The American Hellenic Council Honors Dean Spanos

Dean Spanos, Photo Credit: Allen Altchech

The American Hellenic Council (AHC) of California honored Dean Spanos, the owner and Chairman of the Board of the Los Angeles Chargers and President of A.G. Spanos Companies and a longtime member of Leadership 100, at its Annual Awards Gala on April 1, 2017 at the Omni Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. Spanos who received the Aristeion Award in Business and Sports was honored along with Congresswoman Karen Bass who received the Pericles Award, and Professor Stephen Miller who received the Theodore Saloutos Award for his exemplary work at Ancient Nemea.

Under Spanos’ leadership, the Chargers have broken numerous franchise records. During 11 seasons from 2004-14, the team won 113 games (playoffs included) – five of which were AFC West championships (2004, 2006-09) – and four playoff games. Only three teams in the NFL won more games during that time span.

Spanos’ leadership is also present throughout the National Football League. As a member of the NFL’s Management Council Executive Committee (CEC), he played an integral role in negotiating the NFL’s current labor agreement. Through 2015, Spanos served as chairman of the NFL’s Business Ventures Committee, which has oversight regarding various league commercial activities, including consumer products, sponsorship, events, marketing, and new business initiatives. To this day, Spanos continues to serve on both committees. His previous committee work included membership on the NFL’s International and Legislative Committees.

Congresswoman Karen Bass is a Democrat serving as the U.S. Representative of California’s 37th district. She was first elected to Congress in 2010. Prior to her election she represented the 47th district in the California State Assembly (2004-10), and was the first African-American woman to serve as Speaker of the California State Assembly (2008-2010). Currently, Representative Bass serves on the House Committee on Foreign Affairs where she is Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Africa, as well as the House Judiciary Committee.

Professor Stephen Miller is a former Professor of Archaeology at UC Berkeley (1973-2004), and the former Director of the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (1982-1987). Since 1973, Professor Miller has been the Director of Excavations at the site of Ancient Nemea. In 1994, after more than 20 years of archaeological excavations, Professor Miller’s love and passion for Hellenism led to the founding of The Society for the Revival of the Nemean Games. The first contemporary Nemean games were held in 1996.