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| AHF Featured Members | ||||||||
Les (Laszlo) Besser, was national under-16 year hurdle record holder in 1952, graduated from Kando Kalman technical school in 1954, and won two Hungarian national junior championships in 1955. Escaping to Canada after the 1956 revolution, he continued with his running career, and received a track scholarship to study electrical engineering in the US. At the University of Colorado he received the Pacesetter Award and was selected to be “The Outstanding Engineering Student” and co-captain of the school’s soccer team in 1966.
After leaving the Conservatory, Laszlo went on to become a successful session player in Europe, toured extensively and recorded eight albums. In 1983 he left for Boston, where he received a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music. Laszlo graduated from Berklee in 1985, and joined the faculty two years later. Read more about him on his official site on www.lgjazz.com.
She is known as the inventor of nanoparticles with tunable optical properties controlled by their shape and structure and pursues fundamental studies of light-nanoparticle interactions that give rise to new properties and effects, leading to useful applications in biomedicine, chemical sensing, and energy. Her "gold nanoshells" (tiny glass nanoparticles coated in gold) are so small that 1,000 would fit across the width of a human hair and absorb large amounts of light, resulting in a dramatic rise in their temperature. They interact with the widest possible spectrum of sunlight energy and can be tuned to absorb specific wavelengths of light. For example, when light passes harmlessly through the human body, that light hits the injested nanoshells where they grow hot enough to burn away targeted nearby tissue such as a tumor. Later research revealed this same behavior could turn ice water into steam with sunlight, leading to far-reaching implications for disinfection, water distillation and desalinization, and green energy. With over 200 publication and election to Fellow of the American Physical Society, Dr. Halas' scientific career and history of innovation is nothing less then remarkable and a great source of pride for the Hungarian-American community. [read more]
His book of translations of Attila József, Perched on Nothing's
Branch is listed in Harold Bloom's The Western Canon. Peter Hargitai is
also past recipient of the Landon Translation Award from the American His other books are available for purchase on the AHF bookstore on
Three-year-old Robert Ivany, the son of World War II refugees from Hungary, immigrated to the United States with his parents following the war. He grew up in Cleveland and eventually graduated from the United States Military Academy in 1969. Over the course of his 34 years of dedicated service in the United States Army as an armored cavalry officer, he led soldiers in the United States, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Germany and Vietnam where he was wounded in action and decorated for valor. He assisted several nations in the transformation of their armed forces. In 1990, Robert Ivany was the first senior military officer invited to Hungary to contribute to the democratization of their defense establishment. General Ivany taught history at West Point, coached the West Point football team, spent 2 years as an aide to President Ronald Reagan, and commanded forces throughout the world. In July 1998, Major General Ivany was assigned as the Commanding General, Military District of Washington. General Ivany's career culminated with his appointment as the 45th Commandant of the War College at Carlisle Barracks, the Army's foremost institution for educating its leaders. Dr. Ivany retired from the Army on September 30, 2003 and is now President of Houston's University of St. Thomas. Dr. Ivany is a recipient of the 2006
Col. Commandant Michael Kovats Medal of Freedom from the American
Hungarian Federation. He is also recipient of the General Dwight D. Eisenhower
Award for Excellence in Military Writing. An expert on leadership development,
he is presently conducting research on the leadership attributes of 20
generals and admirals who have transitioned to corporate leadership. In
addition to earning a Bachelor of Science degree from the U.S. Military
Academy at West Point, he received a Ph.D. in Modern European History
from the University of W AHF is especially pleased to congratulate him and wife Marianne on their son's upcoming graduation from West Point! Brian Ivany, the 6'1", 200 lb midfielder, is a two-year letterwinner in Lacrosse. He is major in American Legal System. His brother Chris Ivany is a captain in the U.S. Army while another brother, Mark, is a 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Army.
Dr. Jako (pronounced yuh-ko) has hundreds of peer reviewed journal articles,
books and chapters in surgery. His students have gone on top be some of
the top ENT surgeons in the world. He holds several patents and the only
patents on Lasers in medicine and endo-micro instruments. His first lasers
are displayed in museums in Washington D.C. and in the Hungarian National
Museum in Budapest in the section of Hungary's most significant scientists
featuring Edward Teller, Albert Szentgyorgyi, and many others. His instruments
and surgical techniques have become the "gold-standard' for head
and neck surgery worldwide and in the fight against laryngeal cancer that
today has saved hundreds of thousands of voice boxes. Download his [Full Biography] or see him and other great Hungarians on the amazing [Nobel Prize Winners and Famous Hungarians] site.
