NEW YORK – Dr. Anthony Pilavas is an ophthalmologist in Astoria and is affiliated with multiple hospitals in the New York area, including Lenox Hill Hospital and New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai. He received his medical degree from Aristotle University of Thessaloniki School of Medicine. Before the age of 34, he opened his own office in Astoria, equipped with the latest technology, examining patients, and performing various treatments.
His son, Dr. John Pilavas, followed in his father’s footsteps, which is rare today, and both are experts in eye surgery, especially Photorefractive Keratectomy (PRK) and laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis, more commonly known as LASIK.
Both are engaged in research and writing as well. Dr. John Pilavas teaches at Nassau University Medical Center. The father and son, both fluent in Greek, spoke with the National Herald at their offices, 25-09 31st Ave in Astoria.
Dr. Anthony Pilavas was born in Chios and came to America at the age of ten. After high school, he attended the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Medical School.
His son, however, was born in Lexington, Kentucky when his father was a specialist in the ophthalmology department at the University of Kentucky, and grew up in New York. The younger Dr. Pilavas credits Saint Demetrios School in Astoria, summers in Chios, and volunteer work at the Skylitsios Hospital in Chios, for his perfect Greek.
This hospital was built in 1883 and bears the surname of the brothers Zannis, John, and Matthaios Skylitsis, who at that time donated £6,100.
Asked why he chose the Aristotle University Medical School, Dr. Anthony Pilavas said that there were many factors that led him to this decision.
“The first reason was because in Greece you are allowed to enter medical school right after high school, while in the United States you must first finish 4 years of college. The second reason was financial, because in Greece, Medical School is completely free of charge.”
Referring to the difficulties he faced in the homeland, he said there was a difficulty with the language.
“I left Greece very young, just ten years old, so my Greek was at a 4th grade level. So I experienced a language problem going to the Aristotle University Medical School, but once again it turned out that with hard work anything can be done. Having great determination and love for the subject of my work, I managed to overcome the obstacles in my way.”
Asked why he chose ophthalmology, he explained that “it is a specialty that gives you the opportunity to deal both with eye pathology and surgery.
“At the same time, it is a specialty that has made tremendous leaps in technology. Incredible progress has been made in the past three decades. Among these are refractive surgery PRK and LASIK.”
“We are moving towards a time when the patient will undergo an operation and will then no longer need to wear glasses. We have not reached this point quite yet, but we are on the way,” he added.
About what has changed in the past three decades, Dr. Pilavas noted, “Knowledge has been enriched and deepened, while surgeries have changed radically. When we started the first surgery, patients wore thick glasses and we reached the point of inserting lenses. Several surgeries now in 2018 are done in outpatient clinics, while the patient was previously required to stay in the hospital for 4 to 5 days.”
With regard to eye diseases, he underlined that they now have better and more effective methods of dealing with them.
“There is LASIK, with which you can correct the problem and the patient gets rid of glasses. John is a specialist in refractive surgery, which aims at getting rid of eyeglasses and correcting astigmatism. After LASIK surgery, the patient mostly does not need to wear glasses or contact lenses.”
Asked if the interventions corrected vision problems permanently, Dr. Pilavas said that “all of these interventions are mostly for the long term. Besides, let us not forget that nothing in life is permanent. There are changes we have to adapt to.
“For example, a laser surgery for a 25-year-old corrects vision for distance. At 45 years old, problems reading often appear. So you need a new intervention to correct presbyopia (inability to focus on near objects which often begins in middle age). In addition, there are cornea interventions recently approved by the FDA aimed at correcting presbyopia.”
As far as contact lenses and eyeglasses are concerned, “it is a matter of personal choice for each patient. Contact lenses are often worn instead of glasses. Therefore, when someone would prefer not to wear eyeglasses then we recommend contact lenses to the patient to improve his condition and see more clearly. Similar results can also be achieved with laser procedures (LASIK, PRK).
“For keratoconus, a disorder that results in the thinning of the cornea, the FDA has approved, about two years ago, a method for treating and stabilizing it.
“John is an expert in this method and using one of the most modern tools that have been approved in recent years. We have it in our clinic and we are doing surgery to stabilize keratoconus.”
Concerning transplantation, Dr. Pilavas said, “A great revolution is taking place.”
“In the past, an entire transplant had to be done, and now it can be just the inner section of the cornea. John is an expert on these issues,” he added.
For removing cataracts, “We are using the new method with the laser, which has been approved for a long time, and surgeries are done at the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary, 14th Street and 2nd Avenue in Manhattan, for three years, equipped with a new laser machine which has significantly simplified the operation.
“The surgery is done in two stages. In the first one the cataract is laser-crushed and then the patient is taken into the surgery where the cataract is completely removed. Its advantage is that surgery is simplified and, of course, we can say it’s easier.”
He added, “Another advantage of the laser is the reduction of astigmatism in the removal of the cataract. If we deal with the removal of the cataract in time, the surgery is painless, simple, and the results better.”
“Many of the elderly are afraid of surgery and wait until the cataract is so far-advanced, it actually makes the surgery even more difficult.”
As for the recovery period after an operation, it is “patient-dependent.”
“If the patient is diabetic, healing takes longer. It also depends on how each eye reacts to the operation. We can say without the slightest doubt that the recovery time of the patient after surgery has been significantly reduced,” Dr. Pilavas added.
Ophthalmological exams are done in the office, while surgeries are performed at the hospital as an outpatient procedure.
“Simple surgery can also be done in the clinic. The treatment for the keratoconus is done in the clinic. Cataract surgery is necessarily done in the operating room.”
Anesthesia is done locally with drops that remove sensitivity and pain, but a sedative is also provided to help keep the patient calm.
The duration of the surgery depends on the ailment being treated. The cataract operations, for example, take only a short time.
Postoperative monitoring also depends on the patient’s overall health status.
“In the case of a diabetic patient, the monitoring is more intense. We take a picture of the eye, we look at the bottom, we see the retina, the macula, and in cases where no changes happen, a simple monitoring is enough.
“In cases where there are changes, laser treatment can be done in the clinic to cauterize vessels that either drain liquid or blood. In special, complicated cases we refer the patient to colleagues who deal exclusively with those cases. Ophthalmology has been divided into many sub-disciplines and patients are referred accordingly.
Dr. Pilavas explained that there is the neuro-ophthalmological sub-specialty dealing with the retina and the vitreous. We also have ophthalmoplastics, as well as colleagues dealing with special and advanced cases of glaucoma.
Dr. John Pilavas is a graduate of St. Demetrios School in Astoria, Georgetown University, and the University of Louisville School of Medicine. He completed his internship in Internal Medicine at Lenox Hill Hospital – Manhattan Eye, Ear, Throat, and served as Chief Resident at Nassau University Medical Center – SUNY Stonybrook. Dr. Pilavas is an ophthalmologist specializing in PRK and LASIK surgeries.
Asked why he chose this specialty, he said, “After medical school I wanted to become a surgeon. And one of the first surgeries I had seen was a transplantation of the cornea. I was impressed because after the transplant you can restore the patient’s vision.”
Transplants
“We are very lucky in America. For example, if I urgently need to perform a transplant, it can be done in a few hours. We have an eye bank. In Greece, from what I am aware of, there are no eye banks,” Dr. Pilavas said.
He noted that the same rules apply to transplants of other organs which also require special treatment after surgery to minimize the possibility of tissue rejection.
“It all depends on the reason for the transplant,” he added.
Dr. Pilavas pointed out that there are cases where the transplant may last a lifetime, but there are also cases where the patient may later on require a new transplant.
He also spoke about the patient’s age when undergoing refractive surgery noting that there are many patients age 20-30 and many more age 60-70.
About surgical procedures to correct vision- myopia, presbyopia, and astigmatism, Dr. Pilavas said they are done after age 21 when the condition of the eye is stable.
In conclusion, Dr. John Pilavas, said, “Worthy of discussion are the advances in cataract surgery after which patients no longer need to rely on glasses as much or at all and the use of special intraocular lenses to treat astigmatism and presbyopia.”
NEW YORK – New research by the Anderson Cancer Centre at the University of Texas in Houston, headed by Greek researcher Apostolia Tsimperidou, has paved the way to better control of cancer and improved patient survival rates.
The research allows for personalised therapies that focus on specific gene mutations in each patient, giving the best possible treatment for each different one.
The multi-year study called IMPACT confirms that precision medicine is a more successful treatment strategy than non-targeted gene and molecular traditional therapy. It is the first and longest clinical trial so far on medical precision in terms of its positive impact on patient survival.
Specifically, the study, which included 3,743 patients aged 16 to 86 years old, with various types of advanced cancer (gastrointestinal, breast, lung, melanoma, etc.), showed that the average survival time of the group receiving targeted treatment was 9.3 months, as opposed to 7.3 months in patients receiving conventional treatments, adding two more months.
The patients surviving for up to three years reached 15 pct in the case of targeted treatment, compared with 7 pct in non-targeted treatment. Ten-year survival was achieved by 6 pct of patients who received targeted treatment, compared with only 1 pct of those who did not.
The researchers presented their findings at the annual conference of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago. Tsimperidou is one of the pioneers in promoting cancer prevention in the United States.
BALTIMORE, MD – The successful Greek-American restauranteur Stelios Spiliadis is 80 years old and his initial reaction to someone breaking into his Black Olive Restaurant,814 S Bond Street in Fells Point, causing damage to a video screen, pulling the register from the counter, and stealing a small amount of cash, was exactly like most people’s, “Of course, my first response was a degree of anger. I am a human being,” he told the Baltimore Sun.
Spiliadis next response was surprising, he wanted to find the culprit and offer him a job.
He said, “I don’t want him to go to jail. I want to see if there is an alternative for him, in the form of a decent job, and would he take it? I will start him in a very structured way, in a very structured job like [bussing tables], and he will be on probation like everyone else. I will tell him, ‘Look at all the trouble you went through for a small amount of cash. We never have much cash here. Look at the time wasted, the damage to my business, the time of the police… Get together with me and work. I will give you a job, and you will pay me back — I am a Greek businessman, you will pay me back — and then you will have a job, and a career,’” the Baltimore Sun reported.
The article noted that it can be difficult for those with criminal records to find jobs and while some employers do offer opportunities, only Spiliadis in the Baltimore area has offered a job directly to the person who actually stole from his restaurant.
“I am not motivated by the Christian ethic of ‘turn the other cheek,’” Spiliadis told the Sun, adding that “one kid, one owner, one act can get me a place in paradise, but that’s not what the city needs. Look at that, we are both losers, that guy and I. My business has been reduced to a significant level as a result of the perception that the county has of safety in Baltimore. And he’s a loser — he has no future doing what he’s doing. To take the amount of time he did, the kind of risk he did, and for what? He is a loser.”
Spiliadis grew up in Greece, studied philosophy at Columbia University, and worked in Sheepshead Bay restaurants, waiting tables to pay the rent. After graduating from Columbia, he moved to Baltimore to attend Johns Hopkins University, where he met his future wife Pauline, a librarian, when he returned an overdue book. The couple has two sons, Andreas and Dimitris. Spiliadis worked for 30 years as a social worker before deciding to open Black Olive in 1997.
The young man in the security camera footage will have to turn himself in before the plan to change his life for the better can be implemented. At press time, the suspect has not yet been caught and there is no way of knowing if he has even heard of Spiliadis’ offer to be trained to work in the elegant Greek restaurant.
The Spiliadis family association with fine food and hospitality goes back to their roots in Northern Greece, then to a move to Constantinople, and a successful hotel and restaurant on the coast of the Black Sea. As noted on the Black Olive website, “When the Greeks were forced out of Turkey in the 1920’s, the family moved back to Greece, and eventually opened up a taverna in the city of Patras,” adding that, “many of the same recipes used at the Black Olive Restaurant today were cultivated and honed in those years.”
More information about Black Olive is available online at: theblackolive.com.
NEW YORK (AP) — A judge set deadlines that could make President Donald Trump answer questions under oath by early next year in a former “Apprentice” contestant’s defamation suit, while Trump’s lawyers pushed back Tuesday on demands for information on his campaign’s discussions about other women who also accused him of sexual misconduct.
Trump’s legal team continues to try to get Summer Zervos’ defamation lawsuit dismissed or delayed until after his presidency. But at least for now, it’s moving into an information-gathering phase that could involve key disclosures — and put both Trump and Zervos under questioning by each other’s lawyers.
Zervos accuses Trump of slurring her by calling her a liar. Already, her lawyers have issued subpoenas seeking a range of information, including any records concerning his 2016 campaign’s responses to Zervos’ and other women’s accusations of inappropriate sexual behavior. Trump has vehemently denied them all as made-up.
At a court hearing Tuesday, Trump lawyer Marc Kasowitz said the campaign shouldn’t have to turn over any material about other women.
It’s “irrelevant,” he said.
Not so, said Zervos’ attorney, Mariann Wang.
“It’s a defamation case, so we are required to prove the falsity of the statements, and his statements include statements about other women,” she said outside court.
Manhattan state Supreme Court Justice Jennifer Schecter didn’t settle that dispute Tuesday but began setting various deadlines, including Jan. 31 for any depositions of Trump and Zervos. Lawyers for each have indicated they want to depose the other’s client.
If they do, each side will have up to seven hours.
Presidential depositions have a memorable history: During a 1998 deposition in a sexual harassment case filed by Paula Jones, then-President Bill Clinton denied a sexual relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Clinton’s denial eventually led to his impeachment by the House of Representatives for perjury and obstruction of justice; the Senate ultimately acquitted him.
Despite the deadline, it’s too soon to say for sure when Trump might have to submit to questioning. His lawyers plan to argue to a state appeals court this fall that a sitting president can’t be sued in a state court, and Kasowitz indicated Tuesday that the question could end up at the U.S. Supreme Court.
He also said Trump might seek extensions on various case deadlines because of the “significant attendant duties” of the presidency.
Zervos, a California restaurateur, appeared in 2006 on Trump’s former reality show, “The Apprentice.” She says he subjected her to unwanted kissing and groping when she sought career advice in 2007.
She was among more than a dozen women who came forward late in the 2016 presidential campaign to say that Trump had sexually harassed or assaulted them.
The Republican denied all the claims, saying they were “100 percent fabricated” and “totally false” and his accusers were “liars.” He specifically contested Zervos’ allegations in a statement and retweeted a message that included her photo and described her claims as a “hoax.”
Zervos says his words hurt her reputation, harmed her business and led to threats against her. She is seeking a retraction, an apology and compensatory and punitive damages.
Trump’s attorneys have said his statements were true, and also that his remarks were “non-defamatory opinions” that came amid the heated public debate of a national political campaign.
Besides the campaign records, Zervos’ lawyers have subpoenaed other information including any “Apprentice” material that features Trump talking about Zervos or discussing other female contestants in a sexual or inappropriate way.
Trump’s lawyers, meanwhile, are seeking a court order to keep some documents and information private. The details are yet to be worked out.
Such confidentiality agreements, meant to facilitate the exchange of information between opposing sides, aren’t uncommon. Wang said Trump’s lawyers initially signaled they wanted to seal a swath of filings in the case, but Kasowitz said Tuesday they would narrow their request.
But Kasowitz said they are mindful of media interest and might seek additional protections if it “intrudes on the interests and rights of the litigants or looks like it would impair the ability to have a fair trial.”
BOSTON, MA – The parish council of the historic Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church of Lowell, MA decided to cut its annual contribution to the Archdiocese in half, from $48,000 to $24,000. Only two members abstained from the unanimous vote. Also, the issue of $650 per month for the priest’s pension plan was discussed.
Holy Trinity is the only parish in New England that sustains a Greek Day School, and has for the past 108 years. But now the school has only 106 students enrolled, which includes Kindergarten, and less than 25 students are from the parish.
