AUGB Governing Council

The Governing Council is elected annually by delegates to the Annual General Meeting. The Council comprises a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 20 members, plus the President of the Association, who is a member of the Council ex officio.

Any member is eligible for election to the Governing Council. Council members become statutory Directors of the Association and are registered as Directors at Companies House. The positions are unpaid, but travelling expenses are reimbursed.

Council members do not represent a particular branch or interest, but as Directors, are required to act in the best interests of the Association as a whole. As well as their statutory responsibilities, they are accountable to the membership for:

• Ensuring that AUGB acts in accordance with its Memorandum and Articles of Association and in accordance with its Constitution

• Providing leadership within a framework of effective working practices and controls which promote the development of AUGB while assessing and managing risk

• Serving the interests of its members and other stakeholders, including staff, suppliers, other Ukrainian organisations and the wider Ukrainian community in accordance with the Mission, Vision and values of AUGB

• Driving forward the strategy of AUGB to ensure its continued development for the benefit of  its members and the wider Ukrainian community

• Monitoring the progress of AUGB and its executive management in implementing its strategies, plans and policies

• Ensuring AUGB is run with integrity, complies with all legal and regulatory requirements and conducts its business in accordance with the highest ethical standards.

Meetings of the full Council take place once a quarter. All members of the Council are also members of one or more policy committees, which focus on the main strategic areas for development. The seven members of the Executive Committee meet monthly in between Council meetings and, as well as maintaining an overview of AUGB activities overall, act as the Editorial Board for AUGB’s newspaper 'Ukrayinska Dumka'.

Governing Council (elected in May 2008)

Honorary President
Dr Lubomyr Mazur JP
Acts in an advisory capacity to the Governing Council
Former President of AUGB from 1988-2007 and Chief Executive from 1990. A research chemist and former financial adviser with Hill Samuel. Currently Secretary-General of the European Congress of Ukrainians and member of the Head Office team.

President of the Association and Chairman of the Council
Zenko Lastowiecki
Chair of Executive Committee
Past Chair of AUGB Bradford branch and other community organisations in Bradford. An Economics graduate and member of the Institute of Purchasing and Supply. Head of Procurement for Npower and a member of the RWE Npower senior management team.

Executive Committee members

Deputy Chair
Iryna Terlecky
Member: Holodomor Commemoration Committee
Actively involved in community organisations in London, including Ukrainian Saturday School and Ukrainian Youth Association. Member of the National Committee of the Organisation of Ukrainian Women. Career experience in the senior Civil Service and various Government bodies. Now an independent consultant specialising in railway strategic, commercial and franchising issues.

Deputy Chair
Bohdan Ratych
Chair of Organisation and Structure Committee and Holodomor Commemoration Committee
Founder and former Chair of Manchester University Ukrainian Society. Long-standing member of community organisations in Manchester, with a particular interest in external affairs and cultural issues. A chemistry graduate, currently Export Sales Manager for Tarmac Buxton Lime Ltd.

Fedir Kurlak
Chief Executive of AUGB Ltd
Member: Holodomor Commemoration Committee
Joined AUGB Head Office in 1985 as External Affairs Officer, liaising with media on issues as wide-ranging as Ukrainian political prisoners, the Chornobyl disaster and the implications of perestroika. Appointed General Secretary and Company Secretary in 1990. Contact: fedir.kurlak@augb.co.uk

Rev Fr Mykola Matwijiwskyj
Member of Ukrainian community organisations in Coventry. Director of the Ukrainian Information Service. Ordained in 2006.

Myron Pilak
Formert Chair of AUGB Bradford branch and member of other community organisations. Director of the Ukrainian Information Service. Head of the Audit Committee of the National Committee of the Ukrainian Youth Association. Career in IT as a project manager, currently responsible for Support and Project Solutions.

Other Council members

Lessia Djakowska
Member: Holodomor Commemoration Committee
Member of London branch of AUGB, former Chair of the Organisation of Ukrainian Women and current Deputy Chair. Market researcher and consultant on information strategy for clients which have included the European Parliament and Department of Education.

Stefan Jarockyj
Member of community organisations in Bradford and past Chair of Ukrainian Youth Association in Bradford.  Graduate in Operational Research with Computing. Currently Operations Manager for a direct mailing company, responsible for planning and production of mailing for large corporate, City and government clients.

Volodymyr Karpynec
Member of AUGB Coventry branch  Long-standing member of the National Committee of the Ukrainian Youth Association with primary responsibility for financial matters and Chair of the Audit Committee of the World Committee of the Association. Director and Company Secretary of  the Ukrainian Information Service. A successful businessman, former owner and Managing Director of an engineering company in the West Midlands.

Anna Kecyk
A former member of the National Committee of the Ukrainian Youth Association. Former Deputy Chair and external affairs officer for Rochdale branch of AUGB. Co-founder and current Chair of the Twinning link between Rochdale and Lviv and Member of Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council's Links Consultative Forum. A primary school teacher for over 25 years.

Petro Kormylo
Secretary of Edinburgh branch of AUGB and the Ukraine-Scotland Foundation. A former head teacher and school inspector. Currently an educational advisor on curriculum to the government in Scotland.

Marian Kosmirak
Former Chair of Coventry branch of AUGB and member of other community organisations, including the National Committee of the Ukrainian Youth Association. A long career as a teacher.

Yevhen Kurlak
Current Chair of Nottingham branch of AUGB and member of other community organisations. Media technical specialist in lighting, sound and camera. Currently a local news cameraman.

Volodymyr Muzyczka
Member of community organisations in London. Financial Director of the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church in Great Britain and member of the Diocesan Consistory. Has worked for BBC News for the last 20 years, based at the World Service and specialising in reporting from hostile environments, including Iraq, Afghanistan and Gaza.

Petro Rewko
Secretary of AUGB Ashton branch and member of other community organisations. Teacher and choreographer of Ukrainian Folk Dance ensemble in Ashton. Qualified Civil Engineer. Currently a Director of a specialist engineering and land surveying consultancy.

Martyn Senyk
Member of community organisations in Bradford and Chair of the Ukrainian Social Club. A successful businessman, owning and running several businesses, including a medium-sized industrial and commercial construction company, employing 60 people, designing and building industrial, commercial, educational, sporting and retail projects throughout the UK  for private and public sector clients.

Volodymyr Szlachetko
AUGB Manchester Branch committee member and former Chair. Member of other community organisations, including National and World Committees of the Ukrainian Youth Association. Career in computer research and development, working on computing systems for a range of clients in the energy and pharmaceutical sectors.