John Hewko’s interest in politics came at an early age.
‘Other kids would be watching cowboys on TV and John would be watching political conventions,? said his father, Lubomyr “Lu” Hewko of Independence Township.
‘It’s not so much politics as running for something, but being in public service,” said Natalie Hewko, John’s mother.
He may soon represent the United States in international trade as assistant secretary of aviation and international affairs.
‘It’s a very senior position in the Department of Transportation,? said John. ‘I’m very humbled to been chosen. Not very many people get nominated for these senior positions, so for me it was a great honor and a great privilege.?
Nominated by President George W. Bush, April 2, his responsibilities, if confirmed by the U.S. Senate, include aviation regulatory issues, economic and international transportation issues, airline licensing issues, trucking to and from Mexico, and open sky agreements.
‘I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I’ll be able to get a confirmation hearing and get confirmed by the senate,? John said.
‘We think he really worked hard in school and now his biggest investment is paying off,? said Lu.
His parents immigrated to the United States from the Ukraine in 1949, escaping the Soviet takeover of their country after World War II. They lived in Detroit through John’s grade-school years, then they moved to Ohio, where he attended Ohio Western Reserve Academy.
‘It would be equivalent to Cranbrook (in Bloomfield Hills), said Natalie.
John kept busy in school, and was successful inside and outside the classroom. He was all mid-west captain of the Lacrosse team during high school and at Hamilton College. He also played soccer, hockey, and was on the rowing team at Oxford University.
‘He was an outstanding athlete and a very good student,? said Lu. ‘He’s read about every important book in our civilization, I think.?
From high school, John earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Hamilton College, and Masters Degree in Literature from Oxford University, St. Anthony’s College, where he studied as a Marshall Scholar. He received his law degree from Harvard University.
‘In college, he was an intern for Washington Congressman John Lagomarcino from California,? said Lu.
John ended up landing a job with Baker & McKenzie. His practice focused on corporate law, with an emphasis on mergers, acquisitions, and investments in developing countries. He speaks five languages: Ukrainian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, and Czech. He has also lived and worked in Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, Mexico, Russia, Ukraine, and Czech Republic, and did his graduate work in England.
‘He certainly has the potential of doing a lot of good, in the international field, not only because of his language skills, but also the fact that he lived in a number of other countries and has had first hand experience,” said Lu.
John was stationed in Ukraine during the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. He helped draft the initial bylaws for the first Independent Ukraine.
‘To be there, to sort of help a new country get off the ground was kind of neat, especially when you’re 32 years old,? he said. ‘It’s not everyday you get a chance to do something like that.?
He was also a charter member of the Kiev Rotary Club in Ukraine, which his father helped start. It was sponsored by the Clarkston Rotary Club, of which Lu was president at the time, 1991-1992.
‘It was very nice for a town like Clarkston to be able to have a little bit of a international impact,? said John.
He was also an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law Center and a visiting scholar at Carnegie Endowment for International Peace from 2001-2002.
He has frequently lectured on business in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as published legal articles in The International Lawyer, Economist Publications, and several South American law journals.
He has also written social and political commentaries for Argentine, Brazilian, Bolivian,former Soviet Union, and, in America, The Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, Christian Science Monitor, Ukrainian Weekly and other newspapers.
John has a younger sister, Annetta, and a younger brother, Mark, a graduate of Clarkston High School.
Lu and Natalie said they are proud of all their children and what each has achieved.
John and his wife, Margarita, along with their daughter reside in Washington D.C., where he is vice president for compact development for the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
‘It’s a new initiative by President Bush to provide U.S. foreign assistance to poor countries or to developing countries in new and innovative way,? he said.
‘It’s a new United States foreign assistance agency.?
John is the ‘chief negotiator? for foreign assistance agreements.
‘We work with 26 developing countries,? he said. ‘My job is to negotiate the agreements with these countries, on the basis in which we will be providing assistance.?
John has been working for the Bush administration since 2004. If he gets confirmed by the senate, he will leave the MCC and work full-time for the Department of Transportation.