40 under 40 – 2017 winners

Joe Hovanic

Joe Hovanic
Washington, D.C.
Employer: Association of American Medical Colleges

Senior Specialist, Enterprise Risk Management. Joe has been fortunate to have many different experiences in the Washington, D.C. area that got him to his current position. He worked as an intern on Capitol Hill and also, at a European think tank while in college at George Mason University. He says the people he has met from all walks of life and backgrounds has been incredible, and has been a huge influence on him.

From there, he entered the nonprofit world, working first for an international development firm and a trade association before landing at the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). His current major project is the implementation of the COSO framework within their organization for the Enterprise Risk program. Professionally, he had the privilege of being in a position of facilitation of communication and projects between numerous private, public, and nonprofit entities.

He feels that a big part of his achievement in his professional career is the work he does with the community, assisting the legal team with pro bono cases with the Washington Legal Clinic, working with the homeless and vulnerable populations in the nation’s capital.

Joe believes it’s such a rewarding experience making tangible improvements on people’s lives who truly need it. While working full time at the AAMC, he has also taken the Virginia real estate exam in September.

He’s excited about a possible new venture in the real estate world in conjunction with his day job. Joe’s Croatian great grandparents worked in the textile mills near Pittsburgh and then settled on a family farm in Warren County, PA. These values and ethics of hard work from his grandparents really shaped him and his whole way of life. He credits the faith of his family and ancestors (Catholic) for influencing him and his desire to help people both in my professional and personal life.

That’s the pride he takes in his Croatian heritage, and which he tries to exemplify every day. Joe is a current member of the Association of Croatian American Professionals (ACAP). He proudly was active in promoting Croatian cultural awareness and other interests at international student functions while he attended George Mason University. Family is from Vrbova, a town in Slavonia and a family house is on Hvar.

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