Last night, we held our annual Grand Convention Banquet at the Philadelphia Sheraton.
This is one of our most luxury events of the week, gathering the largest share of the convention of any event. In addition to dinner, a dance and drinks, the banquet honored several outstanding individuals for their contributions to their communities and Hellenism.
The honorees and their respective awards were as follows: Pantelis Boumpouras: AHEPA Defender of Hellenism Award, Pete Pahides and the late Gus P. Pahides of blessed memory: Academy of Achievement in Business Award, and Dr. Anthony Limberakis, National Commander of the Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate: AHEPA Archbishop Iakovos Humanitarian Award.
The Banquet opened with an official welcome from Board of Trustees Vice Chairman, George Horiates, PSP, as he introduced Mr. Benjamin Franklin and Mrs. Betsy Ross.
Just thereafter, we had an invocation from Rev. Elias Villias, the interim Chancellor of the Metropolis of New Jersey followed by remarks from U.S. Congressman Brenden Boyle, who spoke as a testament to the Greek Americans who have supported him throughout his time in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Additionally, Maids of Athena Grand President Stephanie Owens, Sons of Pericles Supreme President Basili Ronstadt and Daughters of Penelope Grand President Antoinette Marousis-Zachariades offered remarks, speaking to their time serving as the Presidents of the AHEPA Family over the past year/s.
Our honorees then received their awards as they were called up one at a time to offer remarks on how they’ve taken the lessons of Hellenism with them in their everyday lives. This principle serves as the guiding light for so many AHEPA Family members, truly pushing the bounds of what excellence means in our modern world.
The evening then concluded with an address from Supreme President Kaitson. After a week of hard work, he took the opportunity to thank all those who attended and recognized one final individual for their embodiment of AHEPA’s most prized principals. In so, Mr. Timothy Joannides, PSG received the AHEPA Lifetime Achievement award to a standing ovation.
AHEPA Family Official Election Results
Over the past few days of the Convention, all orders of the AHEPA Family hosted elections, deciding on the leadership that will guide our Orders over the next year. The results are as follows:
AHEPA
Supreme President: E. Chris Kaitson , Houston, TX
Supreme Vice President: Dr. Zenon Christodolou , Garwood, N.J.
AHEPA Canada President: Anastasios Moussas , Toronto, Canada
Supreme Secretary: Themistocles P. Frangos , Chicago, IL
Supreme Treasurer: Marshall Monsell , Denver, CO
Supreme Counselor: Ted Stamas, Bayside, N.Y.
Supreme Advisor to the Sons: Bill Poulos III , SOP PSP, Canton, OH
Supreme Athletic Director: Chris Atsaves , Glenview, IL
Region 1 Governor: William Paul , Tampa, FL
Region 2 Governor: Alex Barlamas , Pittsburgh, PA
Region 3 Governor: Asteris Fanikos, Chesterfield N.J.
Region 4 Governor: Greg Simones , Waterford, CT
Region 5 Governor: Craig Theros , Ann Arbor, MI
Region 6 Governor: Thomas Clemons, Sioux Falls, SD
Region 7 Governor: Mark Bullock, Albuquerque, NM
Region 8 Governor: George McClure, Lakewood, WA
Region 10 Governor: Efstathios Kefalidis , Komotini, Greece
Newly Elected AHEPA Board of Trustees
Board of Trustees Chairman: Nicholas A. Karacostas PSP, Bayside, N.Y.
New Board Member: James Rigopoulos, Del Mar, CA
Daughters of Penelope
Grand President: Antoinette Marousis-Zachariades , Brick, N.J.
Sons of Pericles:
Supreme President: George G. Kalyvas , White Plains, N.Y.
Maids of Athena:
Grand President: Cristina Saavedra-Mamounis , Montreal, Quebec, Canada