 AHF Freedom Circle Member Balint Kacsoh, MD, PhD, is a professor of anatomy, histology and cell biology, and physiology at Mercer Univiersity's Medical School in Macon, GA where he joined the faculty in 1992. He and his wife, a pediatrician in private practice in Macon, both came from Hungary in 1986 and hold dual citizenship. They have three children, the oldest already in university. They are members of the Hungarian Reformed Church.
He is the author of the medical book, "Endocrine Physiology" and most recently translated "The Frontier Garrison," the first English translation of "Az elõretolt helyõrség" by the Hungarian novelist Jenõ Rejtõ (1905-1943), originally published in 1939 under the pen name of “P. Howard.” He also annotated the edition. Rejto is perhaps the most popular and widely-read fiction novelist in Hungary, entrenched in Hungarian popular culture. [Read more about The Frontier Garrison] or go directly to buy his books on the AHF Amazon Store!
Katalin's area of specialization is 20th century history, with an emphasis on WWII, the Cold War, and U.S.–East European political relations and Émigré Political Movements. Since she returned to graduate school to pursue her doctorate, she had several research papers published both in the US and in Hungary. Her dissertation, topic, “Tibor Eckhardt his American Years 1941-1972," was published in 2007 by L’Harmattan Press, Paris and Budapest in Hungarian and in English by East European Monographs, Boulder and distributed by Columbia University Press. The Introduction to her book on Tibor Eckhardt with personal reminiscences about him, was graciously written by Dr. Otto von Habsburg, a friend of long standing of Tibor Eckhardt. She also edited the posthumously published autobiography of Tibor Eckhardt (Tibor Eckhardt in His Own Words) published in June 2005 by East European Monographs and Columbia University Press. Read about Tibor and his work with AHF on the Movement for an Independent Hungary which sought to extracate Hungary from the Axis sphere. Read more about her and purchase her books!
Bobbie is the author and publisher of several hundred children's books.
She has created many of Crabtree's most popular series, including Historic
Communities, Lands, Peoples, and Cultures, Kid Power, Native Nations of
North America, Dolphin Worlds, Life Cycles, Food Chains, and many more.
Bobbie's books are extremely successful in schools and public libraries
because she writes them with specific curriculum needs in mind. She works
with a team of creative writers who thoroughly research each subject.
Bobbie has taught at both the elementary and secondary levels and has
traveled extensively. [Read more]
or buy now on
Atilla was born in New Jersey and became a soccer star. He graduated from Clark University in 1991 with a B.A. in economics and concentrations in computer science and business management. He completed Army ROTC training in 1992. After his training he moved to Washington, D.C. to work for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in the International Division. Atilla served as International Affairs Assistant for three years before leaving to start Digital Phenom. As the sole investor, Atilla worked tirelessly to build the company with an emphasis on building lasting relationships with his clients. He continued to learn more about his clients' needs and created new products and services to help them. Sales increased an average of 120% each year for six years in a row. During those years, Atilla accumulated a large body of knowledge on all things Internet. He continues to grow and refine his expertise so that he can find solutions for his clients. Atilla married Sarah in September 2003! Finally.
After a difficult start learning the English language, he continued his childhood infatuation with the camera, working in various jobs that involved photography. He was the first person drafted from New York City during the Korean War and spent two years in the United States Army Signal Corps as a combat cameraman with the rank of Sergeant. After being honorably discharged from the service Andrew Laszlo eventually established himself as a cinematographer and rose to prominence as one of Hollywood’s top cinematographers. His career in film and television spans nearly fifty years, from the original “PHIL SILVERS SHOW” (Sgt. Bilko) to Walt Disney Pictures “NEWSIES,” "RAMBO: First Blood," "POLTERGEIST II," and "STAR TREK V: The Final Frontier." [read more] and [buy his books and films]
Dr. Ádám Makkai participated in the 1956 Hungarian Revolution as a college student. After the Soviet army crushed the Revolution, he emigrated to the United States, where he received a B.A. from Harvard, and an M.A. and Ph.D. from Yale. Adam Makkai's current interests include the history of lexicography, the present state of the art and its possible future development with the arrival of the electronic age. He is engaged in translating Hungarian poetry into English (two volumes have appeared) and continues to research appropriate ways to render Hungarian poetry in English to best advantage. See his personal site and the University of Illinois site.
