James P. Pamel, Longtime Trustee, Dies

James P. Pamel, a longtime member of the Leadership 100 Board of Trustees, died Saturday, April 25. He was an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate since 1984 and served as a member of the National Archdiocesan Council and the Councils of the Metropolis of Detroit and the parish of St. George in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Pamel, who was 85 at the time of his death, served on the Leadership 100 Board of Trustees from early 1987 to February of 2009. He also served as President of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Troy, Michigan.

The retired owner and co-founder of National Reproductions Corp., Pamel was a resident of Bloomfield Hills for 40 years, previously residing in Detroit where he first settled after immigrating to the USA in 1947 at the age of 24 to live with his aunt and uncle. He served in both the British and Greek Armies in World War II, having escaped Communist occupation in Athens and fleeing to Cairo, where, since he spoke fluent English, he became a liaison to the British Army. After the war, he returned to Athens and studied civil engineering at the Athens Polytechnic University.

Pamel also attended Wayne State University, receiving a B.S. in civil engineering in 1951. In 1953, he co-founded National Reproductions with his business partner, John Markoul. The company, which specialized in commercial printing and reprographics, grew to one of the largest commercial printing companies in Southeastern Michigan with 14 locations and employing over 200 people.

In addition to his service with the Greek Orthodox Church and Leadership 100, he served on the Board of Trustees of the Michigan Opera and, with his wife was active on the Women’s Committee for Hospice.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Esther, sons Peter J. and Gregory J. (Lisa), daughter-in-law Genevieve, granddaughter, Pelagia, his brother, Ulysses, and sisters, Xeni and Vivi.