About the Chamber
Founded in Houston in 2017, the Polish American Chamber of Commerce in Texas is a non-profit organization serving to connect and facilitate business interests between Poland and Texas; and in a broader sense between Poland and the USA.
We aspire to collaborate with businesses regardless of industry and ranging from the smallest businesses to the largest multi-nationals on both sides of the Atlantic as well as with all relevant governmental, academic and non-profit organizations.
Management & Board
Jim Mazurkiewicz, PhD – President and Founding Board Member
Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz serves as a Regents Fellow, Leadership Program Director, and Full Professor with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, where he has worked for 46 years. He began his career as an agricultural representative in several Texas counties before taking on leadership roles within the Texas A&M University System. Currently Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz directs the Governor Dolph Briscoe Jr. Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership Program and oversees initiatives for mid-career agriculture professionals, students, and international guests. A fifth generation Polish American from the Brazos Valley, Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz’s family settled in Washington County in the late 19th century and continues to operate its farm in Chappell Hill, Texas. He earned his B.S. and Ph.D. from Texas A&M University and a Master’s from Texas Tech University. Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz has extensive experience in building bridges between Texas and Poland through business, cultural, and scientific cooperation. Over the past 12 years, Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz has coordinated exchanges for more than 1,000 individuals between Texas and Poland, connecting government, academia, and industry. His leadership has also contributed to key economic initiatives, including Texas’ first LNG gas contract with Poland. Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz’s efforts have been recognized with awards such as the Regents Fellow Award (2012), the Bryan/College Station Volunteer of the Year Award (2013), the Medal of Merit from the Polish President (2016), and the Medal of Honor from the Polish Minister of Agriculture (2011). Jim married Kathy Gore in 1978, and they are proud parents of three children.
Bradley Mushinski – 1st Vice President and Board Member
Bradley is currently working as City of Houston Council Member Mary Nan Huffman’s Director of Constituent Services. He joined Council Member Huffman’s office after previously working under the direction of Harris County Commissioner Jack Cagle. As Director of Constituent Services, Bradley acts as the point of contact for residents residing on Houston’s Westside. Bradley earned his bachelor’s degree from American University in Washington, D.C., before pursuing a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Houston. His global perspective was furthered by studying abroad at both Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland, and Peking University in Beijing, China, where he gained firsthand experience in international governance, economic development, and cross-cultural relations. As 1st Vice President of the Polish American Chamber of Commerce in Texas, Bradley plays a pivotal role in promoting the organization and expanding its reach within the business community. He is committed to fostering strong relationships between Polish and American enterprises, creating opportunities for collaboration, and advocating for policies that support economic growth. Bradley actively engages with business leaders, government officials, and community members to highlight the chamber’s mission and the benefits of membership. Through strategic networking, outreach events, and partnerships, he works to attract new members, ensuring that Polish businesses have access to valuable resources, connections, and support to thrive in the U.S. market.
Maciej Baginski, JD – 2nd Vice President and Board Member
Maciej is a seasoned international grants expert with over 20 years of experience in securing non-refundable funding for innovative projects. As the founder of BW & CO, he has supported more than 2,000 pioneering initiatives across Europe and now drives breakthrough projects in Texas. With a background in international law and deep expertise in research and development, Maciej excels at crafting compelling grant proposals that bridge European methodologies with American market insights. His impressive portfolio includes collaborations with leading institutions such as the Polish Armaments Group, the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the Medical University of Warsaw, as well as major technology hubs in the U.S. Beyond his consulting work, Maciej serves as the Program Director for the Austin district of the Polish-American Chamber of Commerce in Texas and advises key organizations like Wrocław Technology Park, UMW Center for Preclinical Studies, Capital Factory Texas, ION Houston, and Greentown Labs Houston. Maciej is a recipient of PolChamTX’s 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year Award in recognition of his achievements in fostering the business cooperation between Poland and Texas.
Jakub A. Bartoszewski – Secretary and Board Member
Born in Gdynia, Jakub moved to the United Kingdom as a teenager upon being awarded a British Alumni Society high school scholarship. He went on to study at New York University, graduating in 2019 with a Bachelor's degree in Economics, and later earned a Master's degree in International Economics, Trade, and Energy from Texas A&M University in 2021. He has developed expertise in North American energy systems, particularly in oil, natural gas, and electricity. Jakub also volunteers as the Editor-in-Chief of the “Polish-Texan Business Review,” the official business magazine of PolChamTX.**
Tim Magier – Board Treasurer
Timothy is a Corporate Development professional helping lead global Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A), Join Ventures, and other strategic initiatives for Halliburton's business lines. Prior to this role, he was an Investment Banker on Citigroup's Global Energy Group, where he supported M&A and Capital Markets transactions for clients across the energy space. Timothy graduated from Kenyon College in 2018, with degrees in Economics and Psychology. During his time at Kenyon, Timothy competed on the Men’s Swim Team for all four years. After graduating, he was an Investment Banker at Davenport & Company LLC and afterwards joined Citigroup’s Hedge Fund Credit Risk team. Originally from New Jersey, Timothy has lived in Texas since 2021 and enjoys living in the Houston Heights area. He brings experience as former Vice Chair of TPPF's Houston chapter of LLC. His favorite pastimes include traveling, staying active, attending stand-up comedy events, and supporting local community and charity organizations.