Scientific American writes: "Joseph Nagyvary set the world of violinmaking afire in 1977 with his research into the legendary Stradivarius violins. The instruments made by Antonio Stradivari in the 17th and 18th century, along with other instruments made in the northern Italian city of Cremona, are widely recognized by violinists as superior to any made since. Controversially, Nagyvary suggested that the chemistry of the instruments is as—or more—important than their craftsmanship. A native of Hungary, Nagyvary fought briefly as a guerrilla in an unsuccessful student movement against the Communists in 1956 and afterward fled to Zurich. There he studied chemistry under Nobel laureate Paul Karrer and had his first formal violin lessons on a violin that once belonged to Albert Einstein, which sparked his infatuation with the violin and helped to turn his attention toward the science behind music. "I remember that taking out the violin from its glass cabinet was almost a religious experience for me," Nagyvary says. "I often wondered if he Einstein was considering at all what made its sound so pleasing and sonorous, or whether he was thinking about the waves of the universe." In 2005, Dr. Nagyvary was the headline/speaker at the Albert Einstein Centennial celebration by the Japanese Physical Society in Tokyo, December 13. He received the gold medal for his discovery of micro-and nanocomposites in Stradivari violins. [read full Scientific American interview] or visit his official site [Nagyvary Violins]
Dr. Robicsek’s accomplishments are as numerous as they are diverse. He is Past Governor, American College of Cardiology of North Carolina; a member of the Scientific Council of the Cardiothoracic Institute of Monaco; and Past Chairman, Committee on Medico-Legal Affairs, Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Dr. Robicsek is a Past Examiner for the American Board of Thoracic Surgery and is a member of many professional societies including the American Association for Thoracic Surgery, the Society of Thoracic Surgeons, the American College of Surgeons, the American Vascular Society and many more. He is Past President of the Southern Thoracic Surgical Society and is an Honorary Member of the German Society of Thoracic Surgery, the Scandinavian Society of Thoracic Surgery, most recently the European Society for Cardio Vascular Surgery, the Surgical Society of Guatemala, and the Surgical Society of Costa Rica, to name a few. Dr. Robicsek was elected Citizen of the Year by the state of North Carolina in 1976, and listed among the 100 Carolinians of the Century by the Charlotte Observer in 1999. He received the Order of the Quetzal, Rank of Commander, Guatemala, and is a recipient of the Justus-Liebig Medal of Distinction, Justus-Liebig University. He is an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Queens College and a member of the James Duke Society, Duke University. He was listed in The Best Doctors in America in 1995 and 1996. Dr. Robicsek has published seven books and written more than 600 papers in medicine, anthropology and bioengineering, and has presented more than 500 lectures at national and international meetings. Dr. Robicsek has provided surgical assistance and training in several foreign countries and provided equipment and helped build hospitals in many third world countries. Dr.Robicsek is an avid collector of art and established the Pre-Columbian
collection at the Mint Museum of Art in Charlotte, NC. He also has a noted
collection of Spanish-Colonial art, Medieval Dutch paintings and Russian
icons and has written several books on Pre-Columbian art. He is married
to Dr. Livia K. Robicsek and has four children, Steven, Susanne, John
and Frances, and 5 grandchildren. On November 1, 2007, Dr. Robicsek becomes the first physician to receive the World Citizen Award given by the World Affairs Council. [Click here] to download the invitation and attend this gala awards dinner.
January 2013 saw the publication of a collection of Faludy poems in his translation: "Silver Pirouettes" by The Write Deal publisher as an e-book. [read more].
He also published a book entitled, "Knock
in the Night." [Read more] or
buy now on the AHF Amazon Store!
[Read more] about his book "Habakkuk to SARA: A memoir of the Reverend Stephen Szilagyi and his Founding of the SARA Ministry."
After nearly four decades of growth, and with well over three hundred chapters throughout the northeastern states, in 1926 the Home Office was moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. By this time the Verhovay had grown into the largest, wealthiest and most successful of all the Hungarian American fraternal organizations. After numerous mergers, the name of the joint organization was changed to “William Penn Association” in 1972. [READ MORE about the WPA ] | Featured members are selected at random. AHF members come from all walks of life and from different religious and political backgrounds. They join AHF because they believe in working together for common causes and on issues that unite, not divide. This page provides the public a small glimpse at the broad cross section of the community AHF represents. AHF is an all-volunteer, non-partisan, 501(c)(3) non-profit educational and charitable organziation serving the community since 1906! Join and Support Us! Featured Member Shortcuts:
AHF Store
on
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After
gaining practical engineering experience at Hewlett Packard and Fairchild
corporations, he authored COMPACT (Computerized Optimization of Microwave
Passive and Active CircuiTs), the world’s first commercially successful
microwave circuit optimization routine, soon to become the industry standard.
