NEW YORK – Greek-American cardiologist Dr. John N. Katopodis was sworn in and officially assumed his duties as the 141st President of the Florida Medical Association. The swearing in, as the vice-president of the Association, Dr. Alix Miller pointed out during an interview with The National Herald, took place during the annual meeting of the Association, on Saturday, August 5 at Loews Sapphire Resort at Universal Orlando and was extremely moving.
Dr. Katopodis’ speech was dedicated to his parents Nonda and Georgia Katopodis, his wife Evi (Paraskevi) and his children, and reminded the audience of the major role the family played in shaping the character of the man and in instilling in him the virtues and values of Hellenism.
Although his speech was lengthy, he managed to touch the audience with his words.
The presence of his parents – 93-year-old Dr. Nonda Katopodis and Georgia, wife Evi (Nikolaou) and their children Christina, Nikos, and Nonda, as well as mother-in-law Chrysanthi Nikolaou and sisters-in-law Demis, Cleopatra, and Michelle who sat in the first row and made the ceremony even more moving.
Most of the speech of the Medical Association president was about his grandfather, Pericles Katopodis, who was a doctor and managed to save thousands of lives, as well as his own father, Nonda Katopodis, in the difficult years of the German occupation and the Greek Civil War.
His father, as he said during an interview with TNH in 1955, convinced that there was no future for him and his children in Greece, boarded a boat and set off for Halifax, Canada, having only $18 in his pocket and his degree in Chemical Engineering.
He got a job at a meat factory as a quality controller and with his efforts managed to bring his wife and two children to Canada. Although married with two children, he decided to undertake postgraduate studies at McGill University.
His master’s in chemical engineering allowed him to come legally to the United States and the family settled in Stamford, Connecticut.
His father worked at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital, where he dealt with the research and acquired his own patents. Over the years, he set up his own laboratories under the name “Dianon” (Diagnostic Nonda) where he and his wife worked as lab technicians.
After a few years, the company had grown so much, it was traded on the Stock Exchange. Later, it was acquired by Lab Corp for over half a billion dollars.
Referring to his parents’ passion for education, Dr. Katopodis also pointed out that they fully covered the costs and the tuition fees in cash for both himself and his older brother Pericles and to attend the University of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Katopodis referred to the role of the Florida Medical Association and to what he has learned over the last 15 years as an active member.
A special performance by the dance group of St. Katherine Greek Orthodox Church of Melbourne, FL was a highlight of the event.
Dr. Katopodis was elected president at the previous assembly, his term is one-year and ends in 2018.
The presidency of the Association is co-chaired by the newly elected president, Dr. Corey Howard, who will take over the presidency next August for the year 2018-2019, vice president Dr. Ronald Giffler, the secretary, Dr. Michael Patete, and Treasurer Dr. Jason Goldman, among others.
Dr. Miller praised the Greek-American President’s speech and noted that he would undoubtedly do his best for the Florida Medical Association, which is made up of over twenty thousand doctors.
Dr. John N. Katapodis is a practicing Cardiologist (Heart Specialist) in Tallahassee, FL. He graduated from New York University School of Medicine in 1984 and has been in practice for 33 years. He completed a residency at University of Michigan Health System. Today, he is a member of the Southern Medical Group in Tallahassee, and also teaches at the University of Florida School of Medicine.
The Florida Medical Association was founded in 1874 and has over twenty thousand members.
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