Canadian Ethnic Media Association

The Canadian Ethnic Media Association (CEMA) held its Biennial General Meeting on September 11, 2008, welcoming its slate of executive and board members for the following year. It was a historic meeting that saw the departure of CEMA’s long-time President, Ben Viccari, and the new incoming President Ace Alvarez. Chair Madeline Ziniak announced that by the deadline, September 1, there had been no challengers to the slate voted for by the CEMA Board of Directors.

Ben thanked CEMA members for helping him successfully position the organization as the premier ethnic media group in the country and said there was no stopping given all its achievements.  Incoming president Ace said he looked forward to the time ahead.

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Outgoing President Ben Viccari (R) to the incoming prexy (L) : “Ace, we don’t have a gavel to hand over as a symbol, but here from the heart is a sincere handshake.”

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The slate, which now comprises the new Board of Directors for the period 2008-2010 is as follows, elected by a unanimous vote:

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Valery Tokmakov, valued member of CEMA died in Moscow earlier this year; his loss will be missed and regretted by many of us who knew him through his participation in our events, taping materials for his television progam Russian Waves (OMNI-Tv), which in 1999, won a CEMA award. He came to Canada in 1991 and quickly established himself as a producer of Russian language programming.

Valery was taken ill during a trip to Moscow, where he died after a lengthy hospitalization.

Fewer of us knew of his many talents, which besides television production included expertise in animated film both as producer and a teacher at Seneca College for the past five years.

Many of his programs have also been seen on television in Russia, and in 2006 the Patriarch of Moscow and all Russia honoured him with a diploma praising his efforts on behalf of Russian Culture and the Russian Orthodox religion abroad.

He is survived by his wife Natalia Nikitina and daugher Ana who are continuing to produce Russian Waves.