Some 340 conferees gathered for the Grand Banquet at the Leadership 100 Celebration Conference at The Ritz-Carlton San Juan Hotel in Carolina, Puerto Rico on Saturday, February 7, 2009 to honor Leadership 100 Founders. Stephen G. Yeonas, Chairman, and His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America were joined by George D. Behrakis, Chairperson of the Conference with his wife, Margo, in presenting them with the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Award for Excellence, named for the visionary Archbishop Iakovos who initiated the organization in 1984.

The Leadership 100 Annual General Assembly convened at the 25th Anniversary Celebration Conference on February 6, 2009 in Puerto Rico, to hear reports of record growth in membership and continued success in raising new funds for grants despite the economic downturn.

George D. Behrakis, 25th Anniversary Celebration Conference Chairperson with his wife, Margo, moderated a Business Panel on Important Economic Issues that included Leadership 100 members John G. Pappajohn from Des Moines, Iowa, and Charles H. Cotros from Memphis, Tennessee. Cotros was President, Chairman and CEO of Sysco. Pappajohn is very successful as a venture capitalist, putting together small companies, innovative companies, bridge loans and mezzanine start‑up companies in the biotech and in the high‑tech industry. Following are excerpts of the discussion.

Chairman Stephen G. Yeonas made a last‑minute call Monday evening during the 25th Anniversary Celebration Conference to a long‑time friend to speak at our conference after a mutual friend, Plato Cacheris, became ill and had to cancel. Jacob A. Stein, of Stein, Mitchell & Muse, who is the former President of the DC Bar Association agreed and the conferees were delighted by his presentation. Following are excerpts.

Deborah Norville began her career in television while a student at the University of Georgia, as a reporter, and later as an anchor at WGA TV in Atlanta. In 1987 she made her move to New York as NBC’s anchor of News at Sunrise and co‑host of the Today show. She is the author of several books, including two children’s books, and has most recently written Thank You Power, whose positive and hopeful message has received rave reviews. Following are excerpts of her talk at a special Spouses’ Brunch at the 25th Anniversary Celebration Conference.

The Board of Trustees of Leadership 100, meeting at the 25th Anniversary Celebration Conference, elected Kassandra L. Romas of Short Hills, NJ as Secretary, the first woman to be named an officer of the organization. She is the Managing Director of Bouras Properties, LLC of Summit, NJ.

Thomas L. Demakes of Swampscott, MA was named National Membership Chairman of Leadership 100 by Stephen G. Yeonas, Chairman. He will organize a nationwide membership committee in order to recruit 50 new members in 2009. Leadership 100 recruited 64 new members in 2008 and the membership now stands at 813.