In December, the assembly voted closing down the school, but at the last minute gave it a one-year extension. Recently, the principal suddenly resigned. Fr. Nicholas Pelekoudas is the parish priest, and he is also supervisor of the Greek Education of the Metropolis of Boston.
Parish Council President George Kontos confirmed to The National Herald the reduction of funds for the Archdiocese and that he would provide a more extensive interview soon. In a subsequent telephone conversation, he told TNH that it would be a month, and declined at that point to comment further on the matter.
Fr. Nicholas Pelekoudas, presiding priest of the Holy Trinity parish. Shown are Fr. Tom Chininis from the Transfiguration parish in Lowell, George Christopoulos, and George Zaharoolis, former parish council presidents. (Photo by TNH/Theodoros Kalmoukos)
Community members told TNH that the parish is dwindling. One prominent member, who chose to remain anonymous, said the number of parishioners has dwindled to 595 after having consisted of 1200 families. The congregation on an average Sunday is between 60 and 100 people. Congregants told TNH that on the parish’s Feast Day of the Holy Spirit, only 40 people were in church.
The annual membership dues are $400 for families, $350 for individuals, and seniors pay whatever they can afford.
Lowell has two additional parishes: Transfiguration and St. George. About five miles away is the town of Drake, where there is the parish of the Dormition of the Mother of God.
At some point years ago, Lowell was a vibrant area in terms of Orthodoxy and Hellenism. The withering in recent years of parishes, some contend, is because of the behavior of the local hierarch of Boston, whom they say chased away volunteers, such as from the Transfiguration parish.
Hundreds of families have left the parishes generally and thus Lowell today is in a critical state.
As for Archbishop Demetrios, his presence in the Lowell area over the past 19 years has been virtually nonexistent.
ASTORIA – The hilarious comedy, The Yellow Gloves by Alekos Sakellarios and Christos Giannakopoulos was performed by the students of the newly established Saint Demerios High School Drama Club at the Petros Patrides Cultural Center in Astoria on June 1 and 2.
The students were directed by their teachers Apostolos Mavrommatis and Stavroula Tsoutsa. The students impressed the audience with their exceptional performances in their particularly demanding roles.
Giannos Melissourgos as the jealous Orestes provoked plenty of laughter, while Angeliki Tzanou was convincing as the long-suffering Rena. Krystallia Pasvati presented the mincing Toula and Andreas Mouhas was delightful as the “manga” Leandros. Artemis Orkoula as Elli convinced us of her abundance of talent and Anna Sarantis was a sweet and odd Vaso. Ioanna Pasvati as Annoula and Savas Tserkezidis as Takis played their roles impeccably.
Andreas Konstantinou revealed his acting talent as Brillis and inspired unrestrained laughter in the audience. Evangelia Tsaggaris as Mrs. Theodora was impeccable and Christos Klitsinikos was a funny Zervos.
The director was Antora Mitsaki, who worked hard so that the show would go on without any mistakes or problems. Behind the scenes, Dennis Hatzitasis and Zoe Bibassi helped out as well. Christos Gkerdouki was the stage manager. The result was unique. The audience broke into thunderous applause for the young actors and spoke enthusiastically about the professionalism of the show.
After this successful effort of the newly established St. Demetrios Drama Club there are great expectations for the future and upcoming performances.
The St. Demetrios Drama Club production of The Yellow Gloves. (Photo by TNH/Costas Bej)The St. Demetrios Drama Club production of The Yellow Gloves. (Photo by TNH/Costas Bej)The St. Demetrios Drama Club production of The Yellow Gloves.The St. Demetrios Drama Club production of The Yellow Gloves.The St. Demetrios Drama Club production of The Yellow Gloves.The St. Demetrios Drama Club production of The Yellow Gloves.The St. Demetrios Drama Club production of The Yellow Gloves.
ATHENS – Vasiliki Scotes was born in a small village in Epirus, Greece, but lived most of her long life in Harrisburg, PA. Nearing the age of 100 she spent the last few years dictating to her son, Ambassador Thomas Scotes, as many songs as she could remember from her childhood in Theodoriana. The resulting book, entitled A Weft of Memory, was first published in 2008 and is being reissued this year.
The story of her journey, at age 103, from Pennsylvania to Theodoriana in Arta, the multi-faceted narrative of the immigrant, and the sounds of Epirus, were enjoyed by the many who attended the Hellenic American Union event “Immigration, foreign land, memory, song” on June 4 in Athens.
When you leave your home, you do not leave it entirely, a piece of it lives inside of you, Vasiliki said in the documentary “Last Song to Xenitia” which was screened at the event and which was created by her granddaughter, Athena Scotes. The piece she kept inside her when she immigrated to the U.S. in 1931 was the songs that echoed the poems inspired by the Tzoumerka Mountains. Their silences accompanied her in the difficult times living in a foreign land.
At age 100, she decided to transfer this pure cultural heritage to her son Thomas Scotes, a former U.S. ambassador to Syria and Yemen, who recorded them in the book that led to his mother being honored in 2010 by the President of the Republic, Karolos Papoulias, with an award for the preservation of popular oral tradition.
“I owe them nothing, nothing is owed to me,” said Vasiliki with humility and surprise at the award.
At this point of the journey she meets the great musician Lakis Chalkias, who has undertaken to sing the narratives and songs of Vasiliki. When I die, accompany me with the clarinet and not with the priests’ psalms, she said, visibly moved.
Her emotion is interrupted by the sound of the protestors in Syntagma Square, which at that time hosted the protests of the “Indignants.” It is the cohesive element of three generations of immigrants, as the economic crisis has led and leads thousands of young people to leave Greece even today. Vasiliki and Athena go to Syntagma Square, where Vasiliki takes the microphone to urge the protesters not to give up but to stay in their country and continue to fight for a better life, as “you are forced to keep your head down” in foreign countries.
Then the documentary travels with images and music to Vasiliki’s beloved Tzoumerka. “Now it’s not a dream, it’s true and I’m seeing it for the last time,” said Yiayia Vasiliki.
Returning to the village, where she was received with a celebration in the square, she can only remember her childhood and think about the conditions of the era that forced her to leave school. She wanted to become a teacher.
Many guests in attendance at the Hellenic American Union event in Athens, June 4, 2018. (Photo by TNH/Achilleas Kouremenos)
“She became a professor. Here is her lecture! Here is her lesson, we saw it. Let that be her legacy,” Alexander Kitroeff, Associate Professor of History at Haverford College, Pennsylvania, said in the discussion that followed the screening.
“Here is what will be left behind, her songs! Each creator would like to leave behind is what he created,” said Haris Vlavianos, a poet and essayist, who described the work of Vasiliki and Thomas Scotes as “a labor of Hercules.”
Finally, Vassiliki Chryssanthopoulou, Assistant Professor in Folkloristics & Society, Department of Philology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, said the book “makes an important contribution to the study of the oral tradition of Greek-Americans.” The fact that Scotes did not alter his mother’s songs and poems, even when there were imperfections in the meter, the professor considers it a hub for the existence of one “pure speech that highlights the ways in which it is preserved, but also transforms the language in the environment of long-term immigration.”
Ambassador Thomas (Thanasis) Scotes at the Hellenic American Union event in Athens, June 4, 2018. (Photo by TNH/Achilleas Kouremenos)Ambassador Thomas (Thanasis) Scotes (L) and Prof. Evangelos Sorogkas at the Hellenic American Union event in Athens, June 4, 2018. (Photo by TNH/Achilleas Kouremenos)
SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Greek-American Eleni Kounalakis and Ed Hernandez, both Democrats, are the two out of the 11 candidates who will continue on to the general elections vying for the position of lieutenant governor for California.
“We did it! With nearly 100% of precincts reporting, our campaign for a better, stronger California came out on top last night,” Kounalakis said via her Facebook webpage. “Our first-place finish would not have happened without you, and we’re going to need your help as we bring this fight to November!”
“Californians have showed us they want a Lieutenant Governor who will fight to protect our coastline, make higher education, housing, and healthcare affordable, and fight for equality in the workplace. And when we win this, I will be a champion for all Californian families” Kounalakis said.
