Leadership 100 Concludes 33rd Annual Conference in Naples, Florida

The 33rd Annual Leadership 100 Conference, which took place February 29-March 3, 2024, at The Ritz-Carlton, Naples in Naples, Florida, concluded with the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy officiated by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, assisted by His Eminence Metropolitan Savas of Pittsburgh, His Grace Bishop Sevastianos of Zela, National Chancellor of the Archdiocese V. Rev. Fr. Nektarios Papazafiropoulos and parish priest Fr. Demetrios J. Mott at St. Katherine Church in Naples, Florida on Sunday, March 3. The conference, which saw record attendance of 725 members and guests, commemorated the 40th Anniversary of the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Fund, according to Demetrios G. Logothetis, Chairman.

Logothetis, who was reelected to a second two-year term, stated: “We experienced a joyful and exhilarating conference with inspiring speakers and record attendance, especially among our young professional members and their guests, in which we set forth our unified goals for the next 40 years and beyond.”

His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, (Left) and Demetrios G. Logothetis and Paulette Poulos (Far Right) present the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Award for Excellence to (L to R) to Dr. Theodoros Teknos, Dr. Leonidas Platanias, Matina Kolokotronis, and General Andrew P. Poppas, at Leadership 100 Grand Banquet. 

The Conference began with the Executive Committee and Board of Trustees Meetings on Wednesday, February 28. In his paternal exhortation, His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of America remarked, “I am, of course, delighted to be with you again here at the annual Leadership 100 Conference – the thirty-third in the forty-year history of this incredible organization. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America – as it stands today – would be unthinkable without Leadership 100.”

The full membership gathered on Thursday, February 29, when the birthday of His All-Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew was celebrated and Logothetis introduced a specially prepared video based on the exhibit titled Leadership 100, 1984 to 2024, 40 Years of Philanthropic Service, displayed at the National Hellenic Museum in Chicago. John P. Calamos, Sr., Museum Chairman and a prominent member of Leadership 100, spoke of the pivotal role of the museum in the history and life of the Greek Community in America and thanked Leadership 100 for underwriting the exhibit, part of the larger exhibit, Legacy, Renewal & Unity: Celebrating 100 Years of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.

His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros delivered a lecture in acknowledgment of the 40th Anniversary on Friday, March 1st in which he praised the important work of Leadership 100. “Leadership 100 is a potent endowment, because to ‘endow’ really is to empower, and that is what the Fund has been doing for these past four decades,” he stated.  He further emphasized the current and future role of Leadership 100 in advancing Orthodoxy and Hellenism, supporting Hellenic College-Holy Cross School of Theology, guiding youth and young adults, and creating a program for expanding its philanthropy.

Following the Archbishop’s remarks, the General Assembly was held where reports were given to the members about the work of Leadership 100 over the past year. One of the highlights was the report offered by Dr. Demetrios Katos, newly appointed President of Hellenic College/Holy Cross, who provided an update on the status of the School, and his vision for its future. Later that day, His Eminence met with the Young Professionals chaired by Alexandra Lambiris for a private dialogue. Archbishop Elpidophoros emphasized the importance of youth and young adult participation in our Church telling the attendees, “You are the future of this organization, and this organization is very much linked to the future of our Archdiocese.”

Speakers included General Andrew P. Poppas, Commanding General, US Army Forces Command; Matina Kolokotronis, Chief Operating Officer, Sacramento Kings; Dr. Theodoros Teknos, President and Scientific Director at the UH Seidman Cancer Center and Professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland; Dr. Leonidas Platanias, Director of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center and Professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago; Deacon Marek Simon, Executive Director of the Orthodox Christian Fellowship (OCF), with representatives Maria Tsarnas and Chris Kontomaris; Bishop Andonios of Phasiane, Director, St. Michael’s Home; Dr. George T. Koulianos, Clergy Family Initiative Steering Committee; Rev. Protopresbyter Andreas Vithoulkas, Archepiscopal Vicar, Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church and National Shrine & Andrew Veniopoulos,  Executive Director, Saint Nicholas National Shrine; Dr. Stratos Safioleas, Director, Department of Communications, Greek Orthodox Archdiocese & Senior Advisor to the Archbishop; and Eugenia Manolidou, Director, Elliniki Agogi.

The Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Award for Excellence was presented to General Poppas, Ms. Kolokotronis, and Drs. Teknos and Platanias at the Grand Banquet on Saturday, March 2. The Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Award for Achievement was presented to Deacon Marek, earlier, on Thursday, February 29. In his Welcome Address at the Grand Banquet, Chairman Logothetis made the joyous announcement that Leadership 100 had reached its goal of 100 new members!

An announcement was made at the banquet acknowledging a $1 million matching gift to St. Michael’s Home offered by Chairman Emeritus Argyris and his beloved wife Ann Vassiliou in memory of their parents, Mary and John Pappajohn. An additional $100,000 was offered anonymously toward the matching gift.  Longtime Leadership 100 members, Helen Carlos and Ron Hilliard, offered a $50,000 donation to Hellenic College in support of the new President.

Other events included the New Member/First Timers Orientation, the Welcome Reception on Thursday, February 29, the Hellenic Glendi on Friday, March 1, the Annual Walk/Run chaired by Executive Committee member, Mike Manatos, the Golf Tournament chaired by John Aivazoglou, Tennis and Tournament Awards on Saturday morning, March 2, the Obelisk and Icon Photo Presentation, and the Children’s Program, chaired by Maria Pardalis.