Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame Honors New Inductees

The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame honored new inductees at its 2018 Gala on September 27th.

The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame is a project of the New Britain-based Polish American Foundation of Connecticut.

The Hall of Fame honored three individuals and one family, whose heritage represented four different countries.

The honorees and their immigrant heritages were celebrated at the event, something State Senator Terry Gerratana (D-6), speaking at the event, said is important at this time.

“There has been so much in the news, lately, about immigrants,” Sen. Gerratana said, “And it troubles me greatly that what is going on on our federal level, and our country’s attitude,” which she said, “has really pierced my heart.”

Gerratana lauded, “The spirit, the grit, the determination that these individuals had to leave their country, and come here and build the strongest and greatest nation in the world, is something that I am so, so happy that we honor, and that we honor every year.”

Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis

Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis was inducted in the Hall of Fame. A native of the Dominican Republic, she is the President of Naugatuck Valley Community College.

Dr. Daisy Cocco De Filippis being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Frank Gerratana photo.
The Hall of Fame says that De Filippis, “has built a legacy of shared community vision, student-centeredness, collaboration and civic engagement, and under her guidance student retention has risen, enrollment has increased and graduation awards have more than doubled.”

Dr. Filippis was honored by the Hall of Fame as, “a leader in the advancement of educational opportunities and a pioneer in the field of Dominican women studies.”

Adnan Durrani

Another honoree inducted by the Hall of Fame was Adnan Durrani. He is Chief Executive Officer of American Halal/Saffron Road Foods in Stamford and President of Condor Ventures, Inc.

Adnan Durrani being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Frank Gerratana photo.
The Hall of Fame says that, “Saffron Road is the first Halal product to be sold nationally by Whole Foods and is now sold in 15,000 food stores in the U.S.,” and that, Durrani “founded Vermont Pure/Crystal Rock Water Co., the second-largest bottled water company in the Northeast, and was a financial partner of Stonyfield Farms, Inc.”

The Hall of Fame say that Durrani, “is the former Director, Treasurer and Finance Chair of READ (Rural Education and Development Enterprise) Nepal.”

The Koh Family

The Koh family was honored by the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame says the family, “has made monumental contributions in the fields of international relations, health and human rights.”

The Koh Family being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Frank Gerratana photo.
The Hall of Fame says that the late Kwang Lim Koh was, “former South Korean Ambassador to the U.S. and Professor and Director of the Center for Area and Interdisciplinary Studies at CCSU,” and that his wife, Dr. Hesung Chun Koh has been, “Co-Founder, Chair and President Emerita of East Rock Institute, the first U.S. institution dedicated to Korean Diaspora culture.”

The Hall of Fame adds that the couple has six accomplished children, including, former assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Dr. Howard Kyongju Koh, former Legal Adviser and Assistant Secretary for Human Rights at the U.S. Department of State, Harold Hongju Koh, and Sol Goldman Clinical Professor of Law at Yale Law School, Jean Kyongun Koh Peters.

Dr. Stanislaw Milewski

The late Dr. Stanislaw Milewski was posthumously inducted into the Hall of Fame.

“Born in Bagrowo, Poland in 1930,” the Hall of Fame said, Milewski, “overcame wartime oppression as a child to become a leading ophthalmologist, mentor and humanitarian in the U.S.”

The Hall of Fall said, “Deported with family to Russia in 1940, Dr. Milewski made his way to the U.S. in 1959, earning medical degrees and completing various internships, residencies and fellowships at esteemed medical centers.”

The Hall of Fame said,

He established Retina Consultants, P.C., in Manchester in the 1970s, and was Chief of Ophthalmology at Manchester Memorial Hospital for 15 years, where he was the first to perform vitreoretinal surgery in the Hartford area. Dr. Milewski established the Milewski Polish Studies Lecture Endowment Fund at CCSU, the Milewski Scholarship Endowment Fund at the Kosciuszko Foundation in New York, and over the years donated nearly half a million dollars in ophthalmic equipment to various universities in Poland. Among his many awards were the Cavalier Cross of Merit of the Republic of Poland in 1996 and the Outstanding Physician Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006 from ECHN, Manchester Memorial Hospital and Rockville General Hospital.

The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame

The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame says that its mission is to, “celebrate the diverse ethnic heritage of our state, 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 the state.”

The Hall of Fame says that it publishes biographies of its inductees, and that it works to, “educate the public about the importance of the immigrant heritage to the identity of the American nation and the contributions of immigrants and immigrant communities to our country and state.”

The Gala was held at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville.