Edward W. Pazo

Edward W. Pazo
National President

Born into a fraternal family, Edward W. Pazo was elected to the esteemed position of National President of the Croatian Fraternal Union of America by the CFU National Board of Directors on July 1, 2014, succeeding National President Emeritus Bernard M. Luketich.

National President Pazo is extremely proud of his lifetime affiliation with the Croatian Fraternal Union and the fraternal benefit system. A staunch believer in the fraternal benefit system, Brother Pazo credits this trait to his early exposure with fraternalism through his parents’ active membership with his home lodge, St. George, Lodge 248, Clairton, PA.

Brother Pazo has been president of St. George CFU Lodge 248 Clairton, PA for over 25 years. The Lodge has grown to over 1,400 members while under his leadership. Brother Pazo began attending CFU Conventions in 1967 with his father and was elected to as an Alternate to the National Board of Trustees in 1987. At the 1991 Convention Brother Pazo was elected to the National Board of Trustees and subsequently elected as President of the Board of Trustees at the re-organizational meeting.

In November of 1993, Brother Pazo was elected by the CFU National Board of Directors to the position of National Secretary/Treasurer. Subsequent to this appointment, Brother Pazo was unanimously re-elected to the position of National Secretary/Treasurer, a post he served with distinction until his election to the presidency in 2014.

Brother Pazo is active in various fraternal capacities. This activity and involvement includes serving as president of the Board of Trustees of the United CFU Four County Lodges, past recipient of United CFU Four County Lodges’ Fraternalist of the Year, delegate to the Western Pennsylvania United CFU Lodges, member of the radio committee of the Voice of the CFU of Western Pennsylvania United Lodges, member of the Board of Directors of the Croatian American Professional and Business Association of Pittsburgh (CAPBAP), delegate to the National Federation of Croatian Americans annual assembly meetings since the founding of the organization, and Executive Secretary of the Croatian Fraternal Union Scholarship Foundation. He serves on the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Fraternal Alliance and is past president of the Fraternal Societies of Greater Pittsburgh having been honored by the FSGP as Fraternalist of the Year in 2004.

Brother Pazo holds a MBA degree from the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Graduate School of Business where he was a high honors graduate. Additionally he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh School of Engineering.

Board of Trustees
Daniel Kochis, President
Ruth Sepich, Secretary
Wayne Vlasic, Member
John Staresinic, Member
Edward Sambol, Member
John Miksich, Member
Robert Luketic, Member
High Trial Board
Emil Boljkovac, President
Stan Blaz, Secretary
Nikola Bilandzich, Member
Mate Krpan, Member
Robert D. Keber, Member
Timothy Komara, Member
Steven Rukavina, Member