Art Dunal PhD – Founding Board Member and Past President
Art is a seasoned finance and management executive, holding a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Gdańsk and an MSc in Economics specializing in IT and Econometrics from the Poznań University of Economics. Currently serving as the Vice President and CFO at Dover Precision Components (an operating company within NYSE: DOV, S&P 500), Art's career spans significant roles in multinational corporations. He began his career as an auditor at Ernst & Young before moving on to become the Chief Accountant - Controller at Scania. From 2012 to 2016, Art served as the Country Finance Manager and Finance Business Partner at Rolls-Royce, responsible for maritime operations in Poland, Norway, Sweden, and Finland. In 2016, Art relocated to Houston, Texas, assuming the role of Regional Finance Manager for North America at Rolls-Royce Marine North America. In 2019, he followed Rolls-Royce Marine carve-out and joined Kongsberg, a leading Norwegian technological firm. Later, from 2021 to 2023, he held the position of Senior Finance Director at Shape, a Private Equity Portfolio company. Art is also an author of publications in the fields of strategic management and financial planning in academic and industry journals. He has undergone professional development in various countries, including Germany, Norway, the United Kingdom, Sweden, and the United States. His achievements include being recognized as one of the Top 25 CFOs in Houston for 2024 by Top CFOs Magazine.
Slawek Piankowski – Board Member
Slawomir is a highly accomplished maritime professional with a Master of Science degree, obtained upon graduating from Gdynia Maritime University in 2002. He began his career as a junior officer, gaining invaluable experience on various vessels. Joining Chipolbrok lines in 2005, he swiftly advanced within the company and earned the esteemed position of ship Captain in 2012. In 2014, he joined Chipolbrok America Inc at Houston, TX, assuming the role of President in 2016. As President, he demonstrates exceptional leadership, guiding the company towards continued success and establishing a strong presence in the maritime industry.
Thalia Kruger – Founding Board Member
Thalía, a SNAME (Society of Naval Architects & Marine Engineers) Fellow, is a Naval Architect and Marine Engineer who serves as Business Development Director and US Country Manager at Neko Energy US. Thalía earned her MSc degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at the Shipbuilding Institute of the Gdansk University of Technology in Poland, where she studied after being awarded a full scholarship by the Ecuadorian government. She has extensive experience in the Marine and Offshore sectors, honing her technical skills and taking on strategic account management and business development responsibilities. She began her career as a programmer and designer, advancing to positions such as shipyard project engineer, marine inspections chief surveyor, technical superintendent, entrepreneur, principal engineer, project manager, global offshore account manager, senior marine/offshore/wind consultant, and senior business development manager. Representing professional societies such as SNAME and ASME, Thalía has made positive and impactful contributions to the industry by organizing high-level panel discussions and technical sessions at various industry forums (OTC, SNAME Offshore Symposium, SNAME Maritime Convention) on relevant topics, followed by actions and publications that have received awards. She is an engaging mentor with a passion for promoting education, especially empowering women in STEM careers, particularly in the Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering fields. As an influential industry leader committed to participating in the energy transition, Thalía focuses on bridging the gap between energy innovators and other industry leaders, accelerating the commercialization of clean and efficient technologies for a sustainable future.