He then founded Compact Software, a pioneer CAD software company (now
part of Ansoft), and was active in serving the engineering design 
needs
of the RF/Microwave industry during the next ten years. In 1980, his company
merged with Communication Satellite Corporation (COMSAT) where Dr. Besser
functioned as a Senior Vice President. In 1985, recognizing the need for advanced continuing education, he started
Besser Associates, a training organization that has provided live training
to more than 45,000 engineers, managers, and technicians world-wide, retiring
from the company in 2004. In 2007, The Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE) conferred on him the "Meritorious Achievement Award
in Continuing Education." In 2012, The Hewlett Packard Memory Project published Les's memoirs entitled, "Hurdling to Freedom: A Hungarian's Escape to America" [
Friends
of United Way-Hungary (
Prof.
Davidhazy's work in high-speed photography, as seen here in his famous
"splash," is well-recognized. His father was a captain in the
Hungarian merchant marine who later moved to Argentina and then to the
US and was influential in shipbuilding industry. His long-term interest
has been the field of scanning or strip photography. This started in the
mid-60's and extends to this day. Applications include panoramic, peripheral,
photofinish, and other derivatives of an "ingenious" approach
to image-making. He served on the House Select Committee the reexamination
of the photographs of Lee Harvey Oswald and was called upon to authenticate
a photograph of O. J. Simpson wearing some shoes he claimed never to have
owned! [
isconsin
in Madison.
Biomedical
Engineering. In addition, he has had four Presidential White House appointments
(among them 8 years with President Reagan) and served at the highest levels
of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
He
was forced to flee to the West as a graduate medical student and today
has a few historic commemorative plaque and tablets to his contributions
during the '56 revolution at the significant sites during the battles.
One of these shown here is at the hospital that became a focal point of
the revolution and mentioned in several papers and film documentaries
for 1956.
Master of Science in Geology in 1960
from that institution. From 1959 to 1993, she was employed at the Missouri
State Geological Survey, rising from the rank of research geoJogist through
Section Chief to Assistant Director. She has published more than 100 scientific
research papers, maps and books in the field of Precambrian geology. She retired
in 1993 and moved to Sarasota, Florida where she is the Executive Director of the Hungarian American
Cultural Association, Inc., The Kossuth Club of Sarasota, and founder and editor of the Club's newsletter, The
Hírmondó. Her books are available on the AHF Amazon Store! 
T. Zane Reeves, Ph.D., served in Brazil in the Peace Corps. His graduate work was at UCLA and USC. He taught at Pepperdine and California State, Dominguez Hills, before moving to the University of New Mexico, where he retired as Regents’ Professor Emeritus. Zane visits Hungary often where he is a board member of the Julius Rézler Foundation in Budapest. He also is the author of a number of books, including From Budapest to Albuquerque: The American Life of Julius Rézler and says, “I was told this story by Hungarians and wanted to pass it on.” T. Zane Reeves, Ph.D., is pleased to announce the release of his new book "
speaks six languages, and lived in five countries under seven
different political systems. The number of her English language publications
exceeds 700, many of which won awards. Szablya Consultants, Inc. is her
translation and consulting agency. Two of her latest books include,
"The Fall of the Red Star" (a story of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution through the eyes of an "illegal"
boy scout troop), and "My Only Choice: Hungary 1942-1956,"
the story of what happened to her and the pursuit of freedom as lived through the coming of age journey of a seven year old little girl who becomes a woman and mother in Hungary. [
His
father, Sándor Szabó, who learned English within a year,
became the best known actor of Hungarian descent on Broadway and went
on to a prolific career in film and television. His book "Országom,
Visszanyertem én..." chronicles his escape from Hungary in
1956 and his life in New York and Hollywood. 
Although her mother passed away in 2008, Magyar Marketing continues to be family owned and operated and is committed to helping you discover, celebrate, and share your Hungarian heritage in a variety of ways. Liz is the second generation to be born in the US (most of her grandparents came from Hungary in the early 1900s) and she nad her husband live in Evansville, IN with their four children. Please check her website at 
“Verhovay Aid Association.” The goal of the founders was to
extend a helping hand to each other and to the many Hungarian immigrants
who worked and suffered in the mines and industrial centers of America
at a period in its history when insurance of any sort was still in the
faraway future. With no sick benefits, no unemployment
compensation, and no death benefits for their families, and with the immigrants
being maimed and killed by the thousands in the ever-recurring industrial
accidents, they had no other recourse but to turn to each other for help.
This is how fraternalism was born in America, and these are the same conditions
that prompted the thirteen founders to establish the Verhovay Aid Association.
Andy
Grove