Aleco Haralampides

As the former President of the American-Hellenic Institute, Miami lawyer Aleco Haralambides had a stake in promoting Hellenism, but says his biggest hope now for his heritage is saving its beloved language, and promoting it not just to fellow Greeks, but Philhellenes and the rest of the world. There are some 50,000 words in English derived in some way or another from Greek, and Haralambides said he wants to make sure their rich history and place are preserved. He helped do it at Archimedean Academy in Miami, a charter school that has Greek as a mandatory subject, and now said he wants to find supporters to start an international foundation to showcase the Greek language and keep it alive outside of Greece.

The formula is working at Archimedean, which now teaches through the high school level and is rated one of Florida’s top schools and successful enough that there’s a waiting list of more than 1,000 students – most not of Greek heritage. Besides instilling self-discipline in students, Archimedean requires them to take classes 2 ½ hours a day in Greek – not just Greek, but other subjects, and it’s a wonderment to see students not from Greek American households conversing in Greek in the corridors and classrooms, and coming to school on Saturdays to participate in projects, a role model for schools around the country. As a charter school,  Archimedean doesn’t charge tuition but receives state assistance as a public school open to students who can get in. On Jan. 30, it was rated Florida’s best middle school and praised for using Greek and mathematics – and teaching math in Greek – as one of the reasons for its achievements.

The Archimedian Acadamy in Miami, FL

When Archimedean students took a proficiency exam in Greek from Thessaloniki University, 44 of 45 passed, he said. Not one was Greek or Greek American. The school has only 70 students with Greek heritage out of an enrollment of 950. “Using the Archimedean model is a proven way to perpetuate the Greek language,” he said in an interview with Greek Reporter. “When you see native speakers talking Greek to these kids who have no background in Greek and they are processing difficult problems and answering in Greek, there just isn’t anybody else out there doing this,” he said. It’s even more astonishing when you realize the students have had no background at all in Greek or Hellenism.

Now, he said, he hopes to get the word out that the model can work in an international foundation, although he knows how tough it is to get Greek Americans together and behind programs. Still, he said, “Once it’s started and promoted you’d have a lot of non-Greeks supporting this and there’s a potential for partnerships with classics programs,” he said, adding he’d like to see the Archimedean model repeated in other charter schools in Florida and across the country, where children could learn Greek – once a stable of great schools such as Boston Latin Academy, and others where Greek and classics were intertwined. “Our goal is not to have a Greek school necessarily, but to have a great school,” he said.

“They aren’t going to come just to learn Greek. They want it to be a very good school academically,” he said. Some parents are not happy with the rigid format, he acknowledged, but said they were a minority.

Haralambides said with a declining birth rate among Greeks, Greek Americans and those in the Diaspora, the need to save Greek is becoming critical because the language is being spoken less. “It’s a mathematical certainty that if we don’t stop that, that it will disappear,” he said. “One way to promote the Greek language and Hellenism is to open charter schools,” he said. Archimedean is applying from further accreditation and said, if granted, “That will allow us to be accredited as a district, which means if we open a school in Alabama, it will be accredited and recognized by colleges.

Like many Greeks of the United States and Disapora, his passion comes from his heritage. “My grandparents were forced to leave Asian Minor because they wanted to maintain their identity as Greeks and Greek Orthodox Christians. They were willing to give up their entire livelihood to maintain their identity. The least we can do is make an effort to preserve it,” he said.

The school’s Chief Executive Business Officer Dimitri Bardoutsos, said the school will admit another 150 students in the next academic year and there is a clamor to attend because he said parents know the students will get a good education beyond Greek too. The school’s charter is with the Miami Dade County public school administration, to which it reports. Classes begin at kindergarten to groom students young. “Our goal is not just to graduate students but those who can enter colleges at the Ivy League level,” he said. “We pay attention to every individual student. We work with parents and students. This is a school of choice. Parents have to offer 300 volunteer hours a year and are part of the school and the process, and they are working together to improve education.”

The school’s President, Founder, and Chairman of the Board, George Kafkoulis, said, “The reason for the success of the school is the commitment to excellence. The school is based on two very important ideas of Greek civilization: language and the dedication to excellence, the rigorous teaching of mathematics and philosophy.” He said many parents weren’t initially interested in Greek, but wanted their children to have the benefit of a good education, but discovered the benefits of the students learning the language. He said the model can work for other schools to emulate. “This can be replicated … it’s a recipe that works in every environment,” he said. Even the Greek Ministry of Education, he said, is studying Archimedean to see how its methods can be used to teach Greek and other courses.

