Leaders in Architecture, Housing, Education and Community to Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame

The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame (IHHF) proudly announces the 2026 inductees, exceptional individuals whose contributions have enriched Connecticut’s civic, education, housing, and architectural landscape. These remarkable and inspiring individuals exemplify the spirit of immigrant success and resilience.

The Induction Ceremony & Gala, by the National Immigrant Heritage Center, will take place on Thursday, October 8.The 2026 class of IHHF inductees:

Nermin “Miki” Duric was born and raised in Bosnia and Herzegovina and came to Connecticut as a refugee, settling in Hartford. A graduate of Bulkeley High School, he moved to Wethersfield in 2004. At just 20 years old, Miki launched his first business and has successfully managed insurance and real estate firms ever since. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Central Connecticut State University and an MBA from the University of Hartford. A dedicated entrepreneur and community leader, Miki has founded and served on numerous nonprofit boards and commissions and played a leading role in establishing the Bosnian-American Center, creating a lasting resource for Connecticut’s Bosnian-American community. He currently serves in his second term on the Wethersfield Town Council, continuing his commitment to public service and civic engagement. Through his leadership, entrepreneurship, and community advocacy, Miki has made significant contributions to both the Bosnian-American community and the State of Connecticut.

Tai Soo Kim was born in Harbin, Manchuria to Korean parents in the 1930’s. He graduated from Seoul National University in 1960 and then moved to the US in 1961 to study at the Yale School of Architecture under then-dean, Paul Rudolph. He worked in Philip Johnson’s office after earning his Yale degree. In 1969, while working with the firm Huntington, Darbee & Dollard, he won a Progressive Architecture Award for the Van Block housing project in Hartford, CT. In 1970, he co-founded the Hartford Design Group, later renamed Tai Soo Kim Partners, later shortened to TSKP Studio. Among awards and recognition, since founding the firm Kim was elected to the American Institute of Architects College of Fellows in 1986, and received the Korean Broadcasting Systems’ Overseas Compatriots Prize in 1994. Currently, he is a partner at the TSKP (Tai Soo Kim Partners) Studio Architecture firm based in Hartford, CT, with a satellite office in Boston, MA. The firm specializes in public buildings including educational, government, and corporate campuses.

Seila Mosquera-Bruno was appointed Commissioner of Housing for the State of Connecticut by Governor Ned Lamont in 2019 and re-appointed for his second term in 2023. She is the Board Chair for the Connecticut Housing Finance Authority, Vice-Chair of the Connecticut Municipal Finance Authority, and Board Member of the Capital Region Development Authority. As Commissioner, Seila leads the agency responsible for all housing matters including homelessness support, development, preservation, acquisitions, and homeownership. The Department of Housing administers $200 million for homelessness services and more than $800 million for development and preservation of affordable housing. Previously, she was an affordable housing developer for more than 20 years in Connecticut. Seila is a native of Ecuador; holds a master’s in urban studies from Southern Connecticut State University and a bachelor’s in business administration from Charter Oak State College. She was a fellow of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government.

Ruth Weiner is a longtime educator and former principal who has dedicated much of her life to teaching others about the lessons of the Holocaust. Born in Vienna, Austria, she escaped Nazi persecution as an only child through the Kindertransport to England. After surviving the war years, she was reunited with her parents and immigrated to the United States.For many years, Ruth enjoyed a distinguished career as a teacher, principal, and educational consultant. Today, at age 95, she continues to share her powerful story with students, educators, and community groups throughout Connecticut. As a wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she remains committed to Holocaust education and remembrance through her work with the Voices of Hope and the Jewish Federation of Greater Hartford. Through her presentations, she inspires audiences to reflect on the consequences of hatred, the importance of tolerance, and the responsibility of future generations to preserve the memory of the Holocaust.

Honoring and Highlighting Inspirational Immigrants to Connecticut and America

“We are delighted to honor this exceptional group of individuals who exemplify perseverance, commitment to excellence, and remarkable achievement," said Asha Lassen, president of the National Immigrant Heritage Center. "The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame Induction Gala celebrates our diverse and multicultural nation and the significant contributions that our inductees and those of immigrant heritage make to our state, nation, and the world.”

The mission of the National Immigrant Heritage Center is to “Celebrate, preserve, publicize, and promote Immigrant Heritage and Cultural Diversity as defining characteristics of the American Nation, and the contributions of Immigrants and Immigration to the American economy, culture, and civil society.”

The IHHF Induction Gala ceremony on October 8 will take place at the Aqua Turf Club in Plantsville, CT at 5:30 p.m.In addition to a formal dinner, the program will include a Keynote Speaker, brief video presentations about each of the inductees, and an array of cultural presentations reflecting each inductee’s background and providing lively entertainment throughout the evening.

The number of individuals and families honored by the Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame since its

inception will total 49 with the four 2026 inductees. Detailed inductee profiles – for this year’s honorees and previous inductees – can be seen on the IHHF website, immigrantheritage.org.

A Distinguished Roster of Impactful Immigrants

The IHHF celebrates the diverse ethnic heritage of our state and country by honoring individuals and institutions who exemplify the best of their immigrant heritage and who have made outstanding contributions to the cultural, economic, and civic development of the United States. The IHHF strives not only to preserve heritage but to educate the public about the importance of immigrant heritage to the identity of the United States and the contributions of immigrants and immigrant communities.

The Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame was initially a project of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut, Inc., a 501(c)3 charitable organization, which launched and operated the Hall of Fame from its inception in 2013. It was succeeded by the establishment during 2021 of the National Immigrant Heritage Center (NIHC), an independent 501(c)3 organization established as a multi-ethnic Center, inclusive in its mission, structure and governance.

Tickets for the 2026 Immigrant Heritage Hall of Fame gala are now available; a wide variety of sponsorships are also available to support the event and the National Immigrant Heritage Center. Further announcements regarding the evening’s program – including keynote speaker - will be made in the coming weeks.For up-to-date event, ticket, sponsorship, and inductee information, visitimmigrantheritage.org.