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Biography
A native of Poland, Ryszard came to Seattle in 1989 to work for Microsoft. He and his wife Maria (Isia) became very involved in the local Polish community. He founded the Polish Home Foundation and served as its president from 2000 to 2013. During his tenure, he led the fundraising campaign for the expansion of the Polish Cultural Center and created the annual Pierogi Fest event. Ryszard is also a co-founder of the Polish Festival Seattle, the editor and publisher of the Seattle Polish News, and the producer of the documentary “Passing the Torch: 100 Years of the Polish Home Association”. Ryszard’s generous donation to the UW Polish Studies Endowment Fund led to the creation of Maria Kott Endowed Professorship of Polish Studies in 2021. He has received the Knight’s Cross and the Officer’s Cross of Merit of the Republic of Poland, awarded by the President of Poland for promoting Polish culture and traditions abroad.