Waldemar Priebe PhD – Founding Board Member
Dr. Waldemar Priebe is a distinguished scientist and a global authority in the field of medicinal chemistry. He holds the position of Professor of Medicinal Chemistry in the Department of Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Cancer Medicine at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. He also holds the title of Professor of Chemistry in the Republic of Poland, granted in 2004 by the President of Poland, Aleksander Kwaśniewski, in recognition of his seminal contributions in the field of Chemistry. His research is focused on the discovery and development of new anticancer therapies and, more recently, therapies for infectious diseases. He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed journal articles, and his work has led to over 70 patents and numerous licenses by pharmaceutical companies. He is also a founder of 6 biotechnology companies, 4 of which, after successful IPOs, were listed on NASDAQ. Dr. Priebe is a graduate of Warsaw University and a PhD program at the Polish Academy of Sciences. He actively fosters collaboration between academic institutions in Texas and Poland, with over 40 Polish researchers having trained in his laboratory. In 2013, he received the Medal of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the Order of Polonia Restituta awarded by the President of Poland, Bronislaw Komorowski. In 2015, Dr. Priebe was appointed by the President of Poland, Andrzej Duda, to the National Development Council of Poland and received the Outstanding Polish Scientist Award. In 2023, Dr. Priebe received an honorary doctorate from Bialystok University of Technology in recognition of his academic achievements and fostering cooperation between Polish and American academia. He is also a Board Member of the Polish-American Council of Texas and a Trustee of the Kościuszko Foundation, as well as President of the foundation's Texas Chapter. Dr. Priebe and his wife, Dr. Teresa Szwarocka-Priebe, reside in Houston and have two daughters, Anna and Elizabeth, and a son, Christopher.
Greg Kusinski, PhD – Founding Board Member and Past President
Greg serves as the Team Lead for Regulatory Affairs within the Gulf of Mexico Business Unit at Chevron. In this capacity, he spearheads the development of regulatory strategies for major capital projects and technology qualification. With over 25 years of experience in the energy industry, Greg has held diverse roles encompassing major capital project execution, regulatory compliance, joint venture management, and technology development and commercialization. He earned his B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Engineering from UC Berkeley, further augmenting his academic achievements with an Executive MBA in Corporate Strategy and Finance from Rice University, as well as completing the Management of Technology program at UC Berkeley. Active within his industry, Greg chairs the Technology Policy Committee of NOIA, was elected to the Executive Committee of ASME Petroleum Division, and is a member of the Board of Directors for OTC. Additionally, he contributes to academic institutions as a Board Member and President of the Rice Jones School Business Partners, and serves as an Advisory Board Member for both the UC Berkeley Materials Science Department and UC San Diego Nanoengineering, while also supporting the Oceans Energy Safety Institute as chair of its Industry Advisory Board.
Zbigniew J. Wojciechowski, MD – Founding Board Member
Zbigniew is an Associate Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology at the Institute for Academic Medicine at the Houston Methodist Hospital (Weill Cornell Medical College). He obtained his MD at the Jagiellonian University School of Medicine (Kraków, Poland) and his Clinical Fellowship at the University of Washington. Zbigniew served the Houston Polish community as the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Poland from 2003 until the opening of the new Polish Consulate in 2017. He is also the lead organizer of the annual Polish Film Festival in Houston.
Mat Podskarbi - Founding Board Member
Mat is an experienced sales and business development leader with a focus on technology commercialization, product management, and strategic sales. He is currently the Data Infrastructure Lead at AVEVA. Previously, he was the SVP of Business Development and Product at Akselos, MIT spin-off backed by Shell. Mat has also held significant roles at Yokogawa and Schlumberger. He is a founding member and President of the Polish American Chamber of Commerce in Texas and mentors at the University of Houston Wolff Center for Entrepreneurship. Mat holds a Master’s Degree in Structural Engineering from Cracow University of Technology.
Adam Urban - Founding Board Member
Adam has held various production, operations, technical leadership and corporate strategy roles across Shell's upstream deepwater and onshore businesses since 2005. A native of the Upper Silesia region of Poland, he holds a Masters degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Michigan and has lived in Texas and Brazil. Currently he is based in Houston as the Production Excellence Lead for Shell's Canadian and Argentine assets. Adam's main passions include mentoring students and junior employees, supporting the Polish communities of Houston & of his hometown and outdoor activities in the mountains.
Magdalena Milewska – Board Advisor/Poland
Magdalena is a recruiter and recruitment trainer with over 15 years of HR consulting experience. She has planned and executed recruitment projects for specialist and managerial roles across diverse industries, acquired new agency clients, and trained teams in leading Polish agencies. Magda holds an MSc in Human Resources Management from The Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń and began her career at Antal International. In 2009, she embarked on a coaching path as an internal recruiter, overseeing the recruitment, onboarding, and training of consultants and team leaders. Magdalena is well versed in direct search methods, STAR-method interviews, and recruitment process guidance. From 2012, as a manager, she built the Search & Selection team at People agency. Currently a Partner at Haris Ltd, she leverages her expertise to train HR specialists and line managers in effective search and selection methods and various HR tools, including the behavioral interview. Magda finds her greatest job satisfaction in human interactions, is motivated by building others’ competence and self-confidence, and loves exploring new places.
Mary McIntyre – Board Advisor/Texas
Honorary Board Members Emeritus:
Horacio Licon – Founding Board Member
Gabi Czesak – Board Member
Paul Olendzki – Board Member