Jerzy "Yurek" Majcherczyk
Explorer, travel agent, author
Born May 12, 1952, Siewierz, Poland; came to U.S., 1981; son of Eugeniusz and Franciszka (Korusiewicz); maried Margaret (Iwan); children: Pawel, Piotr, Michal.
Education: Academy of Mining and Metallurgy, Cracow (Poland), 1972-74; Technical University of Cracow, 1974-79.
Career: explorer, "CANOANDES 79" Polish students' expedition, discovered and canoed down Colca Canyon (Peru) and 12 virgin rivers in Latin America, 1979-81; vice president, co-owner, CanoAndes Expeditions, Inc., New York City, 1984-91; director, Sunny Land Expeditions, Inc., Hackensack (NJ), 1991 -.
Author: In Kayak Through Peru (travel guide), 1981; 1st precise map of Amazon River (sources used by J.Cousteau), 1982; various articles in: El Comercio (Peru, Ecuador), Przekroj (Poland), South American Explorer, Nowy Dziennik, co-editor, Poland Travel Directory, 1994.
Member of: co-founder, vice president, Student Kayak Club "Bystrze", Cracow, 1972; board member, Polish Canoe Federation, 1974-77; organizer, Solidarity, Lima (Peru), 1981-82; organizer, Pomost Denver - Colorado, 1982-84; board member, South American Explorers Club, 1982-86; South American Travel Association (board member, New York chapter, 1987-91); fellow, Explorers Club of New York; founder, Explorers Club in Warsaw (Polish chapter); Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences of America (P.I.A.S.A.)
Honors, i.a.: Honorary Citizen of Arequipa (Peru), City Mayor, 1982; Peru President's recognition for most successful expedition in 30 years, 1982; Guinness Book of Records (cover for Colca Canyon), 1984; "Legend of Paddling", Paddler Magazine, 1994.
Affiliation: Republican. Catholic.
Languages: Polish, English, Spanish, Russian.
Hobbies: exploring Latin America and Siberia, white water canoeing, promoting tourism to Poland.
Office: PO Box 661, Bergenfield, NJ 07621.
From: "Who's Who in Polish America" 1st Edition 1996-1997, Boleslaw Wierzbianski editor; Bicentennial Publishing Corporation,
New York, NY, 1996