Haralambides said he’s gotten calls from people in Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, and San Francisco, among other areas, who want to open an Archimedean-style academy that prepares students for college and teaches them Greek as well. “We need someone to spearhead it and is committed to spending the time to do it.” Sounds like he may be the best candidate for this.

CEO of Red Apple Group, John Catsimatidis, at his office in NYC. Credit: Heuichul Kim

John Catsimatidis, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Red Apple Group, sat down for an exclusive interview with Greek Reporter and spoke about US Politics, picked his favorite candidate for US President, discussed possibilities for investment in crisis-hit Greece, and admitted that he still might run for mayor of New York City in the next election.

The fortune of Mr. John Catsimatidis (who grew up in Harlem, the poorest borough of New York City) today exceeds the billion dollar mark. While he was studying at NYU, he was working as an employee of a super market, though he never managed to get his degree.  Despite the fact that he never finished, this University (which is one of top ten Universities in the US) granted him an honorary Doctorate.

Red Apple Group has holdings in oil refining, wholesale and retail petroleum distribution, convenience stores, supermarkets, real estate, and aviation. Red Apple Group posted revenues of over $4 billion in 2010.  Mr. Catsimatidis is a major employer in New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio with over 8,000 employees, a global leader in the Greek Orthodox Church, in which he chairs the Religious Freedom Committee, bonding together Orthodox Christians, Catholics, and Jews in support of religious freedom around the world.

Read the interview with John Catsimatidis below:

What do you think should be done to fix Greece and do you think that Greece will exit the Euro?

I think it could hurt Greece a great deal if it goes out of the Euro. My recommendations to all the officials of Greece were that they should work out a deal with Germany and they should take the 360 billion in debt traded for 360 billion 30-year bonds at the European interest rate of 2, 5%. That way you take the problem and you put it away for 30 years and Greece could afford to pay 2,5%. And that would take a Euro guarantee. In that way it will take the pressure off and puts the problem out for 30 years. Unfortunately, I’m upset they weren’t able to do it that way.

I think it was the Germans who did not want to discuss this scenario.

You can say it as a joke or seriously, but the Germans might have started WWIII, but with economic bullets, not with gun powder bullets.

So do you think that Germany should give something to Greece?

I think that if the EU wants to survive as a community, it has to bond together and be all for one and one for all. But then it will take more restrictions, and the individual governments cannot do whatever they want and give retirement ages of 35 years old because numbers don’t really work. The European community has a time-line to fix the problem before it gets worse. I really wish they are smart enough to do so because this is an international problem.

Now, I know you are a very good businessman. You have made everything out of nothing. You have started alone and you know where opportunities are. Do you believe Greece is a good opportunity for businessmen like you, Greek-Americans or non Greek-Americans to go and maybe do business there, acquire some real estate or invest in the country now?

With the aura of instability that now exists, it’s hard to say or view opportunities. Everyone fears that something might go wrong.

You’re from Nisyros, so you probably know that although the Greek islands used to be expensive, now the real estate prices are down to half or less.

The real estate prices are half because everyone is afraid. I got an email yesterday that the big hotel Asteras is available for some months now. I said ok, we need to see what the overall condition in Europe is because banks in Greece tend to place extremely low value on their portfolio bonds. All Greeks who have money withdraw it from their accounts and send it off to banks abroad, in London, NY etc.

So would you and your company Red Apple Group be interested to buy Asteras, or invest in something similar.

We will look at the possibility of Asteras and explore the possibility. We will look at various things but we found it very difficult to do business in Greece given our previous experiences. They are now paying the price for all the difficulties we had to face in the past.

You have openly supported many politicians in the past. Would you support Barack Obama in the next US election?

I would not support Obama because when he first got elected we all looked at him and said “let’s give him a chance” but he has made so many mistakes. He has created a mind of “us against them”. He has started a civil war between those who work hard and those who don’t and still profit. This is wrong. The problem is that 30 years ago the amount of people that lived off the federal government was maybe 10% and now it’s 42%. The American Congress has been following the same tactics as the Greek parties have: “vote for us and we’ll give you more.” This is a bubble and will not work. Someone needs to break it.

President Obama criticizes all business people all the time. What did we do wrong? He says it’s the banks’ fault. If someone or the bank made something wrong, send him to court and then off to prison. If someone stole, they must go to prison. But if you constantly criticize the banking sector in general, the banks begin to fear for their own existence, just like it happened in Greece. And if banks feel insecure about their own existence, they will not give money to businesses to start new projects. Instead, they are afraid of losing their own company. That is the problem such politicians have brought upon us.

So you are saying there’s a terror amidst business people and banks?

