Highlights from the 2019 Induction Ceremony

Lucian Pawlak

For three decades, Lucian Pawlak has been one of Connecticut’s most respected and beloved community leaders, a tour de force “man of the people” whose dedication to his New Britain community and those who call it home has known no bounds. Born of Polish heritage in Belgium in 1947, Pawlak came to New Britain in 1956 and distinguished himself as a star athlete at New Britain High School. His role as a city leader began with his 1987 election as City Treasurer, but it was during Pawlak’s term as Mayor from 1995-2003 that he cemented his legacy. Pawlak’s passionate leadership was vital to the revitalization of the city’s “Little Poland” corridor; the battle to fund a new city water treatment plant; and a successful city-wide effort to eliminate blight and bring new life to troubled neighborhoods. Pawlak is a leading figure in the success of the popular Dozynki and Little Poland Festivals; a director of the New Britain Institute, Trinity-on-Main and the Polish American Council of Greater New Britain Charities; a member of the New Britain Sports Hall of Fame; and a recipient of countless community service and leadership accolades. In 1998, Pawlak received the Cavalier's Cross of the Order of Merit of the Republic of Poland for his outstanding contributions to Polish/U.S. relations.

Highlights from the 2019 Induction Ceremony

Rabbi Philip Lazowski

The remarkable journey of Rabbi Philip Lazowski from Holocaust survivor to spiritual leader has inspired countless congregants, families and communities for decades. Born in Poland in 1930, Lazowski was 11 in 1941 when the Nazis invaded his hometown, destroying his family’s home and possessions. For four years he survived in desperation, being saved by a stranger who claimed him as her son, narrowly escaping execution by being tossed by his mother from a second story window and living in the woods for two years. In 1947 Lazowski made his way to America to pursue a life dedicated to faith and to ensuring the horrors of the Holocaust are never forgotten. He attended Brooklyn College and Yeshiva University Rabbinical School and relocated to Hartford, where he married the daughter of the stranger who had saved him from certain death years earlier. Author of more than a dozen books, including his autobiography Faith and Destiny, Lazowski was Rabbi at Beth Sholom Synagogue in Hartford; is Rabbi Emeritus of Beth Hillel Synagogue in Bloomfield and Emanuel Synagogue in West Hartford; was chaplain of the Hartford Police for 55 years; and remains Chaplain of the Connecticut State Senate.

Highlights from the 2019 Induction Ceremony

Dr. Zulma R. Toro

In 2017, Dr. Zulma Toro became the 13th President of Central Connecticut State University and the first female and first Hispanic to hold the position in CCSU’s history. With a reputation as an extraordinary leader dedicated to making higher education more diverse and inclusive, Dr. Toro’s life has been one of overcoming obstacles and adversity to achieve excellence. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Dr. Toro chose an extraordinary educational path – she graduated from the University of Puerto in 1982 with a degree in industrial engineering, a traditionally male-dominated field. She earned a master’s degree from the University of Michigan and Ph.D. from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Prior to joining CCSU, she served as Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost of the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, and previously held leadership positions with Wichita State University, the University of New Haven and the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez. Dr. Toro’s extensive array of publications have testified eloquently about the national imperative of preparing women for careers in engineering and STEM, and she has spoken passionately about the challenges and opportunities for women of color in realizing their full potential.

Highlights from the 2019 Induction Ceremony

Dr. Henry C. Lee

One of the world’s foremost and most widely recognized and admired forensic scientists, Dr. Henry C. Lee has fundamentally changed the way modern-day criminal investigations are conducted. Born in China the 11th of 13 children in 1938 and raised in Taiwan, Dr. Lee, who holds master’s and Ph.D. degrees in biochemistry from New York University, has worked with law enforcement to help solve more than 8,000 cases. He has been a prominent player in many of the world’s most challenging and high-profile investigations and criminal trials, including the O.J. Simpson, William Kennedy Smith and “woodchipper” murder trials, the Jon Benet Ramsey case, the suicide of White House Counsel Vincent Foster and the kidnapping of Elizabeth Smart. A former Commissioner of Public Safety for the State of Connecticut and the State’s chief criminalist for more than 20 years, Dr. Lee founded the University of New Haven’s Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science. He has taught at more than a dozen universities, law schools and medical schools; authored hundreds of articles and co-authored more than 40 books; lectured extensively around the world; and is the holder of numerous awards and more than 20 honorary degrees.

Lucian Pawlak, Dr. Zulma Toro inducted into Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame

Lucian Pawlak, Dr. Zulma Toro inducted into Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame

09/26/19 Wesley Bunnell | Staff The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame Gala and Induction Ceremony took place on Thursday evening at The Aqua Turf in Southington including two inductees with New Britain ties. Dr. Zulma Toro the President of CCSU and former mayor of New Britain Lucian Pawlak. Inductee Lucian Pawlak, Kamila Wisniewska, and fellow Immigrant Hall of Fame member Roman Nowak.

