STAFF CORNER
My wife, Marga, is from Argentina, and we got married there in December 1989. Two weeks later, we moved to Moscow. After Mikhail Gorbachev came to power and opened up the Soviet Union, failed August 1991 coup in Moscow and the law firm of Baker McKenzie approached me, subsequent collapse of the Soviet askingthe if I would help establish its office there, and Union. In March 1992, I spent several I laterdays served its managing partner in Kyiv and withas experts in Prague and hamPrague. mered out the initial draft of Ukraine’s first post-Soviet constitution. To be
I’ll never amazing historic there,forget to helpan a new country get offexperience the in Ukraine. hadthe thethrill opportunity to be involved ground,Iwas of a lifetime. in Ukraine’s independence movement after the failedMyAugust coup15 inminutes Moscowofand the Andy 1991 Warhol subsequent collapse of August the Soviet Union. on 24 1991, whenIn March fame came Ukraine parliament calledexperts for a ref1992,the I spent several days with in Prague erendum to out support declaration and hammered the its initial draft of ofUkraine’s independence. The day before, first post-Soviet constitution. To be politithere, to help leadersget andoff advisers from the a newcalcountry the ground, wasnonthe thrill of Communist opposition had prepared a lifetime. a series of important decrees that the My Andy Warholwas15tominutes of fame parliament debate and hope-came on fully 1991, approve. had parliament no copy called 24 August whenButthethey Ukraine Fortunately, I had access to a for a machine. referendum to support its declaration of small copier.The I took documents and leaders independence. daythebefore, political spent allfrom nightthe making more than 400 and advisers non-Communist opposition copies. At 7 the next morning, I dashed had prepared a series of important decrees that over and handed the copies to the depthe parliament was to debate and hopefully uty head of the opposition. Parliament JOHN HEWKO approve. But they had no copy machine. then deliberated over the decrees and General secretary and CEO Fortunately, I had access tosix a small declared independence hours copier. later. I took of Rotary International and CEO of the documents andcopies, spentI wondered all night making more General secretary Without those … and The Rotary Foundation than 400 copies. At 7 the next morning, I dashed Rotary International and The over My and father handedwas the an copies the deputy avidtoreader of head ■ Holds a law degree from Harvard University, a master’s in modern history of the opposition. Parliament then deliberated over He used to the Rotary magazine. Rotary Foundation from the University of Oxford (where he studied as a Marshall Scholar), and a the decrees and declared independence read it from cover to cover. In 2010, ansix hours bachelor’s in government and Soviet studies from Hamilton College in New York eye: Rotary… later.advertisement Without thosecaught copies,hisI wondered Holds a ■law degree from Harvard University, a master’s modern was looking for a new general secreSpeaks five languages — English, Portuguese, Russian,in Spanish, andhistory Ukrainian an ripped avid reader tary. Mywas father the pageofoutthe of Rotary from the University of Oxford (where he studied as a Marshall Scholar), and My father magazine. He used to read it from cover ■ Served as the vice president for operations and compact development at the magazine and wrote a note on it,to cover. a bachelor’stheinMillennium government and Soviet studies from Hamilton College in Challenge Corporation, a U.S. government agency, where heIn 2010, his eye: Rotary halfan in advertisement English and halfcaught in Ukrainian, New York negotiated foreign assistance agreements totaling $6.3 billion for 18 was looking for a new general My father that I should apply for thesecretary. job — and countries in the areas of infrastructure, agriculture, water and sanitation, Speaks five languages — English, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Ukrainian rippedthen mailed me. thehepage outthe of ad thetomagazine and wrote a health, and education Served as the vice president for operations and compact development at the note on it, half in English and half in Ukrainian, that ■ He and his wife, Marga, are Major Donors to The Rotary Foundation Twoapply lessons I took for the jobaway — andfrom thenthis he mailed Millennium Challenge Corporation, a U.S. government agency, where he I should experience: Always listen to your dad the ad to me. In this new negotiated foreign assistance agreements totalingfled $6.3thebillion for 18Soviet countries My parents, Lu and Natalie Hewko, advancing armies — and great things happen when you monthly column, lessons I tookmagazine. away from this experience: in the areas of infrastructure, agriculture, water and sanitation, health, and Two read across war-torn Europe — from Ukraine to the refugee camps in southern the Rotary we’ll introduce Always listen to your dad — and great things Germany — and then began a new life in the United States. My desire to readerseducation to the In this issue, read about back to the country that welcomed my parents with open arms is what happen when youyou readshould the Rotary magazine. talented staff He and give his wife, Marga, are Major Donors to The Rotary Foundation Rotary’s Action Plan [see page 52] members at motivated my interest in public service. In thisbecause issue,it you should Rotary represents theread futureabout of our Rotary’s International and Action Plan [see page 52] because it represents organization and serves as our strategic My father was a Rotarian and served as president of the Rotary Club My Founparents, Lu and Natalie Hewko, fled the advancing Soviet armies across the future The Rotary road map. It’s exciting, and we have of our organization and serves as our of Clarkston, Michigan. He also helped start the Rotary club in Kyiv, dation, many of Europe — from Ukraine to the refugee camps in southern Germany war-torn begun to map. undertake a number of we imporstrategic road It’s exciting, and have begun Ukraine, where I am a charter member. whom work — and then began a new life in the United States. My desire to give back to to undertake tant initiatives to bring itimportant into reality.initiatives to behind the a number of theRI countryThe thatTV welcomed my parents with open arms is what motivated my bring it into reality. scenes at series Perry Mason partially inspired me to be a lawyer. headquarters interestin in public service. One pillar of Rotary’s strength is its Evanston, Illinois, pillarroots of Rotary’s strengthThe is itskeydeep Marga,and is from Argentina, and we deep in the community. is roots and in six Myoffices father My waswife, a Rotarian served as president ofgot themarried Rotarythere ClubinofDe-One in the community. The key is to find that sweet cember 1989. Two weeks later, we moved to Moscow. After Mikhail Gorto find that sweet spot — to keep our fooutside Clarkston, the Michigan. He also helped start the Rotary club in Kyiv, Ukraine, where spot — to keep our focus largely local, because bachev came to power and opened up the Soviet Union, the law firm of United States. cus largely local, because that is where I am a charter member. Baker McKenzie approached me, asking if I would help establish its ofthat ismembers where members thesatisfaction greatest satisfaction have thehave greatest Naturally, we fice there, Mason and I later servedinspired as its managing partner in Kyiv and Prague. and sense of accomplishment, makesure that and sense of accomplishment, yetyetmake The TV series Perry partially me to be a lawyer. start at the top, sure that these local activities are stratethese local activities are strategically channeled so on the 18th floor I’ll never forget an amazing historic experience in Ukraine. I had the gically so thatglobal we canimpact. have a of One Rotary that we canchanneled have a greater 8
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opportunity to be involved in Ukraine’s independence movement after the
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March-April 2022
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greater global impact.
Monika Lozinska
Center.
Monika Lozinska
JOHN HEWKO