They are terrorized and afraid for their own existence, for them to create loans to business people and new jobs.

So I suppose you will be supporting the Republican Party. But who exactly?

Yes I will, although I was a collective Democrat before. I think Romney is the best presidential candidate at the moment. He is a businessman, he is smart and honest. I really wish he gets nominated to run for President.

Let’s go to your own business Red Apple Group. Are there any new plans or developments?

Well, we are doing very well. The energy business is doing very well and there are food companies in NY that are also profitable. We are also busy building our real estate companies in Brooklyn. We are moving along with building on Coney Island. Brooklyn is only 20 minutes away from Manhattan, yet prices there are half way down compared to downtown.

You’ve been in this country for so many years and you have grown this company so much. You have seen the crisis, the good times and the bad times, as they say. Do you think that the present is the bottom or can it get worse?

I think this is the worst time ever and if we don’t change the political situation in November, the whole world will be in trouble.

But you believe that the economy will get better? Because some people think that it might get worse.

I think the current government will employ mirrors to twist around reality and cook the numbers until November. That happened in Greece too. And after the November elections, the truth will finally come to surface.

In the past you have expressed your interest to run for mayor of New York City. Is it something you maybe have in mind again?

They are pushing me to do it and I told them I would consider that. I haven’t pushed any buttons yet whatsoever. I had the nomination last time and I gave it back to Bloomberg. I will have made up my mind by summer since Bloomberg cannot run again for the fourth time in a row.

Would you like to add anything?

Greek-Greeks, American-Greeks or Greek-Americans, we all love Greece. We want to help in any way possible and Greece must promote its tourism. Imagine that NY had a record of 50 additional millions of tourists this year due to their campaign. What was Greece’s score? Whatever the number, Greece can do better. It can double the numbers of visitors to the country and it must pursue it.

The problem now is that the riots in Greece and the images of the country are scaring everyone.

The riots are nonsense. The people who cause the riots are those who are 54 and would retire at the age of 55. That is what I told everyone here when they asked me what was happening in Greece.

Have you visited Greece recently?

I travelled to Greece last August straight to Kos, without stopping in Athens, and made a cruise in the Dodecanese. We had a really good time.

The Hermes Young Professionals Initiative (HYPI) was established in 2007, by Stavroula Kotrotsios and Aphrodite Kotrotsios with the help of the Committee and support of many professionals and businessmen who recognize the need. Its purpose is to provide young Greek-Americans who are aspiring to meet the professional demands of the 21st century with a forum to connect, interface, and learn from seasoned Greek-American leaders from various fields which include business, medicine, law, government, among others.

“Our committee believes in our mission and the mission is you, our fellow young Hellenes in our communities. This platform will serve to promote, unite and support our generation as well as the future generations,” Aphrodite says. “In order for this paramount effort to rise to the next level and reach even more young professionals, we need to combine efforts and work together to move forward. We are the next generation.  It is up to us to keep the flame alive and pass on the torch to the next generations. As fellow Hellenes, it is our duty to keep our heritage alive and help one another prosper, grow and make a difference in our communities. We will fulfill this goal as we unite and educate ourselves on how to meet the professional demands of the 21^st century.”

Aphrodite states, “Throughout our education we remained very involved with the Greek-American community both on campus and beyond through the Hellenic News of America and the Hermes Expo, the Inter Communications means among our many communities across the Nation. I graduated from Temple University in 2010 with a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Biology.  I am currently studying at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine pursuing my Master’s degree in Biomedical Sciences with a concentration in biomedical research and will be graduating in 2012.”

Aphrodite continues, “While I was at Temple University, I founded the Greek American Student Association of Temple University in 2007.  I was president until I graduated and raised a substantial amount of funding to keep the group active.  My sister, Stavroula, attended Villanova University where she too founded the Hellenic Student Association. She was also very involved with SAE Youth USA where she served as a Member of the Coordinating Council. Stavroula presently attends Temple University Beasley School of Law.”

“Through our experiences working with the Hellenic News of America and the Hermes Expo International we have become well acquainted with the dynamism of the Greek-American community and its leaders. Our goal is to give a voice and direction to the youth and give them access to the immense potential and resources contained within our community,” Aphrodite adds.

According to Aphrodite, she remarks, “In the past, we have sponsored booths for Hellenic Student Societies at the Hermes Expo where students from various universities such as St. Joseph’s, Seton Hall, Rutgers, University of Delaware, University of Maryland, Stockton College, Temple, Villanova and Drexel University would attend to promote their clubs and their youth projects. Since 2010, Stavroula and I have hosted the Professionals Growth & Youth Mentor Fair.  This powerful tool serves as a networking and educational platform for our youth and young professionals, because they are able to have dialogue with professional leaders in their community as well as meet other students and professionals.”

