AHEPA Fulfills Pledge

The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (Order of AHEPA),one of the first membership-based associations to join Leadership 100, fulfilled its $100,000 pledge with the presentation of a check to His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and Paulette Poulos, Leadership 100 Executive Director, at the Grand Banquet of its 89th Annual Supreme Convention July 18-24, 2011, at the Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami Beach, Fla.  Nicholas A. Karacostas, Supreme President, Order of AHEPA, and Franklin R. Manios, Chairman of AHEPA’S Board of Trustees, made the presentation.

AHEPA also presented its 2011 Aristotle Award to Greece’s Ambassador to the United States, Vassilis Kaskarelis, and to Cyprus’s Ambassador to the United States, Pavlos Anastassiades, and its 2011 Pericles Award to Congressman Gus Bilirakis of Florida. The Convention featured traditional events such as the Grand Banquet, Athletics Luncheon, and Educational Seminars together with social events, according to Basil N. Mossaidis, Order of AHEPA Executive Director. Dr. John Grossomanides was elected as the new Supreme President, Order of AHEPA.

AHEPA is the largest Greek-American association in the world with chapters in the United States, Canada, Greece, Cyprus, and sister chapters in Australia and New Zealand. It was established in 1922 by visionary Greek Americans to protect Hellenes from prejudice originating from the KKK, and in its history, AHEPA joined with the NAACP and B'nai B'rith International to fight discrimination.

The mission of the AHEPA family is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility and family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism.