John Constantine Unitas (Jonaitis) was born to Lithuanian immigrant parents in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1933.
Johnny Unitas, or “Johnny U,” and nicknamed, “The Golden Arm,” was a professional American football player in the 1950s through the 1970s, spending the majority of his career with the Baltimore Colts (now, the Ravens). He was a record-setting quarterback, and the National Football League’s most valuable player in 1959, 1964, and 1967. His record of throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games (between 1956-1960) remains unsurpassed as of 2011. He has been consistently listed as one of the greatest NFL players of all time.

Tony Zemaitis (Antanas Kazimieras Zemaitis) was a pioneer master craftsman of guitars.
The elaborate engraving, breathtaking pearl or exquisite inlays, and sound of his guitars attracted famous players, such as, Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones), Jimi Hendrix, David Gilmour (Pink Floyd), Bob Dylan, Keith Richards (Rolling Stones), Eric Clapton, Paul McCartney (The Beatles), and many others.

Robert Lee Zemeckis is an American film director, producer and Screenwriter. Zemeckis was born in Chicago, Illinois, to a Lithuanian American father and an Italian American mother, and Grew up on the south side.
Zemeckis came to public attention in the 1980s as the director of the comedic time-travel, Back to the Future, film series, as well as the Academy Award winning live-action/animation epic Who Framed Roger rabbit (1988). In 1994, he won an Academy Award for Best Director for Forrest Gump. His other films include, The Polar Express (2004), Beowulf (2007), and A Christmas Carol (2009).

National Lithuanian American Hall of Fame

• Phone: 708-302-2121
• Address: P.O. Box 485, Brookfield, IL 60513

Board of Directors

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Jon Platakis Founder/Chairman

Jon is currently a teacher in the Chicago and Cicero Public Schools, as well as an owner/manager of two commercial cleaning comp...

Ruta Kutaviciute

  I came to the United States in November, 2000, with lots of dreams and ambitions. I received my Bachelor of Science degr...

Vitas (Vytautas) Mockaitis

  Vitas Mockaitis is an experienced trial attorney who concentrates his practice in representing injured workers, victims ...

Inesa Makaras

  Since her arrival to the United States, Inesa has played a vital role in the Lithuanian community through her activ...

Matthew "Matt" Butkus

  Matt Butkus is a third generation Lithuanian American and a downtown Chicago resident.   For the past decade, Mat...

Daine Jablonskyte-Marquez

Daine received her BA in Journalism from Vilnius University, and Masters degree in Integrated Marketing Communications from Nort...

James Marszalek

James is a lawyer who represents injured workers throughout Illinois. He received his law degree from John Marshal School of Law...

Lina Chaves

Lina, received her Masters degree in finance from Vilnius University, and worked as an accountant for the Lithuanian military, i...

Philip Platakis

After receiving his Presidential Scholarship, Philip graduated, cum laude, from Northeastern Illinois University with a degree i...

Stanley C. Rakestraw

 Stanley was chosen from over 1,000 member companies to be named the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association’s 200...

Kestutis Pocius

Kestutis is an urban designer living in South Bend, Indiana. He holds both Lithuanian and U.S. citizenship. He is an ardent fan ...

Miz Ramadani

Miz received his BA in Finance from University of Illinois at Chicago. As a seasoned mortgage banker, Miz's passion includes pro...

Justin Riskus

  Justin is a 4th generation Lithuanian-American who has devoted himself to the preservation and education of Lithuanian c...

Apolonija Steponaviciene

Apolonija has had an extensive career in Lithuania as a cinema and theatrical actress. She received her degree in performing art...

Petras Steponavicius

Petras was a student of Juozas Miltinis, the most famous theatrical director in Lithuania. Petras, himself, is an acclaimed Lith...

Auxiliary Board

Ruta Lee

Ruta Lee (Ruta Mary Kilmonis) has had and still has an illustrious stage, screen, and television career. This Canadian born...

John C. Unitas Jr.

As the son of famed NFL quarterback, Johnny Unitas, John, in his own right, has become a successful entrepreneur/realtor. His re...

Anita Laima Woronycz

  Anita is a Lithuanian Brit. Her parents, both displaced persons from Lithuania, met and married in England where ...

Jura Reilly

    Jura Reilly comes from a Lithuanian background and graduated from Adelaide University, majoring in English and I...

Matthew Valentinas

  Matthew Valentinas is a second generation Lithuanian American from Boston, Massachusetts who works as an entertainment l...

Carol Luschas

  Carol Ann Luschas is a 2005 graduate of Kutztown University of Pennsylvania.  She received a Bachelor’s of the Arts...

Ronald C. Surma

Ron, originally from Chicago, and now residing in California, is a software consultant specializing, most recently, in C#.NET im...

Daiva Karuzaite

Daiva has extensive experience as a counselor and educator; working as an individual counselor, family therapist substance abuse...

Robert Kushida

Robert is a talented educator, business man, and entrepreneur. He holds a PhD in Business Administration, and is Professor Emeri...

Richard Vitkauskas

  Richard is an American born Lithuanian, and currently lives in Olmstedville, New York, in the Andirondack Mountains. He ...

Ruta Lee (Ruta Mary Kilmonis) has had and still has an illustrious stage, screen, and television career. This Canadian born actress, daughter of Lithuanian immigrants, has appeared in over 20 feature films, and graced TV screens world-wide with over 2,000 appearances in drama, comedy, game, and variety shows. Many have dubbed her as the hardest working actor in Hollywood.
Throughout her career, Ruta has received accolades and awards, including, stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Palm Springs Walk of Fame, as well as, the Star Walk at Cedars Sinai, Los Angeles, and Western Stars Way, in Kanab, Utah. She is also the proud recipient of the prestigious, Yellow Rose of Texas, from President George W. Bush, for her philanthropic service, and the Cross of the Knight of the Order for Merits to Lithuania, awarded her by President Valdas Adamkus in an official ceremony at the Lithuanian White House.
Ruta is also highly acclaimed for her leadership role in the Thalians, a charitable organization which is committed to good mental health. She has been either chairman or president for over 45 years. She has been honored for her dedication to mental health, and joined the ranks of previous honorees, Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, and Clint Eastwood, to name just a few.

Ron, originally from Chicago, and now residing in California, is a software consultant specializing, most recently, in C#.NET imaging technologies, including Optical Coherent Tomography. He has contributed his skills and knowledge to leading companies, i.e., Bell Laboratories, Hewlett-Packard, Stanford Telecom, and GTE Government Systems. Ron received his BSEE from the University of Illinois at Chicago, and an MBA from Northwestern University. He has traveled extensively and is active in many computer related organizations.

Kestutis is an urban designer living in South Bend, Indiana. He holds both Lithuanian and U.S. citizenship. He is an ardent fan of basketball (especially LTU), rock n' roll and the art of M.K. Ciurlionis. He is a member of Korp! Neo-Lituania, and the Beverly Shores American-Lithuanian Club. His father, Kazimieras Pocius, was a well-known supporter of Dirvas, Draugas and BALFAS.