Tomislav Đorđević

In companies whose founder, strategic leader and owner was Tomislav Đorđević I was a director and one of his closest associates from 1992 to 2006, up to my retirement. Own professional energy, high standards and creative abilities of Tomislav Đorđević always produced above average results. I’m proud of that part of my biography.

I consider working with Tomislav Đorđević very significant for my own professional life, my family’s existence, as well as that of hundreds of families of former and current employees. We gave grants for a significant number of students during this period. The housing situation of several employees was resolved, and in addition a residential building for the housing of young professionals and their families was constructed. We contributed actively to our social environment through direct employment, as well as through contracting local companies to build production capacities. I can responsibly state, that we always worked fully in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations, with regular payments of employees’ salaries and all social contributions. Today, the companies also employ members of the next generation, children of our former employees.

Despite the difficult business conditions of the ’90s, we built new factories and developed new products, some of which were import substitutes. At the same time we aimed to contract domestic manufacturers of equipment and raw materials wherever possible. Our partners know us as precise when it comes to negotiations, demanding when it comes to quality and correct when it comes to meeting our obligations.

Tomislav Đorđević has demonstrated his versatility in various fields, including the field of banking. He created and organized a bank in line with European business standards, with services of the highest quality. Meridian Bank made pioneering steps in the process of modernization of the domestic banking market, of which I single out:

• flawless payment operations,
• first electronic banking in Serbia,
• expansion of payment cards and ATM network.

This also meant continuous investment in education and intensive training of hundreds of young bankers in all regions of Serbia. The fact that they are some of the best-skilled staff that domestic banking has to offer, speaks adequately about the value system and true patriotism of a man who made such strategic decisions. Being employees of the bank run by Tomislav Đorđević was a great privilege for each one of us. The synergy of creativity, knowledge and work resulted in rapidly growing client numbers and the expansion of the branch network across the country.

Having co-workers who are highly educated experts in their areas, while at the same time having Tomislav Đorđević – a visionary of endless entrepreneurial drive and creative energy – as one’s superior is an invaluable experience.

After all, I have no answer to the question: why is this tireless creator being stopped? It is invaluable how much Tomislav Đorđević did for this country, because he consistently believed in it and its people and invested in it for decades. He could, even as a young engineer, have left and offered his potential elsewhere, yet he chose to produce, employ and create value here. What he has finally lived to experience, and the manner in which genuine success is resentfully punished in this country, is unfortunately proof that thousands of young people who are buying a one-way ticket are not in the wrong. It is a disappointment to live in a society where mediocrity is imposed as the benchmark, while people with the greatest knowledge, intelligence and rare talent are marginalized, and encouraged to leave this country out of repression, to seek justice in other places where better value systems prevail. I pose a legitimate question: Where is Serbia headed?

In Novi Sad, 08.04.2011.

Zlatica Nikačević, BSc Chemistry

’92-’99. Yuco Hemija AD General Manager

’99-’05 Meridan Bank AD General Manager

’05-’06 Meridian Bank AD Deputy General Manager

Business Partners:

Ljubivoje Nikolić, Slobodan Pejović, “Tomić” printing, Mirjana Soro, Ferenc Kasa, Srboljub Đurić, Brane Pajić, Dušan Erdeljan, Živojin Janić, a group of enterpreneurs, Dušan Bokić, Slavko Gabrić, Geza Bleskanj, Veselin Šibul, Bogdan Rokvić, Branislav Rosić

Colleagues:

Jovan Cvetković, Dušan Tadić, Janez Škrubej, Slavoljub Pajkić, Stanka Radaković, Zlatica Nikačević, Đorđe Mitrović, Biljana Simić, Miladin Savić, Miroslav Fodora, Mirjana Srijemac, Dragutin Čop, Blažena Anđelić, Damjan Korda, Gordana Tešić, Dragan Stojanović, Dragan Radujko, Ivko Stojković, Igor Kizur, Željko Jakšić, Zdravko Josipović, Vladislav Hadžija, Robert Hep, Saša Krajnović, Radivoje Nikačević, Veselin Ristić, Branislav Radomirović, Aleksandar Divljak

Others:

Marijana Carić, group of classmates, Nikola Laćarac, Dragan Kosanović, Municipality of Mali Iđoš officials, Ivan Kopić, „Top 10 in Vojvodina“, Gordana Radosavac, Zoran Trajković