At the jubilee conference, attendees discussed artificial intelligence, cooperation with the homeland, and connecting young people, along with the announcement of professional internships in Croatian companies for 2027.
About 300 participants from Croatia and the world gathered at the 10th Annual Conference of the Association of Croatian American Professionals (ACAP), held from October 1 to 4 in Seattle. A week after its completion, ACAP is bringing to the fore a stronger connection of Croatian professionals around the world and encouraging cooperation with the homeland through the exchange of knowledge and experience.
The conference was held at The Westin Seattle Hotel under the motto “Croatian Excellence: Celebrating the Decade, Engineering the Century”. The program connected high technology and entrepreneurship with personal health, education, and Croatian heritage, and included discussions on the association’s further development after its first ten years of operation.
Meteš: Croatia Can Better Utilise the Potential of Its Diaspora
ACAP President Nikola Meteš highlighted that Croatia was still insufficiently utilising the knowledge, business contacts and capital of its emigrants. Among the association’s areas of activity, he singled out the engagement on the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement between Croatia and the USA, as well as cooperation in health, science and law.
“People who did not know each other before today are working together on different initiatives. ACAP has brought them together,” Meteš said. For the following period, he announced the strengthening of the international network and cooperation with the public and private sectors: “For the first ten years, it was important for the idea to survive. Now, we want strong growth and even better integration of Croats around the world.”
Connecting younger generations with Croatia includes birthright programs such as Domovina, as well as professional opportunities. ACAP Foundation President Krešimir Marušić announced an internship program in Croatian companies for young Americans of Croatian descent in 2027, enabling them to get to know their homeland and gain work experience.
Conference Chair Vedran Brozović recalled the difference between the first Croatian immigrants to Washington, who worked in mines at the end of the 19th century and started the fishing industry from scratch, and today’s generations enrolling in some of the most prestigious American universities and the world’s most successful technology companies. “We are privileged, but we also have a great responsibility to contribute to new generations, and I think a platform like ACAP is perfect for that,” he said.
Artificial Intelligence and Professional Development Challenges
Participants included experts from Microsoft, Amazon, Meta and OpenAI. Artificial intelligence was a central topic, with discussions about its impact on business, careers and society.
Mark Russinovich, Chief Technology Officer at Microsoft Azure, spoke about the development of artificial intelligence and recalled his family’s Croatian heritage. “My father and grandfather were careful to preserve Croatian culture, language and customs in the home. They spoke Croatian, and at Christmas we would always prepare ‘fritule’,” he said.
Hrvoje Benko, a researcher and technology expert with decades of experience working at Microsoft and Meta, delivered a lecture on augmented reality in the age of artificial intelligence. His participation also showed how a successful international career can support preserving Croatian culture: during the music program, he joined the local tamburitza group.
In addition to technology changes shaping careers, the program also addressed personal challenges in demanding professional environments.
Author and speaker Kristina Kuzmić spoke about perseverance, authenticity, and the importance of mental health, relying on her own experiences and the themes of her books.
One Croatia and Cross-Continental Cooperation
The possibilities of cooperation between Croatian organizations around the world were presented through the One Croatia initiative. Along with representatives of the Canadian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce, representatives of Croatian communities from Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia and Mexico also participated.
The next opportunity to connect will be the 9th gathering of the Croatian Diaspora in South America, to be held from November 5 to 8, 2026, in Córdoba, Argentina.
ACAP members also support projects that share Croatian stories with a wider audience. The conference featured an announcement for the documentary film More Than A Dream by director Jack Barić, about the Croatian basketball team at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. Members of the association continue to support the film’s production and completion.
Awards for Excellence and Gala Evening with Roko Blažević
ACAP’s 10th Anniversary was marked by a gala dinner, during which the ACAP Awards were presented to individuals for professional achievements and contributions to the community. The awards highlight successes that can encourage new generations to develop professionally and actively participate in the community.
A special feature of the evening was a performance by Croatian singer Roko Blažević, who recently performed at the Governors Gala as part of the 78th Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. He opened the formal part of the program in Seattle with a performance of the Croatian anthem, and later in the evening he performed in the music program. Accompanied by music and dance, participants celebrated a decade of the association’s activity and the connectedness of the Croatian community.
Croatian Radio Television’s Voice of Croatia also covered the conference, and the final day of the program connected participants with the local Croatian community at the CroatiaFest cultural and folklore festival, where 100 Americans of Croatian descent also officially received Croatian citizenship.
About ACAP
The Association of Croatian American Professionals (ACAP) connects experts from Croatia, the United States and the Croatian diaspora. Through professional networking, mentoring, educational programs and activities of the ACAP Foundation, it supports the exchange of knowledge and cooperation with the homeland.
Text: ACAP PRESS / Photo: Marko Zovko