Aphrodite reveals, “Our speaker and mentors have included Aris Melissaratos (the former Maryland Secretary of Business and Economic Development and currently special advisor to the President of Johns Hopkins), Congressman John Sarbanes of Maryland, Yiorgos Orfanos (Greek Minister of Athletics for Athens 2004 Olympic Games), Nick Larigakis (the President of the American Hellenic Institute), Mayor Papageorgopoulos of Thessaloniki, Greece, Dr. Spiros Spireas (the President and Founder of Sigmapharm Laboratories), Theodore G. Spyropoulos (the President of SAE USA), Dr. Christine Warnke, a lobbyist and humanitarian in Washington D.C., John Sianis-Calamos Investments, Dr. Spiros Mezitis, President of the Federation of the Hellenic Medical Societies and many more.”

“It’s not only about whom you know, but how well they know you,” says Paul Kotrotsios, the President and founder of the Hermes Expo International.  “The Hermes Expo serves as a networking platform that unites professionals from all fields and promotes Hellenism in America. The opportunity that this platform presents to us is the prominent members of the Hellenic Society and American Society that gather to show their support of this twenty one year old effort but also guide and support the youth and young professionals. Not only do we have the privilege of associating with successful figures of the world, but we also get to mingle with one another, socialize, share ideas, gather ideas, learn from the a variety of business and educational seminars and symposiums, as well as see what services and products are out on the market right now.”

“The Hermes Expo is both Facebook and Twitter friendly. We post all of our announcements and news on our social media network and our official website; furthermore, a website for HYPI is underway.”

Their next major event is slated to take place on Thursday, March 29, 2012. The Hermes Expo will host the “Taste of Greece- Food and Wine Tasting” event at the Radisson Hotel on 32^nd Street and Broadway in Manhattan, New York.

All Greek-Americans, especially the HYPI, are strongly encouraged to attend this networking event in New York.

“Following this event, on March 31, 2012, the HYPI will host its third annual Professional Growth & Youth Mentor Fair at the 21st Hermes Expo at the Taj Mahal Hotel and Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey featuring many distinguished guests,” shares Aphrodite.

“In order to move forward as a community, I believe that we need greater collaboration, Synergy and exchange between the youth and professional leaders. We need to promote our services, talents and most importantly our youth and young professionals. We can do this in two ways: the first is by giving our youth access to the mentors and their expertise.  The second is by providing a platform for the youth and young professionals to engage with one another and network amongst themselves.  The multifaceted objectives of the HYPI, coupled with the resources and access provided by the Hermes Expo International can help achieve the goal of a greater Greek America for the future,” she concludes.

To learn more about the Hermes Expo International, please visit their official website www.hermesexpo.com and register for the events of your choice.

Chris Tomaras is the man who made Gyros popular in the US

Chris P. Tomaras is without a doubt a ‘Renaissance Man’. In fact, the Greek term, ‘Polymathes’, (having learned much) sums up this remarkable person very well, as he is a leader in various specialised fields and his expertise and knowledge spans a great number of years.

Chris P. Tomaras, moved to the states in 1958, where as a young man, he owned, leased and operated a number of establishments such as a sandwich shop, a drive-in and two pizza stores. His determination and experience in the food industry led him to  the ‘Kronomatic’ broiler, a gyros broiler, he designed and patented himself.  However, he is most well-known for the man behind ’Kronos Foods empire, the largest Greek foods manufacturer in the U.S.A.  Here in an in-depth interview, he talks about his roots, his early years in the states, his businesses and his life today:

Mr. Tomaras, please talk  to us about your roots?

I was born in 1937, in Drapetsona, a small town at the edge of the port city of Piraeus, of two of the greatest people in the world; my father, Pavlos was born in the village of Karteroli in Messinia and my mother, Evdokia was born and raised in Constantinople. I had two younger siblings, my sister Helen who now lives in New York and the youngest, my brother Mike who died from an illness in 1995, in Chicago.

My father was a simple but wise man, one that cared deeply about his family and worked hard, with many sacrifices, to offer us “survival”, especially during the years of the Greek civil war upheaval. And my mother, the sweetest and the gentlest of human beings, with her cultured upbringing, offered us all she could give of her love while she could do it, until she passed away in 1946 by stray machine-gun fire, meant for my father whose political ideals of the time were not acceptable – just that – by a vicious opposing faction that destroyed most of the population’s civility and social fabric, during Greece’s civil war. My father remarried, to a fine woman who could not have children, mostly for the benefit of my siblings who, one of them an infant, needed motherly care.