Lt. Governor (top two advance) 100% reporting via eastbayexpress.com
Eleni Kounalakis (D): 23.5%*
Ed Hernandez (D): 20.8%*
Cole Harris (R): 18.3%
Jeff Bleich (D): 9.3%
Dave Fennell (R): 8.3%
Lydia Ortega: 6.6%
David Hernandez (R): 6.2%
Gayle McLaughlin: 3.6%
The lieutenant governor is the president of the state Senate and is first in line to succeed the governor.
In October 2017 Eleni Kounalakis took time out of her busy schedule to talk with The National Herald about her run for Lieutenant Governor of California.
When asked if she always wanted to go into politics, Kounalakis told TNH, “I was raised in it. My earliest jobs in high school, growing up in Sacramento, were at the capitol, I interned in Washington, DC. I went to a girls’ school for high school, and dressed up as Walter Mondale and debated a girl dressed up as Ronald Reagan. My very first paying job in my life was at the California Democratic Party in 1992, I worked for Phil Angelides and it was a big election. California turned blue and we haven’t looked back.”
Married to veteran journalist Markos Kounalakis with whom she has two teenaged sons Neo and Eon, the former US Ambassador to Hungary told TNH that her family is from “outside of Tripoli, Rizes in Arcadia and my husband’s family is from Chania.”
Education is another vital issue in the campaign. Kounalakis said, “The Lieutenant Governor has an important role to play in the economy and in higher education because you sit on the board of the CSU and the UC, and this is very personal for me because my father went to Sacramento State University and he paid his way through on a waiter’s salary and I look at the story of my family, my grandmother in Greece never learned to read or write. She let her son go to America to work in the fields at age 14 and her granddaughter was sent back to Europe by the President of the United States as an American Ambassador and the pivot point was Sacramento State on a waiter’s salary. Ours is an extreme example, but there are millions of families in California that have traveled the same route, so we need to make absolutely sure that we’re able to offer that education at the CSU, the UC, and our community colleges, not just to be comparably less expensive than private institutions, but that they are within reach of any Californian who wants to pursue that education. It has become too expensive, so I’ll be working to fight to bring that cost down.”
TORONTO – Greek-Canadian tech entrepreneur Matthew Staikos, age 37, was shot to deathon May 28 in front of the Bay St. Pusateri’s in the Yorkville neighborhood of Toronto, the Toronto Sun reported. On June 1, a video released by the police showed the gunman fleeing the scene in “a silver or grey newer model Mercedes” with four doors and “the car sped southbound,” the Sun reported.
There appears to be no motive for the murder which has left the more questions than answers so far for the family, friends, and investigators.
Det. Omar Khan told the media, the Sun reported, “This was an unprovoked attack on a defenseless man,” adding that Staikos’ family is “trying to come to terms with his murder but they also can’t fathom why,” and “We hope we can get them answers.”
The Toronto Sun reported “that Staikos was honest, hard-working and well-liked,” and
“Khan said there is no doubt the gunman intended to kill Staikos, but he would not say whether the Belleville-area native was targeted.”
“As far as a motive is concerned, I don’t want to speculate,” he said. “There’s no reason to believe (the gunman and Staikos) knew each other,” the Sun reported.
Khan noted that a “male companion has been ‘very cooperative’” and there was no event that provoked the violence.
Staikos was shot in the head and back, “consistent with a professional hit,” the Sun reported.
The son of Nick Staikos, a Belleville-based home builder and developer, Matthew Staikos “was a graduate of the mechanical and computer engineering program at the University of Toronto. His Facebook page says he is the CEO of the Internet messaging site Vleepo,” the Toronto Sun reported, adding that Staikos “worked closely with his brother George.”
He had been in a long-term relationship with girlfriend Evangeline Giannoulis, though the two were not married.
Posts on social media reflected the shock over the murder, including this post on Giannoulis Facebook page by Fotoula Macgregor, the Sun reported, “This is so deeply upsetting. My thoughts and prayers are with you and his family. I am at a loss for words.”
Staikos is survived by his parents Nick and Gale (nee Brummell), brother George and sister-in-law Christina (nee Grivakis), grandmother Fern Brummell, girlfriend Evangeline Giannoulis, and many nieces and nephews, as the Toronto Star reported.
The visitation was held at the John R. Bush Funeral Home in Belleville on June 1. The funeral service was held in the chapel on June 2 with a reception at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Trenton. On June 22, a celebration of Matthew’s life will be held in Toronto at the Aria Ballroom, Four Seasons Hotel. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. For online condolences, please visit rushnellfamilyservices.com, the Star reported.
“Cops describe the shooter as black, 5-foot-10, with a medium build and in his mid to late 20s to late 30s,” the Sun reported, adding that “anyone with information should call police at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).”
ASTORIA – The Cypriot Young Professionals (CYP) of the Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce and NEPOMAK presented Cyprus 44 Years Later- A Retrospective Look and Call to Action at the Museum of the Moving Image in Astoria on June 5. The well-attended event brought together young people and leaders of the community interested in the Cyprus issue and what comes next in the struggle for justice for the divided island nation.
Former President of the CYP Christina Shailas, a first-generation Cypriot and Constantinople-Greek, born and raised in Queens, NY spoke movingly about her love for Cyprus and also of the need for the youth to become more involved in the cause. Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce President Nicolas Nicolaou noted in his introduction of her that Shailas loves Cyprus so much she is moving there. Shailas thanked everyone for their presence at the event, including the diplomats, sponsors, and media who made the event possible. She noted that the goal of the event was to bring the community together, to feel empowered as a community, review the history and events that led us to the point we are at today, adding that we must “never forget what this beautiful island suffered.”
Among the powerfully moving stories shared during the event, Shailas, spoke about her neighbor, Xenis Thomas who was serving in the army at the time of the invasion of Cyprus in 1974 and his harrowing story of survival, being taken prisoner, hands and feet tied, piled like sacks on a ship, and transported to Turkey, not knowing if he would survive the ordeal. Thomas, who is one of the kindest people, always giving back to the community, was released as part of a prisoner exchange, Shailas said, and he told her his story one Sunday afternoon in his diner.
Chamber of Commerce President Nicolaou who was 9 years old at the time of the invasion noted that sometimes you have to ask for people to share their stories and added that the Board supports the young people in their efforts for Cyprus. A brief video featuring the first announcement of the invasion with the sirens blaring brought back the trauma of that Saturday morning in July of 1974 for Nicolaou and he noted that when he first heard it again in preparation for the event, he had to stop it because it was so frightening.
Federation of Cypriot American Organizations President Kyriakos Papastylianou congratulated the CYP and NEPOMAK for organizing the event, and pointed out that all the organizations support the youth coming forward to lead the fight for justice for Cyprus.
The Permanent Representative of the Republic of Cyprus to the United Nations Ambassador Kornelios Korneliou gave a brief outline of the Cyprus issue, the history, events, and explained where we are today, and where we can go from here. He said there is no other alternative but to continue the negotiations for the unity of Cyprus. As a member of the European Union and the UN, Cyprus must become a “normal state” as Amb. Korneliou said, quoting the UN Secretary General. Events need to be understood, but also the geography, he said, noting that Cyprus is an oasis of stability in the region and is a reliable and predictable ally of the United States and Israel, and has the full support of Greece.
The Cypriot Young Professionals of the Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce and NEPOMAK presented Cyprus 44 Years Later- A Retrospective Look and Call to Action. (Photo by TNH/Costas Bej)
A panel discussion followed in which Elena Marouletti- Founder/Executive Producer and host of AKTINA FM/TV, President AKTINA Productions, Inc., and CYPRECO Of America, Inc.; Stavros Kamilaris- who was serving in the army at the time of the invasion which happened directly in his village of Agios Georgios, Sophia Kotzia, and Effie Lekkas shared their emotional stories, bringing history to life for all those present.
A video presentation also highlighted the call to action and many noted that 44 years is enough.
