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Brenda Brkusic Named "Top Business Executive Under 40 Years Old"

Posted on April 29, 2008September 7, 2026 by Andrej & Daniela Urem

OC Magazine names Croatian-American to list of top 40 executives under 40

Brenda Brkusic Named “Top Business Executive Under 40 Years Old”
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. (April 24, 2008) – From Chapman University, to the Halls of Congress, European Union, and a high-profile position as channel manager of KOCE-TV’s OC Channel – activist, humanitarian, and businesswoman, Brenda Brkusic, has been named to OC Metro Business magazine’s list of “Top 40 Business Executives and Entrepreneurs Under 40 years old.”

OC Metro’s “40 under 40” recognizes Orange County’s most successful, young entrepreneurs and executives. The publication, which boasts a circulation of more than 70,000 copies and readership in excess of 344,000, publishes this listing annually, and this year named Brkusic to the list in its April 24 issue.
“Brenda’s outstanding achievement, including her award-winning documentary, philanthropic efforts and business success, continue to inspire and educate the Orange County community,” said Mel Rogers, KOCE-TV president and general manager. “We are pleased that she has been recognized, and believe strongly that she has a bright future ahead.”
Brenda was chosen among other business professionals under 40 years old that have already achieved a great deal of success in their careers, such as an Assistant US Attorney General and the President of multi-million dollar company.

Responsible for the award-winning documentary Freedom from Despair, which reveals the shocking truth about the suppression and abuse of the Croatian people; and a leader in the OC Channel launch, Brkusic is changing the way Orange County receives news and information.
Her work has won dozens of awards, including the CINE Golden Eagle Award, which was previously won by Steven Spielberg and George Lucas. She has also been honored by U.S. Congress for her hard work promoting human rights, and was recently invited to present Freedom from Despair to European Parliament. In addition, she has been recognized by Amnesty International and the Anti-Defamation League.
Aside from launching a TV station and producing film tours across the globe, Brkusic regularly speaks to students about leadership and the filmmaking process. She donates a portion of the proceeds from her film sales to charities in war-torn areas of Croatia, and is an active supporter of Adopt-a-Minefield, and Artists for Amnesty International.
“It is an amazing feeling to be given this type of recognition for fulfilling my personal dreams and aspirations,” said Brkusic. “I am honored and grateful that my work has been well-received and that I have been chosen to this prestigious list.”
A reception will be held for all the honorees May 1st in Newport Beach.
To read the OC Metro article about Brenda Brkusic online visit:
http://www.ocmetro.com/NEW_SITE/index.php
or www.ocmetro.com – archives – April 24, 2008
To read more about Brenda Brkusic’s film Freedom from Despair visit:
www.freedomfromdespair.com
ABOUT KOCE-TV: KOCE-TV is the sixth-most watched PBS station in America with an estimated 5.8 million viewers* monthly. Currently celebrating it’s 35th anniversary, the station’s award-winning programming offers the fifth-largest county in the nation a long-standing community hub for local news, culture and features, and broadcasts the best available national PBS programs to the entire Southern California five-county region. Known for its outstanding dedication to education, KOCE Classroom serves more than a half million K-12 students. A national Roper poll recently ranked PBS as number one in public trust for the fourth consecutive year.** The winner of hundreds of awards including Emmys and Community Service Awards, KOCE continues to be a vital community resource and connector for Southern California. For more information, please visit www.koce.org.
* Nielsen Station Index 2007
** Reported by the GfKRoper Public Affairs & Media poll (2007)
Formatted for CROWN by   Marko Puljić
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Related Links
  • http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1644435/
  • http://www.koce.org/brkusic.htm
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_from_Despair
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