What made you leave Greece?

Drapetsona, was a town that suffered a lot of pain and suffering, as it was one of those  that received a large group of refugees – the result of the 1922 Greek-Turkish exchange – was one of blue color workers that did not have much to offer to its citizens then, unlike its current status as one of the most sought after developing areas because of its valuable real estate (seaside) location and its now well educated and sophisticated people. Six years of elementary school in Drapetsona and then another six in Piraeus and Athens Emporiki Scholi (high school equivalent) inspired and encouraged me  to learn more about business and economics. What followed was entrance exams and attendance at the Anotati Emporiki, the Athens Graduate School of Economics and Business Sciences, its official name then, now the University of Economics, while doing all kinds of odd jobs in the evenings and summers.

With my simple young man’s wisdom and consultation with my father, it was decided that the future in Greece would have limited opportunities, especially for a family of no means.  “America is the place to go” my father said and I, anxious for adventure and a lot more, wholeheartedly agreed. What followed was an enrollment at Columbia University in New York and in 1957 I embarked on a voyage that brought me to the New World. I had just under100 dollars in my pocket, a new suit and a lot of anxiety; these were my assets for my new venture as I stepped off the boat. I also had a sponsor, (necessary for the issuance of a visa), who lived in South Carolina whom I knew very little about.

Describe us the earlier days of your professional life…

After a short stay with some relatives, I moved around doing odd jobs so that I could meet the daily survival requirements. Certainly, there was no money for tuition and the sponsor support did not pan out. Language was an issue as well. All that postponed any ideas about going to school and, as a result, the time went by causing my student’s visa to expire. My status became illegal and the authorities had a job to do. This brought me to Birmingham, the largest city of the State of Alabama, a very beautiful and charming city of the South and certainly a good place to “hide” from the immigration authorities since Birmingham was no port where criminals like me normally congregate.

Odd jobs again, and then my first business venture. I was able to lease (not buy) the business of a small sandwich shop which I kept for three years. Within the same period, I used the same leasing scheme and operated a cocktail lounge and the famous ‘Dog’n’ Shake’drive-in. At the end of 5 years, the leases were up, but enough capital was accumulated for me to start a large pizza restaurant. Meanwhile I got married to Nancy, a fine Irish lady who for 48 years stayed by my side and supported all my moves –good and bad – until in 2007, she lost her battle with a serious illness. In 1965, we moved to Chicago, close to a very large and vibrant Greek Community and a city with a lot more opportunities than Birmingham. In the interim, my lengthy term as a resident in the U.S. had earned me (with many obstacles) the status of permanent resident and in 1963, I became a U.S. citizen.

The turning point in your life came with the invention of the gyros broiler. For those of us who don’t know, can you explain the “Kronomatic” broiler to us and why it was a brilliant concept at that time?  What was the inspiration behind inventing the “Kronomatic” broiler?

First, the “gyros broiler” was not invented by me; it is a centuries old apparatus that cooks meats held on a vertical spit or skewer. The energy source can be firewood, coal, electricity or infrared gas. My contribution was a redesign of its appearance for which I hold a design patent. The Kronomatic is a gyros broiler totally different from its predecessors as well as others that succeeded it in later years. The need for a new design came from watching a few Greek restaurants in Chicago that served gyros (a handmade, non-uniform and actually unsightly product) cooked and served in an  unsightly, awkward and just plain ugly broiler that came from a well known restaurant equipment manufacturer (whose name shall not be mentioned). Gyros was cooked and served in front of the customer and, if nothing else, the equipment cooking it should have  character and an attractive looking design, it should be appetizing and certainly functional. That prompted me to design one, make a model and show it to some friends. The rest is history. I commissioned a sheet metal company to make several units, I secured a design patent and I started selling them to the restaurant operators who were eager to buy them. This was the reason and the inspiration for creating the Kronomatic…nothing mythical, thrilling or romantic, just good marketing sense and sensitivity for some artistic appearance.

 Then, came Kronos Foods, which you saw grow into the largest Greek foods manufacturer in the U.S. How was the journey from building a meat processing plant that produced ready-made gyros meat to the Kronos Foods empire? Were you surprised that it became so incredibly successful?

The launching of the Kronomatic as a small business venture, alongside a couple of restaurants and a sports bar that I owned at the time, was also the beginning of Kronos Foods. Watching the users of the Kronomatic making by hand and selling an amorphous and uniform product, it had become evident that this line would some day become extinct. Using unorthodox methods of processing, with no one really knowing what they were doing, with public health code requirements not really observed, with tastes being different from shop to shop, it became apparent that an opportunity existed that should be capitalized on. If someone produced a high quality product with uniformity in appearance, taste, structure and performance, offered to both existing and potentially new operators, success would be very likely.

That was the start; a 2000 square foot (s.f.) plant and a few pieces of meat processing equipment got things going. After a number of failed attempts and a lot of learning, a product was made and the “Gyrokone” – another patented product- was introduced to the Chicago market, mostly to Greek restaurant operators. The idea became popular and the initial 1000 pounds per week in sales became 2000 and then 5000, and 20 years later, when I sold the company, the sales had increased to close to a million pounds per week along with the equivalent of other products such as pita bread, tzatziki sauce, Greek pastries and a number imported Greek foods sold to all sorts of food service establishments throughout the U.S. Thus the small 2000 s.f. leased meat plant had now become three company owned buildings totaling 250,000 s.f.

Of course, the popularity of Gyros was not my doing alone. The competition contributed significantly to the development of the market with major players being Grecian Delight Foods, Corfu Foods, Central Gyros and Olympia Foods, all formidable and respected competitors. In the course of development, in 1986 I acquired Central Gyros, and a sour cream company which made the basic ingredient for the Kronos tzatziki sauce. The company was renamed Kronos-Central Gyros Co. and it became the leader of the “Gyros industry” maintaining at all times an over 50% market share. And to answer your question about the surprise, when I looked back and remembered my humble beginnings, I was pleasantly surprised and thankful to all that helped me achieve those results: my supporting wife, my brother who worked by my side and a hard working management team together with the entire work force.

What do you think was the internal process by which “Kronos Foods” kept itself on the cutting edge of innovation under your guidance?

One distinguishing factor in the development of the company was the extensive marketing programs and the support offered directly to our customers (the restaurant operators) such as promotional POS materials, advertising aids and personalized assistance by our customer service representatives. In fact our slogan was “we create customers for our customers”. A big drawing card was the Kronomatic; it was offered on a leasing program for one dollar per day, instead forcing the customer to purchase it for over 1,000 dollars. Also, innovative products such as the introduction of the Gyro Loaves, the Gyro-Bobs and a number of portion control items that helped promote sales in schools and other mass feeding operations were responsible for staying ahead of the pack at all times.

What kind of Mediterranean delights/ Greek specialties does “Kronos Foods” produce?

At the time of the sale of the company in 1994, the product line included a full complement of Gyros and related products, a complete line of pita breads, a number of Greek food specialties such as spanakopita and tyropita, in various sizes and packs, as well as an extensive line of Greek pastries including baklava, flogeres, kataifi and others. After all it was a Greek company, wasn’t it? After the sale and in the 17 years that followed, Kronos continued its level of market share and added more products by acquiring another pastry products manufacturing company in Los Angeles which, among its fancy chocolate and pistachio baklava and other Mediterranean specialties, its flagship item has been the manufacturing of a variety of phillo dough. Additionally, Kronos expanded its pita products line with a significant conquest in the pizza industry.

Tell me about ‘Kronos Free Gyros Day’ in Chicago.

A truly ingenious marketing scheme! Kronos took full page ads in the two largest Chicago papers which it offered a coupon for free Gyros sandwich, redeemable at any restaurant that displayed on its window large Kronos posters, supplied by Kronos. A list of the restaurants was also included in the ad. A customer would go and redeem the coupon on which he wrote his name, address, e-mail, etc. At the end of the promotion, the coupons were turned in to Kronos by the restaurant operator who received credit from Kronos for the cost of the sandwich. The operator was happy because Kronos created an opportunity for his restaurant to be exposed to a plethora of new customers. The customers were happy because they received a free product, but the biggest beneficiary of all was kronos which not only brought its products and name once again to the forefront, but it craeted a very valuable name list which could be used for ant promotional announcements in the future. Simple and brilliant!

You owned the company for 20 years. How did it feel when you sold it to set up Tomaras Investments?

I did not sell Kronos to set up an investment company, but to retire and have time to do other things, one of which was to get involved in the Greek Community and offer my  compatriots my time and support, thus showing my gratitude for the support I had received as I was starting out and when I needed it. That was what prompted me to get involved in the Council of Hellenes Abroad (ΣΑΕ) and for 11 years serve the Greek Community as its Vice President for North and South America (a 5 times elected position). Retirement then was also the motive for the establishment of the PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation through which I give scholarships to Greek American students to support them and help them become the leaders of tomorrow. The establishment of Tomaras Investments was necessary as a vehicle for me to continue to earn an income and be able to pursue my other goals.

