplished poetess. She has published two collections of poems and won several awards. Member of the Association of Writers of Serbia and active member of the Association of Serbian Writers “Desanka Maksimovic” in Toronto.
Đuro Lubarda
He was born in Belgrade in 1942. He graduated in Fine Arts at the Pedagogical Academy in Sarajevo and studied Art History in Belgrade. He taught Art in Goražde, B&H and Herceg Novi, Montenegro. He moved to Canada with his family in 1995. He has exhibited in over 160 group exhibitions throughout Yugoslavia, in Europe, U.S.A. and Canada. He received the title of Art Teacher Emeritus in Yugoslavia. Organized and participated in many art meetings and artist’s colonies. Đuro is president of the Peter Lubarda Foundation.
Katarina Kostić
She was born in Šabac. She studied French language at the University of Belgrade. From 1969 to 1973 she lived in Paris and then moved to Canada. She has worked in Toronto as a journalist with ethnic newspapers, Russian and Serbian until retirement. She writes for newspapers and literary journals. Member of the Association of Writers of Serbia. Publishes fiction and poetry in the Diaspora and in Serbia. She has won several literary awards: UKS and Emigrants and Serbian cultural community. Katarina is one of the founders of the Association of Serbian Writers “Desanka Maksimovic” and its long-serving president. She has been a member of SHA since 1990.
Dr Radomir Baturan
See biography above.