PSEKA President Philip Christopher spoke movingly about the struggle for justice for Cyprus adding that all the young people must become involved in U.S. politics, by registering to vote and making their voices heard at the city, state, and federal levels of the government. He referred to the ongoing efforts for the missing of Cyprus and thanked Nikos Mouyiaris for his presence and years of support for the cause. The unity of Hellenism on Cyprus and the Greek national issues is the key for the future and for justice for Cyprus.
The Permanent Representative of Cyprus to the UN Ambassador Kornelios Korneliou spoke about the Cyprus issue at the event.
Among those present were Consul General of Greece in New York Konstantinos Koutras, the new Consul General of Cyprus Alexis Phedonos-Vadet and his wife Melina, His Eminence Bishop Sevastianos of Zela, Menelaos Menelaou- Deputy Permanent Representative of Republic of Cyprus, Despina Axiotakis- Cyprus- U.S. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director, and New York City Council Member Costa Constantinides.
Cards with the names of the missing were handed out as the attendees exited from the auditorium after the presentation, personalizing the tragedy for many who were not even born when the invasion of Cyprus took place. The cards with photos of young people never to be heard from or seen again by their families also serve as a reminder of the tremendous suffering the people have endured and the need for action.
A reception followed with foods provided by Zenon Taverna. A raffle was also held for two tickets to Cyprus which was won by a student.
The Cypriot Young Professionals of the Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce and NEPOMAK presented Cyprus 44 Years Later- A Retrospective Look and Call to Action. (Photo by TNH/Costas Bej)The Cypriot Young Professionals of the Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce and NEPOMAK presented Cyprus 44 Years Later- A Retrospective Look and Call to Action. (Photo by TNH/Costas Bej)The Cypriot Young Professionals of the Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce and NEPOMAK presented Cyprus 44 Years Later- A Retrospective Look and Call to Action.
NEW YORK – Daniel S. Janis III Senior Managing Director and Senior Portfolio Manager Manulife Asset Management (US), LLC will be honored on June 13 by the Hellenic American Association for Professionals in Finance (HABA) at the 36th Annual Executive of the Year Award Dinner in Manhattan. More information is available online at: www.haba.org.
Daniel S. Janis, III is head of Global Multi-Sector Fixed Income at Manulife Asset Management. He is a senior managing director, senior portfolio manager and the lead portfolio manager for the company’s global multi-sector fixed income strategies, responsible for asset allocation, global bond research and currency management.
His areas of expertise include global economics, foreign exchange, derivatives and risk management. Prior to joining the company, Janis was a vice president and proprietary risk manager for BankBoston. He also had been a vice president for Morgan Stanley in the foreign exchange department and managed their forward desk from 1991 to 1997. He holds certification from the Association of International Bond Dealers. Janis earned a BA in Economics at Harvard University.
LOS ANGELES, CA – The Los Angeles Greek Film Festival (LAGFF) 6th International Project Discovery Forum takes place at the Egyptian Theatre, June 7-10 this year. The International Project Discovery Forum (IPDF) is LAGFF’s industry program.
IPDF is a pioneer in the development and promotion of international independent films, utilizing the innumerable resources that exist in Los Angeles to create a bridge between two very different worlds – American and Greek/Balkan independent cinema.
“We look for films that have an original approach, and are made by independent filmmakers that have a unique voice,” explains IPDF Director Araceli Lemos. “The stage of development of the selected projects varies from inspiring and promising treatments or scripts in the early stages – to more advanced projects with complete scripts. We create a network of creative professionals from Greece, the Balkans, and the U.S. that share the desire to preserve film as an artistic expression, always searching for new ways of storytelling through image and sound.”
An example of a bridge created by IPDF is with Cypriot filmmaker Marios Piperides. He participated in the second edition IPDF (2014) and his first feature Smuggling Hendrix recently won the International Narrative Feature Award at Tribeca 2018.
After studying Broadcast Management and Film Production in the U.S., Piperides returned to Cyprus in 2002 and founded his production company. The main theme in his work is the ongoing division of Cyprus and their need to overcome their own prejudices. Smuggling Hendrix was selected by LAGFF curators to open the 12th LAGFF on June 6 at the Egyptian Theater,marking the film’s West Coast premiere.
The 2018 Forum includes a four-day development lab with six selected filmmakers, as well as a series of roundtables, workshops, and masterclasses that are free and open to the public. This year’s filmmakers come from Greece, Romania, and Lebanon with diverse and compelling stories.
BOSTON – In a confidential letter, dated May 8, 2018, to His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America eleven members of the Board of Trustees including members of the Executive Committee as well of Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology (HCHC), warned in a most official and final way that Hellenic College is threatened with elimination and the Theological School is in danger of losing its academic accreditation, while its future is doubtful. They have arrived at the point of stating that maybe they will not accept students for this coming September.
The members of the Board of Trustees in their letter-report which was obtained by The National Herald write to the Archbishop as Chairman of the Board “regarding the very serious state of the institution” they stated and they request the immediate removal of the School’s President Rev. Christopher Metropulos. They wrote that “as trustees of HCHC, we have become recipients of a special spiritual and legal duty. How we exercise this duty is not only something for which we must answer to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts but, much more importantly, something for which we must answer to God and to all the faithful members of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America who love and depend on HCHC.
In addition, those of us who are members of the Executive Committee serve as representatives of all of the other trustees; they depend on and expect us to oversee the institution’s well-being, to report to them, and to communicate their insights and concerns to Your Eminence and the other corporate officers.”
The entire letter has as follows:
“CONFIDENTIAL
May 8, 2018
His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Geron of America
Chairman, Board of Trustees
Hellenic College Holy Cross
Your Eminence,
Christ is risen! Your blessing!
With respect and love for you, the Greek Orthodox Church in America and Hellenic College
Holy Cross, we offer the following report and proposal regarding the very serious state of the
institution.
Introduction
As you reminded us at the meeting on April 24, 2018, the meaning of the word fiduciary derives
from the Latin term, fidere, meaning “to have faith.” As trustees of HCHC, we have become
recipients of a special spiritual and legal duty. How we exercise this duty is not only something
for which we must answer to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts but, much more
importantly, something for which we must answer to God and to all the faithful members
of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America who love and depend on HCHC. In addition,
those of us who are members of the Executive Committee serve as representatives of all of the
other trustees; they depend on and expect us to oversee the institution’s well-being, to report to
them, and to communicate their insights and concerns to Your Eminence and the other corporate
officers.
For approximately 18 months, we have expressed to you repeatedly our very serious concerns
about the direction of HCHC under the leadership of Fr. President Christopher Metropulos. We
have communicated details about the institution’s spiritual, academic, financial, administrative,
and governance condition. Our intention throughout has been simple: to exercise faithfully our
responsibility as fiduciaries in the full sense of the term.
From the recent 76th Commencement ceremony of Hellenic College and Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology. (Photo by TNH/Theodore Kalmoukos)
On April 24, 2018, we participated in the special BOT meeting convened to hear and assess Fr.
Christopher’s proposed “recovery plan” in light of HCHC’s rapidly declining conditions, a plan
the full Board had unanimously tasked him to prepare at its January 19 meeting. Despite the fact
that Fr. Christopher did not send his “plan” to the Board in advance of the meeting because he
said he did not trust the Board to keep it confidential, we patiently listened to Fr. Christopher’s
remarks; we considered his points carefully; we asked respectful questions; and we, along with
seemingly all who attended, became convinced that what Fr. Christopher offered us was totally
insufficient. It was not a “recovery plan,” it was a set of ideas and suggestions without coherence, without supporting evidence, without contributions from the Deans and faculty, and without a systematic path forward. In short, at a time of crisis for the institution on a number of fronts, Fr.Christopher took three precious months to develop and present to the Board what he described himself as a set of “talking points,” a far cry from the “robust plan” the Board had asked him to prepare.
We have had serious concerns about Fr. Christopher’s abilities for many months; now, however,
we believe beyond doubt that tolerating his continuation as the President of HCHC would be a
betrayal of our spiritual and legal responsibilities as trustees.
