New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. with honorees and co-sponsors at his Greek Heritage and Culture celebration at Surrogate’s Court on Tuesday, March 18, 2008. Pictured (back, l to r) are: John Saketos, President, Hellenic Lawyers Association; The Very Reverend Eugene N. Pappas, Three Hierarchs Greek Orthodox Church, Brooklyn; Thompson; Nicholas J. Bouras, Owner and President, Bouras Industries, Inc.; Paulette Poulos, Director of Development, Leadership 100; (front, l to r) John Kaiteris, Executive Director, Hellenic American Neighborhood Action Committee (HANAC); George D. Tselos, Ph.D., Supervisory Archivist and head of Reference Services, Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island Immigration Museum; Jack Soterakis, M.D., Vice President of Medical Affairs, St. Francis Hospital; Maria Iliou, award-winning film director and Founder, Proteus Foundation; and, Tasso Manessis, President, Pan Gregorian Fund.  Photo Credit: Marla S. Maritzer       View Slideshow

New York City Comptroller William C. Thompson, Jr. last night honored five leaders in the Greek Community at his seventh annual Greek Heritage Celebration.  The event was co-sponsored by the Hellenic American Neighborhood Action Committee, Inc., the Hellenic Lawyers Association and the Hellenic Music Foundation.

“New York City is home to the largest Greek population anywhere outside of Greece.  It is no secret that Greek-Americans make up an integral part of our community,” Comptroller Thompson said at the event at Surrogate’s Court in downtown Manhattan. “Today I have the privilege of honoring five outstanding Greek-American citizens.”
 
Thompson presented the first award to Nicholas J.  Bouras, Owner and President of Bouras Industries, Inc.  The Comptroller acknowledged Mr. Bouras’ dedication and lifelong commitment to the Greek Orthodox Church, his inspiring record of service to our country as a navigator in the U.S. Army Air Corps and his leadership qualities.

“In recognition of his outstanding achievements in business, his unwavering commitment to his religious community and his courageous efforts to defend our country, it is my pleasure to present Nicholas Bouras with this Greek Heritage Award,” Thompson said.

George D. Tselos, Phd. who leads the Reference Services Department and serves as Supervisory Archivist at the Statue of Liberty National Monument and Ellis Island Immigration Museum received the second award.

“Throughout his career, Mr. Tselos has made it his duty to preserve the history and culture of our nation and city in order to help educate our younger generations,” Thompson said.  “He has published articles on a number of topics, including Greek-American history and truly embodies the qualities worthy of this recognition.”

Thompson presented the third award to Paulette Poulos, Interim Executive Director of Leadership 100, an organization responsible for preserving the Orthodox Christian Faith and Heritage through a number of activities aimed to strengthen the ministries of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. 

“Over the years, Ms. Poulos has served the Greek Orthodox Church with fervor and commitment that is second to none,” Thompson said.  “It is an honor to be able to recognize her for her tireless efforts throughout her exemplary career.”

The next honoree was award-winning filmmaker Maria Iliou.  Ms. Iliou has produced and directed a number of films pertaining to Greek history and heritage.  She founded the Proteus Foundation, whose mission is to help preserve visual and audio archival materials related to Hellenic history.

“By preserving the history of Hellenic Culture through audio and visual mediums, Maria Iliou is providing an invaluable service to future generations who want to learn about their history,” Thompson said.  “For all of her efforts and accomplishments it is an honor to present her with this award.”

The final honoree of the evening was Dr. Jack Soterakis, Vice President of Medical Affairs at St. Francis Hospital’s Heart Center.  Dr. Soterakis was honored for his life-saving and philanthropic efforts. 

“Dr. Soterakis has a long history in the medical field.  From Italy to Boston to Queens and Nassau County, he has shown the type of dedication that inspires others to follow in his steps,” Thompson said.  “He has shown that same dedication through his philanthropic efforts – both for the Greek Orthodox Church and the advancement of children’s heart health, and it is my pleasure to present him with this award of recognition.”

Katia Zallas-Rosati, President and Founder of the Hellenic Music Foundation performed traditional Greek music at the event.
For photographs, contact Marla Maritzer at (212) 669-2597 or mmaritz@comptroller.nyc.gov.

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