Nancy, your wife has been involved in all your ventures from the beginning. Can you say a few words about her?

Only a few words? I can talk about Nancy for hours. But I will be brief. Nancy was a wonderful lady, from Ireland. We got married in 1959 and all the years we were married she offered me her love and care, her compassion and comfort, her loyalty and support. What else can a man ask for from a wife? All the years she worked with me side by side, always supporting my actions, especially my various business moves, never complaining about the daring ones – which were in most cases the losers – always accepting the results as “part of Chris’ efforts to succeed” The mother of two kids, she loved them dearly and the three of us offered her the same love, compassion and care to the very end of her days, when the serious illness I mentioned earlier took her away in March 2007. There will never be another woman with Nancy’s virtues and character.

I always believe that employees are worth a mention too. What can you tell me about the people you have employed over the years?

They were a great team and I relied greatly on their skills and their support. Most important, their loyalty and commitment to our goals made them great performers and producers of excellent results. Having said that, I repeat once again my appreciation and gratitude to all my employees and especially the top level of the management team like Ron Follett, Mike Burns, Nick Nichols, Elaine Werges, Dee Katsoulis and many others. Above all, I owe a lot to my younger brother who ran the bakery operations. He died at the age of 50, one year after the company was sold.

What decided you to go from food manufacturing to investments and real estate?

In a simple answer, a vessel was needed to park the proceeds of the sale at first which in the course of time developed into a private investment company. It was an easy but also necessary decision at the time and not something planned and calculated for years.

What kinds of companies or particular technologies are you most interested in now?

If you are asking for a tip, I won’t give you one; only because if it does not prove right for you I will have done you a disservice. I am not an expert and I too, rely on the advice of those who are experts. But sometimes I do better than they do. My response to your question would be companies who are involved in new age technology like hologram, as this is the next generation of human communication and marketing. Also, we see today a world of consumer opportunities from spirited companies who realize huge profits while providing marketing benefits to the merchant community; however, I question their longevity.

And I have to ask… Would you invest your money in Greece under the present economic crisis?

Unfortunately, no. I have invested in the past and lost. I realized some gains in some activities and lost a lot more on some others. The major reason was the indecisiveness of the government and its lack of stability in its policies, as they pertain to certain developing industries and the excessive bureaucracy applied in the way of doing business. The same and worse exist today. And as much as I, and many others, want to do business in Greece the current (established) operating environment renders the idea foolish.

What do you think about Barrack Obama and Joe Biden’s plans to revitalize the economy?

Obama is very smart and very capable, but his decisions are politically driven, as is the case with most politicians. He has all the traits of a competent leader and I believe he will eventually manage to bring about significant changes that will benefit the economy. Let us not forget that he was able to avert the 2^nd largest catastrophic recession in this country; he saved America’s auto industry also AID and with that he saved thousands of jobs;  he reduced the cost of health-care (to the dislike of those whose interests were affected) and managed to bring into the system many people who did not have any health-care coverage at all. He supports the middle class, but he is also aware that without the support of the capital very little will happen. To that end, he focuses on budget cuts so that there will be room for lower taxes; so that there will be incentives to the business community for more investments; so that there will be new jobs created since the key to our economic correction (if not survival) is creating new “jobs”. Along with that, the Stimulus program will help to make all this happen. Of course, so far, very little of that is working. Hopefully, it will happen in his next term which, I am confident, he will win. Would I vote for him? Not if there was someone else with a better program, Democrat or Republican, but as of this moment I see no one on the horizon. As for Biden, he is a crafty politician, very talkative and less substantive. He is not an Obama.

What are some of the biggest future issues still to be faced?

The Euro zone instability and its lack of organizational discipline which in the end may allow hegemonic republics to prevail; the excessive U.S. debt that may have self-destructive effects similar to the great depression of the last century; the simmering upheaval that threatens a complete shake up of the Arab world and its unstable dictatorships and possibly a new world order coming from the Far East with an economic superiority that will affect the entire world.

Give me your thoughts regarding the Greek government’s idea of selling off billions of dollars of state assets, such as banks, highways and state-owned companies.

If I was to answer driven by my emotions and pride the answer would be “that it is an act of treason”. But I am a realist and a businessman and I know when I borrow money I must have already planned the repayment of the loan. In this case, nothing like this  happened and even though I know many conscientious people realized the danger and advised the political leadership accordingly, the “great” political leaders ignored such advice. Now the time has come to pay that ‘loan’ and although it hurts emotionally, it has to happen. It a true shame, but I would silently accept it.