In addition, we cannot, as fiduciaries, accept an incoming class at HCHC without a compelling
recovery plan and a President capable of executing it in collaboration with staff, faculty,
trustees, and other donors.
Before we delineate an alternative recovery plan, we would like to recap the key developments at
HCHC over the past 3 years.
Key Developments During Fr. Christopher’s three years as President:
Departures of Senior Management: all three Deans (Fr. Nicholas Belcher, Dean
Skedros, and Dean Katos), as well as the Vice President of Institutional Advancement (Kosta
Alexis) have either resigned abruptly or tendered their resignations effective June 30 of this year.
Rather than promptly informing the EC or the Board of these significant developments, Fr.
Christopher remained silent, only acknowledging the developments when asked about them in
the presence of the full Board. As of June 30, 2018, HCHC will not have a senior management
team.
Enrollment: Fr. Christopher has failed in his efforts to increase enrollment.
HCHC enrollment has dropped 25% from 185 students in Sept ’15, to 182 students in Sept ’16,
to 166 students in Sept ’17, to an expected 140 in Sept ’18.
Finances: The table set forth on Attachment I hereto shows HCHC’s summary
financial results and a few key financial metrics for the fiscal years ending June 30, 2016, 2017
and 2018 (projected). The overall financial trend is alarming and is not sustainable. Over the
three year period shown on Attachment I, HCHC has incurred or will incur cash deficits ranging
from $2.2 -$3.1 million per year. Over the past 36 months, we have been averaging a monthly
cash deficit of ~$190,000, and HCHC is now unable to make payroll without further endowment
borrowing. During Fr. Christopher’s presidency, we have borrowed a total of ~$6.7 million from
our unrestricted endowment funds (pooled accounts), and as of April 30, 2018, HCHC only had
~$1.1 million of such unrestricted pooled account funds remaining, as compared to a projected
cash deficit through the calendar year ending December 31, 2018 of $2.6 million. Absent a
significant cash infusion, HCHC will run out of money before the end of the current fiscal year
(June 30).
Realistic projections for the next two fiscal years are equally dire. The table set forth on
Attachment II hereto sets forth HCHC’s projected “baseline” financial performance for the fiscal
year’s ending June 30, 2019 and 2020.
As is evident from these figures, which project cash deficits over the next two fiscal
years ranging from ~$3.7-$3.9 million per year, HCHC’s financial situation has reached
crisis levels. In order to fund operations for the balance of this fiscal year (which will
require ~$1,050,000) and achieve a balanced budget for the next two fiscal years, which is
essential in order to justify admitting the next incoming class, HCHC will require ~$8.7
million of incremental funds through either additional revenues or reduced costs.
Accreditation: NEASC, one of our two accrediting bodies, issued us a formal
“Notice of Concern” in March 2017, stating that we are “in danger of not meeting the
Commission’s standard on Institutional Resources.” One year after this warning, in April 2018,
NEASC voted to continue HCHC’s “Notice of Concern” and will be coming to campus this Fall
for a site visit. Given the continued decline of our finances and enrollment and numerous
governance issues, the probability that we will be placed on probation or even lose our
accreditation outright is high.
Fundraising: With the exception of donations & pledges for the failed student-
center proposal, fundraising has been generally flat. Fr. Christopher travels continuously, but
without a methodical development plan, without accountability to the board, and without
communicating the purpose of his absences from campus to senior management or trustees.
With the departure of Kosta Alexis, who indicated that he left due to a lack of Presidential
“leadership and vision,” the school is left without a professional development officer at a time
when the need for such skill set could not be more critical. Since Mr. Alexis’ departure in 2017,
Fr. Christopher has made no effort to search for a replacement.
Facilities: Responsibility for Facilities and Grounds has been neglected since the
departure of James Karloutsos in 2015. Jacobs Engineering conducted a study of our campus in
2015, which ascertained that there are currently ~$10.5 M in facilities deficiencies, including
several ADA violations. The President received and reviewed the report, but no action has been
taken.
Strategic Planning: No work has been done on Strategic Planning under Fr.
Christopher’s leadership, despite this being a vital component of accreditation evaluation and a
valuable planning tool.
Unsustainable Academic Programs: Some of the undergraduate programs have
been running at unsustainable levels and a proposal to close some programs (Elementary
Education, Management & Leadership) have been dismissed by Fr. Christopher.
Oversized Faculty: Nothing has been done to adjust the size of the faculty in
light of declining enrollments, even though the 2 academic deans have made recommendations
and provided a plan to the President. Currently, HCHC has 22 full-time faculty for only 164
students. This overall ratio is nearly three times higher than the ratio at comparable institutions,
and the ratio comparisons are even worse for some specific programs.
Governance: Between December 2016 and today, 10 Executive Committee
Meetings have been canceled. The Oct. 2017 EC meeting was scheduled with only 4 days’
notice. Thus, over the course of 20 months (Nov 2016-May 2018) a total of only 5 EC meetings
have been held. According to our bylaws there should have been 16 meetings. In addition, 14
months after the repose of Christine Karavites, we still have no BOT Corporate Secretary.
Minutes have not been kept consistently and, at times, have been kept irresponsibly, as was
evidenced by the need for substantial corrections and edits to the January 19, 2018 meeting
minutes.
Communication and Collaboration with Trustees: Repeatedly, trustees have
been left out of communications, misinformed about vital institutional data, and sidelined from
the governance process, compromising our ability to fulfill our entrusted roles. For example: (a)
the NEASC “notice of concern” issued in March 2017 was not shared with the BOT until 2
months after it was received; (2) for the entire Fall semester 2017, Fr. Christopher did not bother
to communicate declining enrollment numbers to the BOT; and (3) Dean Skedros submitted his
letter of resignation to Fr. Christopher in October 2017, requesting to end his term as Dean a year
early; yet, at the December 2017 EC meeting, the President denied that Dean Skedros had done
so and he never communicated this critical information to the Academic Affairs Committee.
III. Essential Prerequisites for a Successful Recovery Plan
New Presidential Leadership Immediately Following Graduation
Financial Resources- financial exigency, Archdiocesan funds & new commitments
Emergency Special BOT Meeting Following Graduation
Given the advanced state of the crisis within which HCHC now finds itself, the uphill
demographic changes (“the fundamental problem is too many institutions chasing too few
students”1), and the competitive and assessment landscape of higher education today, Hellenic
College’s demise is much more probable than its recovery, and Holy Cross is in grave risk of
losing accreditation. The examples of small colleges and seminaries that have closed or merged
with other institutions are abundant. We do not say this out of a lack of faith or hope; we say it as
a reality that must be taken seriously, especially as the Board considers whether or not to accept
an incoming class in the Fall of 2018.
Small colleges that defy this trend today are those that “have found a strong niche”2 and that
have a President who inspires and collaborates with senior management and with trustees. As a
hard-working and faithful priest of the Church, Fr. Christopher has our respect; as our
brother in Christ, he and his family have our love and prayers. However, in light of our
experience over the past three years, we have withdrawn our confidence in him as HCHC’s
President. In our judgment, even if the “recovery plan” he presented on April 24th had been a
compelling plan, he is not capable of leading the HCHC community through such a complex and
inescapably collaborative endeavor.
1 “Strength in Numbers: Strategies for collaborating in a new era for higher education:
Former US Ambassador to Hungary Eleni Kounalakis, daughter of noted Sacramento developer Angelo Tsakopoulos, took the top spot among 11 candidates in a first round election and advanced to the final contest for California Lt. Governor.
Her opponent will likely be fellow Democrat State Sen. Ed Hernandez, an optometrist, who had 20.8 percent of the vote on June 67 with 99.1 percent of precincts reporting, to her front-running 23.4 percent.
The race is to replace Gavin Newsom and featured big outside spending with the affluent Tsakopoulos paying big to support his daughter, donating more than $4.7 million to a super PAC for her candidacy, media reports said.
Many candidates were political newcomers running for elected office for the first time. The crowded race included four Democrats, four Republicans, one Libertarian and two independent candidates.
