The Association of Croatian American Professionals (ACAP) handed out awards to 12 people at a gala dinner in Seattle on October 3, capping its 10th Annual Conference. The theme, "Croatian Excellence: Celebrating the Decade, Engineering the Century," covered achievements across medicine, law, technology, business, mentorship and cultural promotion.
Why should a travel site care? Because two of the honorees have shaped how Americans discover and move to Croatia. Nena Komarica, an art historian, received an Honorary Award as the first director of the Croatian National Tourist Board's U.S. office — essentially the person who helped put Croatia on the American travel map, pairing tourism promotion with cultural programming. And Sara Dyson took home the Friend of Croatia Award for Expat in Croatia, the go-to resource helping foreigners and members of the diaspora navigate citizenship, residency and the practical realities of relocating there. If you've ever Googled how to get a Croatian passport or what living in Zagreb actually involves, you've likely landed on her work.
The rest of the list shows the depth of the Croatian American community. In medicine, Dr. Jeana Havidich, Chief of Pediatric Anesthesiology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, and Chicago pediatric surgeon Dr. Marko Rojnica won Professional Excellence Awards. Marko Pavela, a Managing Assistant Attorney General for Washington State, and volunteer leader Andrea Kunza earned Member Achievement Awards, with Pavela also credited for building ACAP's Law and Legal Practice Committee.
One story stands out beyond the résumés: Seattle facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon Dr. Wayne Larrabee, founder of the Larrabee Center, was honoured for providing pro bono reconstructive surgery to people injured during the Croatian Homeland War — decades of humanitarian work that outlasted the conflict itself.
Rounding out the list: Rising Stars Marela Klepo, who drives ACAP's Career Hub mentorship programme, and Vedran Brozović, who chaired this year's Seattle conference; Honorary Award recipient John Kraljic, an attorney and advocate for Croatian American history and recognition of Croatia's independence; and Innovation Award winners Tomislav Tipurić, CTO at Nephos and a former Microsoft professional, and Margaret Nekić, CEO of Inspirien.
For travellers, the takeaway is less about the gala and more about the network behind it. Croatia's popularity with American visitors keeps climbing — Dubrovnik, Split and the Dalmatian coast now feature on plenty of US itineraries — and it's largely thanks to years of groundwork by people like Komarica, plus resources like Dyson's for those who want to stay longer than a holiday. Whether you're planning a first trip or wondering if dual citizenship is within reach, there's a well-established Croatian American community ready to help.
Story source: Croatia Week
