IOCC Honored At Grand Banquet

Constantine M. Triantafilou, the driving force behind International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) for 16 years, accepted the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Award for Excellence on behalf of the IOCC at the Grand Banquet on Saturday, February 14, 2015. He spoke at the Opening Forum on Thursday, February 12, 2015 on the work of the organization in more than 50 countries around the world. As Executive Director and CEO, Triantafilou manages all facets of relief and development programs for IOCC, including its international headquarters in Baltimore, Maryland, and 10 field offices in Eastern Europe, Africa, and the Middle East.

A graduate of Texas A&M University, Triantafilou began honing his leadership skills at IOCC in 1993 when he joined the organization as commodities manager for the former Yugoslavia country office, and was promoted to regional representative for Greece and Yugoslavia programs and director of programs before taking the helm in 1998.

During his tenure, IOCC has grown from providing $70 million in humanitarian assistance to 11 countries in its first six years of existence, to a global humanitarian organization that has distributed nearly $500 million in emergency assistance and development programs to vulnerable families and communities worldwide. This includes $4 million in emergency relief to Greek farmers impacted by the 2007 wildfires, and more than $11 million in medical support, heating fuel and food, and job assistance programs to families impoverished by Greece’s economic crisis.

Leadership 100 has provided IOCC with a total of $1,001,691 in financial support, including a two-year grant of $178,941 to develop a volunteer network to strengthen the ability of the US Orthodox community to respond to future disasters and needs within the country. In addition, Leadership 100 supported IOCC’s Hurricane Katrina relief with a grant, including gifts from individual members, totaling $120,950.

Under his leadership, IOCC received the 2003 Athenagoras Human Rights Award by the Order of St. Andrew the Apostle and in 2005 the Order of St. Sava, First Degree, by +Patriarch Pavle of the Serbian Orthodox Church.