The Lieutenant Governor is the President of the State Senate and first in line to succeed the Governor and sit on most state commissions and agencies, as well as the University of California Board of Regents, the California State University Board of Trustees and the California State Lands Commission.
“People look at the lieutenant governor job as a place to land after they’ve termed out of another office or a place to launch from because they want another office,” Democratic candidate Jeff Bleich, who received 9.3 percent of the vote. “But it has a lot of responsibility,” he told the Daily Californian.
Kounalakis was graduated from the Haas School of Business at the University of California-Berkeley in 1992 with a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. She worked in her family’s housing development firm for 18 years before she was appointed as the U.S. Ambassador to Hungary by former president Barack Obama.
She campaigned on a platform that included promises to increase affordable housing and provide universal broadband Internet service for all.
Kounalakis also has a focus on making California’s voice known internationally, highlighting the state’s stance on the Paris climate agreement and technological leadership, the paper said.
“From our dedication to fighting climate change, to our leadership in innovation and technology, California has a more important role to play than ever,” Kounalakis’ website read.
“We feel very good about getting through to the top two,” Katie Merrill, a spokeswoman and political consultant for Kounalakis told The Sacramento Bee. “Eleni has been taking nothing for granted.”
Campaign finance filings show that Kounalakis, a Democrat who helped run the family company as well as an Ambassador, donated $4.2 million to her own campaign and that the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America gave her $200,000.
“I’m not surprised, to be honest,” Hernandez said about drug makers donating to Kounalakis. “Big Pharma did this because I’ve been an advocate for lowering drug prices and fighting against their policies.”
“Eleni has been very clear about her position on this. She will not accept Big Pharmaceutical contributions,” Kounalakis campaign spokeswoman Kate Maeder told the San Francisco Chronicle, although technically she may not be able to refuse it. “As Lt. Governor, she will be tough on this industry. Period,” said Maeder.
ASTORIA – The sanctification and inauguration of the Sts. Constantine and Helen chapel took place on the ground floor of St. Catherine and St. George Church in Astoria on June 3 immediately following the Divine Liturgy.
Konstantinos (Gus) Antonopoulos, funeral director, and son of Protopresvyteros of the church, Father Ioannis Antonopoulos, donated the chapel in memory of his mother, Presvytera Katerina.
“We thank Konstantinos Antonopoulos. We all remember Presvytera Katerina and we know the work of Father Ioannis. It is a contribution to all of us. What happens in the Church is for all of us. We are a spiritual family here in the Church, let’s not forget it. Kostas paid for all the expenses of the chapel,” Archimandrite Nektarios Papazafiropoulos said on the occasion of the chapel’s inauguration.
Dozens of parishioners who know the Antonopoulos family remained in the courtyard of the Church, to honor their contribution to the Community.
“All I will say is that the most important thing we have is our faith. Also, we must always remember and honor our mother and father. In the end everyone leaves, and we will leave. What remains is the works that we will leave for future generations,” Konstantinos Antonopoulos told The National Herald, visibly moved by the event.
Mr. Antonopoulos’ wife, Melanie, as well as his two daughters, Katerina and Ioanna, were also present. His father, Fr. Ioannis Antonopoulos, also known as “Astoria’s priest” for his years of service to the Greek enclave in Queens, said, “I have been in Astoria since 1967. I have been here for 51 years. I have heard no complaints from the Astorians, they have treated me well and have never said a bad word about me.” Immediately following, Fr. Papazafiropoulos and the priests chanted the “Axios” acknowledging his contributions.
“It is something that had to be done, not only by us, who are responsible for the operation of the church. There was a need for a chapel in order for the people to come in during the day and to light a candle instead of having to go all the way up to the main church. I’m glad my son, Kostas, decided to do it. For me it is symbolic, because together we celebrated the memory of his mother, Presvytera Katerina. We lived a beautiful life for 51 years. I loved them all, the Astorians treated me well and I never had a complaint from anyone,” Fr. Antonopoulos told TNH later on.
The sanctification and inauguration of the Sts. Constantine and Helen chapel in Astoria on June 3, 2018. (Photo by TNH/Kostas Bej)
The consecration was presided over by Fr. Papazafiropoulos, while immediately afterwards, one by one, Fr. Ioannis and Konstantinos Antonopoulos greeted everyone on the way to the Cultural Center for refreshments.
“It is a great honor for us who are here to give back to our community. It is an honor that all these people are here. We love them all and we want to give back,” concluded Mr. Antonopoulos.
Konstantinos Antonopoulos is the second of Fr. Ioannis and Presvytera Katerina’s four children. He runs the Antonopoulos Funeral Home together with his brother Thomas Antonopoulos, and although he was born in the U.S., speaks fluent Greek.
The sanctification and inauguration of the Sts. Constantine and Helen chapel in Astoria on June 3, 2018. (Photo by TNH/Kostas Bej)The sanctification and inauguration of the Sts. Constantine and Helen chapel in Astoria on June 3, 2018. (Photo by TNH/Kostas Bej)The sanctification and inauguration of the Sts. Constantine and Helen chapel in Astoria on June 3, 2018. (Photo by TNH/Kostas Bej)
NEW JERSEY – AHEPA “Alexander Hamilton” Chapter #54 New Jersey held its annual celebration on June 6 at The Graycliff in Moonachie. This year, the chapter honored philanthropist and former chapter president Steve Siderias and awarded 10 scholarships to high school graduates.
Siderias spoke with the National Herald, warmly thanking the board for the honor and wished the graduating high school students the best for good progress in their lives.
“Always,” he said, “be guided by the values and ideals of Hellenism and Orthodoxy. Only in this way will they prosper and be happy.”
The AHEPA Chapter #54 President, Ioannis Kontolios, thanked Steve Siderias for his great contribution to the Greek community.
“Today,” he said, “with great joy and honor, we are awarding an excellent person for his great charity work and support of AHEPA. Steve Siderias has made countless donations to institutions and churches not only in New Jersey but also to his beloved island, Chios. Many congratulations to the graduates, children of AHEPA members. I wish their lives to follow the principles, values, and ideals of AHEPA that are to preserve the language, customs and traditions of the homeland, charity, responsibility, individual and family excellence.”
Jerry Markopoulos, Vice President of AHEPA Chapter #54, expressed the joy and pride he feels for graduating students.
“Thirteen years ago,” he said, “you went to school for the first time in kindergarten. Some of you were happy, others were scared and others were crying. But none of you imagined how far you have come today. All of you have exceeded the dreams and aspirations of even your own parents. You are excellent students, with ethos and personality. The future is yours. Today, apart from the students, we honor Steve Siderias, a tireless servant and benefactor of Hellenism and the Church.”
The AHEPA Chapter #54 President, Ioannis Kontolios. (Photo by TNH/Mihalis Kakias)AHEPA “Alexander Hamilton” Chapter #54 New Jersey held its annual celebration and honored philanthropist and former chapter president Steve Siderias. (Photo by TNH/Mihalis Kakias)Jerry Markopoulos, Vice President of AHEPA Chapter #54. (Photo by TNH/Mihalis Kakias)AHEPA “Alexander Hamilton” Chapter #54 New Jersey awarded 10 scholarships to high school graduates. (Photo by TNH/Mihalis Kakias)AHEPA member Dr. Zinon Christodoulou. (Photo by TNH/Mihalis Kakias)
ANN ARBOR, MI – At the AHEPA District 10 Convention Banquet, held at the St. Nicholas Church Hall in Ann Arbor on May 19, the Educational Foundation presented scholarship awards of $1,000-$5,000 to 37 high school and college students for a total of $58,500 in scholarships.
Educational Foundation Chairman George Mortis spoke with The National Herald about the event, noting that “the District 10 Educational Foundation is one of the oldest, most active, and strongest foundations in the country, offering scholarships to students of Greek descent every year. Since its inception in 1976, it has offered a total of over $610,000 to 633 students.”
“The recipients are all very deserving students, with high grades, a variety of community services, and strong beliefs to the mission and ideals of AHEPA and the Daughters of Penelope,” Mortis told TNH.