2019 Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Leaders in Religion, Education, Science and Public Service to be Inducted into Connecticut’s Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame 

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Rabbi Philip Lazowski, Dr. Henry C. Lee, Lucian Pawlak, Dr. Zulma R. Toro

September 26 Event at Aqua Turf Club to Honor Four Distinguished Connecticut Citizens of Chinese, Jewish, Polish, and Puerto Rican Heritage 

The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame (IHHF) will add four more iconic contributors to the fabric of Connecticut and America representing Chinese, Jewish, Polish, and Puerto Rican heritage and culture at its 7th Annual Induction Ceremony and Gala on Thursday evening, September 26, at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington.

The IHHF Class of 2019 will include distinguished individuals who have been pioneers, leaders and scholars in religion, education, science and public service. They are:

§  Rabbi Philip Lazowski, philanthropist, spiritual leader and Holocaust survivor;

§  Dr. Henry C. Lee, internationally renowned forensic scientist;

§  Lucian Pawlak, former Mayor of New Britain and community leader;

§  Dr. Zulma R. Toro, President of Central Connecticut State University, the first woman and Latino to lead the university.

“The IHHF Class of 2019 is a diverse group of remarkable individuals who embody the kind of perseverance, scholarship and achievement that have made our world a better place,” said Andre Blaszczynski, long-time Tunxis Community College Professor of Economics, co-chair of the IHHF Planning Committee and President of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut.  “Their noteworthy contributions serve to inspire and encourage future generations to excel.”

The 2019 IHHF Induction Ceremony and Gala is open to the public. In addition to honoring each inductee, the evening will be highlighted by a keynote address by Lieutenant Governor Susan Bysiewicz, who previously served as Connecticut’s Secretary of the State and as a State Representative.  Bysiewicz’ family is of Greek and Polish heritage.  The evening will also include an artistic program featuring performances reflecting Chinese, Polish, Puerto Rican and Jewish cultures, honoring the heritage of the inductees.

With the inductions of this year’s honorees, the number of individuals and families honored by the Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame since its inception in 2013 will total 31. Detailed inductee profiles are available on the IHHF website at www.immigrantheritage.org.

Tickets, at $95 per person with discounts available for purchase of tables of 8, are now available.  A wide variety of sponsorships are also available, and businesses and organizations are encouraged to consider purchasing a table of 8. For complete event, ticket and sponsorship information, visit www.immigrantheritage.org.

The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame is a program of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut, Inc., a 501(c)3 charitable organization. The IHHF celebrates the diverse ethnic heritage of Connecticut by honoring individuals and institutions who exemplify the best of their immigrant heritage and who have made outstanding contributions to the cultural, economic and civic development of our state and nation.

The IHHF preserves heritage through publication of biographies and histories, and strives to educate the public about the importance of immigrant heritage to the identity of America and about the contributions of immigrants and immigrant communities.

It is the IHHF’s vision to formally establish an institution in Connecticut, to be multi-ethnic and inclusive in its mission, structure and governance, which will promote and publish research, lectures and conferences on the many dimensions of Connecticut’s immigrant heritage and the role of immigration throughout the American economy and culture.  Its work, and the annual Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame induction ceremony, would be supported by an endowment that would sponsor, support and provide research fellowships, to further these activities and expand public awareness and understanding. 

For more information, visit www.immigrantheritage.org or call (860) 829-1215.

Largest Class Ever to be Honored at 2017 Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and Gala

November 4 Event at CCSU to Honor Distinguished Connecticut Citizens of Hispanic, Italian, Jewish, Pakistani and Polish Heritage

New Britain, Conn., July 10, 2017 – Over the past four years, Connecticut’s Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame has honored 17 iconic individuals and families who have made major contributions to the cultural fabric that is Connecticut and America. On November 4, six more esteemed individuals will join them at the 2017 Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame (IHHF) Induction Ceremony and Gala at Central Connecticut State University.

The IHHF Class of 2017 will include a distinguished group of individuals of Hispanic, Italian, Jewish, Pakistani and Polish heritage. They are: The late Franciszek Herzog, a survivor of the Siberian exile following the Soviet invasion of Poland in 1939 and long-time leader in America in Polish scouting; Rabbi Henry Okolica, 103, a German native of Polish heritage, holocaust survivor and inspirational leader at New Britain’s Congregation Tephereth Israel; Bessy Reyna, a Cuban native raised in Panama who is an award-winning, bilingual poet, activist, lecturer and journalist; the late Angelo Tomasso, Sr., an Italian immigrant, business and community leader who founded the Angelo Tomasso, Inc. construction company; the late Angelo Tomasso, Jr., who followed in his father’s footsteps to forever make the Tomasso name synonymous with Connecticut construction and philanthropy; and the Honorable Mohammad Nawaz Wahla of Pakistan, the first Muslim to serve the State of Connecticut as a Superior Court judge.

Complete inductee profiles are available on the IHHF website at www.immigrantheritage.org.

“Our 2017 class is our largest and truly reflects not only the enormous diversity at the heart of who we are as Americans, but the yeoman contributions of immigrants and those of immigrant heritage to our country,” said Andre Blaszczynski, long-time Tunxis Community College Professor of Economics, chair of the IHHF Organizing Committee and President of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut.