“The scholarships,” he continued, “come from generous donors who have established endowment perpetual funds in their name or the name of a loved one. The awards are offered only from the dividends of the invested funds thus maintaining the perpetuity of the fund.”
More information is available by contacting the Executive Secretary, Milton Gust, by phone: 248-689-4156 or email: imgust@yahoo.com.
The Educational Foundation’s annual report and the complete list of the 2018 scholarship recipients are available online at: www.ahepa-district10.org/educational-foundation.
MACOMB, MI – The effort to help find a matching bone marrow donor continues for baby Elias Argirokastritis who is suffering from an extremely rare disease and needs a new immune system in order to survive.
Elias, a 9 month old of Greek descent, is in need of a bone marrow transplant. Elias suffers from a rare immunodeficiency disease called NEMO, nuclear factor-kappa B essential modulator deficiency syndrome. This complex disease affects the skin and immune system and makes patients susceptible to severe and life-threatening bacterial infections. This makes even the most minor of illnesses life threatening for Elias. NEMO affects only boys and is so rare that Elias’ diagnosis in October made him just the 22nd registered NEMO case in the U.S.
Initially, doctors did not think he would make it to 7 months but Elias continues to fight! Though Elias currently has no matches, his mother Evelyn and father Antonios still hold onto hope that their young son will get a second chance at a healthy life.
An online Virtual Donor Drive has been set up to register potential bone marrow donors in order to the cure for Elias or others in similar situations. A simple cheek swab is the first step in determining a match.
According to the University of Michigan Health page, “Fevers, lethargy and severe feeding troubles that caused weight loss followed, with Elias in and out of a hospital near the family’s home in Macomb, MI. But the mysterious symptoms kept getting worse.”
Elias’ mother Evelyn said, “The doctors were at a loss. We knew something was really wrong and that we had to get him to the right place,” Michigan Health reported, adding that “at 3 months old, Elias was transferred to University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, where he had several tests.”
Among the health issues the tests revealed was that “fungus was growing in his lungs. His white blood cell count was abnormally high. And the baby boy was fighting three viruses and three bacterial infections,” Michigan Health reported.
“The doctor told us that these symptoms basically tell us his immune system isn’t working,” Evelyn said, Michigan Health reported, “He is one of the youngest diagnosed patients, so maybe whatever is learned from him can add to research and help save other lives.”
The chances of finding a match increase if a potential donor is of similar ethnic heritage, so Baby Elias’ parents have taken the bone marrow drive to Greece as well as the Greek-American community.
REDONDO BEACH, CA – The St. Katherine Foundation was conceived by the late Dr. Demetreos N. Halikis, who wanted to help the St. Katherine ministries in Redondo Beach, CA to flourish. Father Michael Courey of the Church had given his blessing to the initiative after Dr. Halikis had articulated his vision for the foundation and on June 6, 2000, the original board and the bylaws of the foundation were installed. The highlight of the Foundations’ activities is the annual scholarship awards that benefit students from St. Katherine’s community.
Rosalind Halikis, Foundation Vice President and Scholarship Chair, said that “this year we are awarding 15 scholarships, 6 high school seniors, 8 undergraduates, and 1 graduate student. When we started this program in 2007, we were not able to award anywhere nearly as many scholarships because the funds were simply not available. With God’s blessings we were able to do so today.”
The total amount awarded for this year’s scholarships was close to $30,000. The scholarships are strictly based on merit and not on financial need. The basic requirement is a cumulative 3.5 GPA for high school students and a 3.4 GPA for college students although most of them far exceeded the required minimum.
“We truly have an amazing group of students who are really exceptional, not only in academics but also in their community service,” Halikis told The National Herald.
One of those students is Max Ramseyer, who graduated from Duke University and will be attending the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Mind, Brain, and Education master’s program. He said “I am grateful to Fr. Michael Courey and my St. Katherine community for the love and support that they gave me. My hope is to use my education to help all people reach their true potential in life.”
The deadline for applications is in April. Applications are available in the church office several months before the deadline. Once the foundation board has received the sealed, completed applications they are turned over to an independent committee at the Loyola Marymount University (LMU), who are the only ones who review the applications and determine their ranking. The three-person committee was chaired by Demetrios Liappas, the longtime Director of The Basil P. Caloyeras Center for Modern Greek Studies at LMU. This was Mr. Liappas last time to chair the committee as he has retired after 45 years of dedicated service to the Center and the Greek community at large.
After the Foundation’s Board receives the ranking from the LMU committee, they then meet in order to determine the amounts to be awarded on the basis of their ranking and the available funds. To this day, the Foundation has awarded more than $220,000 since 2007.
Trianna Mitsanas, one of the scholarship recipients and Haliki’s granddaughter, will be attending LMU majoring in theater with a minor in psychology, said, “my grandmother always has a smile on her face, she constantly puts herself before others. Her intelligence shines through in her ability to effectively organize this foundation. I admire her selflessness and dedication to her family.”
Another scholarship recipient, Kasiani Wolfe is a senior at Chaminade High School and will be attending the University of Alabama majoring in nursing while pursuing an MBA through a STEM MBA program, told TNH that along with her family she takes “the 30 mile drive every Sunday to St. Katherine’s Greek Orthodox Church in Redondo Beach where I was baptized, attended Sunday school and got involved with GOYA. This is a strong faith based community that had great influence on me and the scholarships I received both from the Oratorical festival and the Foundation will help me with my education.”
The other scholarship recipients are: Harrison Dulgarian (University of Alabama), Jason Edwards (UC Santa Barbara), Alyssa Eliopoulos (Washington State University), Namie Fotion (UCLA), Vasiliki Gianoukakis (University of Nevada), Megan Hood (Kent State University), Jacoub Malki (UCLA), Arianna Menzelos (University of Columbia), Garrett Pierson (California State Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo), Lauren Pierson (Montana State University), Steliani Tragus (Chapman University), and Valentina Lyn (De Paul University).
Rosalind Halikis who has won many awards for the philanthropic contributions, among them The Archdiocesan Medal of St. Paul in 2013, told TNH that “our main annual fundraiser is the Thanksgiving Benefit Drawing the Sunday before Thanksgiving. Last year, we raised approximately $12,000 and we hope we can raise even more money this year and offer more scholarships.”
BOSTON (AP) — The New England Confectionery Company (“NECCO”), the 171-year-old maker of the iconic NECCO wafer, has been acquired by Sweetheart Candy Co. LLC, an entity owned by Dean, Evan and Daren Metropoulos, for $17.3 Million. The deal came in the wake of the company’s April bankruptcy filing and subsequent auction process.
The family business of Greek-American billionaire Dean Metropoulos announced last Friday it paid $17.3 million for the New England Confectionery Co., or Necco. It’s a surprise ending to a federal bankruptcy auction that initially left Necco to an Ohio company.
Spangler Candy Co. made the highest bid last week, but court records say it refused to close without a price reduction.
Instead a deal closed Thursday to sell Necco to a Connecticut-based branch of Metropoulos’ company, which made the second-highest bid.
Metropoulos’ firm previously bought Twinkies maker Hostess out of bankruptcy in 2013.
The 171-year-old Necco is based near Boston and is known for its Sweethearts candies sold around Valentine’s Day.
The Metropoulos family has a long and successful track record of reinvigorating classic brands including Hostess, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Bumble Bee, Chef Boyardee, Vlasic, Ghirardelli and Perrier Jouet, among others. Over the course of nearly forty years, the family has invested in approximately 80 entities – transforming companies, accelerating revenue and earnings growth and propelling to renewed prominence scores of rich-heritage brands.
“We are extremely excited to bring our extensive background and expertise to bear in working to revive NECCO and its amazing brands, all of which have a special place in the heart of Americana,” said Evan Metropoulos.
“Acquiring NECCO is a special opportunity to create a robust platform designed to build critical mass and create the potential for consolidating additional confectionery brands in the near future,” added Daren Metropoulos.
For more information about Metropoulos family investments please visit www.metropoulos.com.