The 2017 IHHF Induction Ceremony and Gala is open to the public and will be highlighted by a keynote address by Judge Wahla. In addition to ceremonies honoring each inductee, the evening will include an artistic program.

The event takes place at the CCSU Student Center Alumni Hall. Tickets are $85 per person, with cocktails at 5:30 and dinner at 7:00. Sponsorships are available and businesses and organizations are encouraged to consider purchasing a table of 10. For complete information and to purchase tickets online, visit www.immigrantheritage.org.

The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame is a program of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut, Inc., a 501(c)3 charitable organization. The IHHF celebrates the diverse ethnic heritage of Connecticut by honoring individuals and institutions who exemplify the best of their immigrant heritage and have made outstanding contributions to the cultural, economic and civic development of our state and nation. The IHHF preserves heritage through publication of biographies and histories, and strives to educate the public about the importance of immigrant heritage to the identity of America and about the contributions of immigrants and immigrant communities.

It is the IHHF’s vision to establish an institution that will promote and publish research, lectures and conferences on the immigrant heritage of our state and the role of immigration in the American economy and culture, and build an endowment to sponsor, and offer research fellowships in support of these activities.

For more information, visit www.immigrantheritage.org or call (860) 829-1215.

Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame Class of 2016 Highlighted by Inductees with Hispanic, Italian, Pakistani and Polish Roots

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Andre Blaszczynski, Dennis Buden,  Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame DBPR (860) 798-8619 (cell) -or- (860) 558-0514 (cell) andrebb@comcast.net dennis@dbpr.net

Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame Class of 2016

Highlighted by Inductees with Hispanic, Italian, Pakistani and Polish Roots

New Britain Museum of American Art Director Min Jung Kim to be Keynote Speaker at November 12 Gala at CCSU New Britain, Conn., September 27, 2016 – Iconic achievers and community stewards from Connecticut’s Hispanic/Latino, Italian, Pakistani and Polish communities will be honored with induction into Connecticut’s Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame (IHHF) on Saturday, November 12 at Central Connecticut State University. The IHHF Class of 2016 – the Hall’s fourth – will include The Alverio Family, whose leadership and achievements are representative of all that Connecticut’s Hispanic/Latino community has meant to our state; Nicholas DeNigris, New Britain attorney, civic leader and an icon within the state’s ItalianAmerican community; Naeem Khalid, a Pakistani-American businessman, philanthropist and community leader; and Roman Nowak, a long-time business leader, philanthropist and inspiration within Connecticut’s Polish community. “With each new class of inductees into the Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame we are reminded of the rich diversity of our state and the tremendous contribution immigrants and those of immigrant heritage have made to our community,” said Andre Blaszczynski, a long-time Tunxis Community College Professor of Economics who is co-chair of the IHHF Organizing Committee and President of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut. “We are thrilled to welcome The Alverios, Mr. DeNigris, Mr. Khalid and Mr. Nowak into our distinguished and accomplished family.” The 2016 IHHF Induction Ceremony and Gala is open to the public and will be highlighted by keynote speaker Min Jung Kim, director of the New Britain Museum of American Art. The Presenting Sponsor is the Tariq Farid Foundation. The event takes place at the CCSU Student Center Alumni Hall. Tickets are $85 per person, with cocktails at 5:30 and dinner at 7:00. In addition to ceremonies honoring each inductee, the evening will include an -more- Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame 2-of-2 artistic program. Sponsorships are available and businesses and organizations are encouraged to consider purchasing a table of 10; RSVP deadline is October 28. For complete information and to purchase tickets online, visit www.immigrantheritage.org. The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame, a program of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut, Inc. (a 501(c)3 charitable organization) celebrates the diverse ethnic heritage of Connecticut by honoring individuals and institutions who exemplify the best of their immigrant heritage and have made outstanding contributions to the cultural, economic and civic development of our state and nation. The IHHF preserves heritage through publication of biographies and histories, and strives to educate the public about the importance of immigrant heritage to the identity of America and about the contributions of immigrants and immigrant communities. It is the IHHF’s vision to establish an institution that will promote and publish research, lectures and conferences on the immigrant heritage of our state and the role of immigration in the American economy and culture, and build an endowment to sponsor, and offer research fellowships in support of these activities. For more information, visit www.immigrantheritage.org.

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New Nonprofit Operates Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame

The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame was initially a project of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut, Inc., a 501(c)3 charitable organization, which launched and operated the Hall of Fame from inception.  It was succeeded by the establishment during 2021 of the National Immigrant Heritage Center (NIHC), an independent 501(c)3 organization established as a multi-ethnic Center, inclusive in its mission, structure and governance. 

NIHC aims to promote and publish research, lectures and conferences on the many dimensions of Connecticut’s immigrant heritage and the role of immigration throughout the American economy and culture.  Its work, and the annual Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame induction ceremony, is to be supported by an endowment that organizers anticipate will sponsor, support and provide research fellowships, to further these activities and expand public awareness and understanding.

Email us at info@immigrantheritage.org or call 860-614-3488.