Do you and your family take vacations in Greece? Has it changed considerably over these past years? 

Trips have been frequent over the years for both business and pleasure as I love dearly all that Greece has to give (and take), all of which can be delivered through one single word, the Greek «θαλπωρή», the warmth that is emitted in the air of the evening dusk, the hospitable offerings of the people everywhere, addressing you in plural, the tasty mezethakia at the small taverna that exists almost only at the pleasure of a few friends and the taste of a glass of wine sitting on the balcony of my home in Palaio Faliro, overlooking the calm waters beyond the yachts at the Floisvos marina. All these things have not changed. What has changed is the social climate driven by political greed and corruption, the downward economic trend responsible largely for the degradation of the character and the integrity of the citizenry, the total social upheaval, caused by the unionized labor (in most cases wholly inexcusable) and the lack of safety in the streets due to the influx of so many unfortunate foreign people who, for their survival, resort to crime. Yes, things have changed. This is not my Greece, and I am deeply sorry for what has happened.

You have been recognized a number of times for your sense of honor, integrity and your commitment to civic duty, including with the ‘Ellis Island Medal of Honor’ and also being named ‘Distinguished Greek American.’ How would you describe yourself and your beliefs?

It’s difficult to take stock of yourself and present it to others. But I’ll try. I am a simple man and a private person. I do not need a lot to feel fulfilled. I work many hours a day because I find myself productive this way and to me productivity is achievement. I expect the same from my associates and I appreciate those who do it. I am straight forward in my dealings and keep my word in all promises I make. I consider integrity to be my most valuable asset and I respect those that demonstrate the same about themselves. I get emotional easily, especially in personal matters, but I am also hard if I suspect I am being cheated. I treat people with dignity and respect even when they don’t deserve it. I care deeply about my relatives and close friends although I don’t have many. I am not a frequent church goer, but I appreciate and support the Greek Orthodox Church in America for its contribution through its spiritual work, but also for being the only institution that has been able to keep the Greek American Community together and preserve Hellenism in America. One other organization, AHEPA, has done an equally significant job in that area but is now losing its effectiveness because of the old age and attrition of its membership. I help others when I can and feel bad when I cannot. I dress conservatively as a businessman should.

You are also the founder of the PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation (PHSF). Can you explain your role and what the foundation is about?

This foundation is a non-profit institution that offers scholarships to Greek American university students and has a single mission: to promote education by which Greek American students become significant achievers and, guided by the values of their Hellenic upbringing, contribute meaningfully to the ongoing development of the American society. Its goal is to help build a better America through education and Hellenism and, in that spirit, help strengthen the civic fabric and deliver enlightened and engaged citizens.

The Foundation has been in existence since 1998, founded as my last act in constructive projects during my tenure as resident of the Panmessenian Federation of USA and Canada, and was named Panmessenian Scholarship Foundation. Its purpose was to offer scholarships to students of Messenian descent but soon it was abandoned by the succeeding leaderships for the fact that not enough Messenian students existed at the time that would qualify. I then took it over and changed its scope by offering scholarships to all Greek American students regardless of their roots. I also changed its name to PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation (PHSF), established a new Board and for the last 10 or so years this foundation has recognized hundreds of students for their excellent academic performance and helped them financially to continue their studies that otherwise they might not have.

Every year, at a highly regarded black tie gala event, we distribute $250,000 in scholarships. The recipients must first meet the high academic performance requirements that our independent academic committee has established and then 40 are selected to receive the awards. Of these, 20 students with financial need, receive $10,000 each and another 20 students from wealthier families receive $2,500 each, because they too must be recognized for their effort and their academic achievements.

In selecting these recipients, we believe that they are armed with excellent education first but also with strong moral values, received from their upbringing, so that they have the potential to succeed in their future endeavors and become tomorrow’s leaders and in many ways contributors to the American society.

Which of all your achievements are you most proud of?

I don’t know how an act or a development in one’s life can be characterized as “an achievement to be proud of” but if there is one such  thing in mine, I cannot grade my own work. Be it as it may, if we are talking about some degree of success in business, I would think Kronos Foods would carry such a distinction. And if we are talking about personal satisfaction and fulfillment, the PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation certainly makes the grade as it gives me the opportunity to watch and follow the fruit of this effort in the successes and accomplishments of the kids we recognized, encouraged and helped over the years.

If you were starting out in business today, would you do anything differently?

Yes, perhaps by not making some rash moves, but I would study, calculate and plan these moves better so as to eliminate some wasteful and costly experiences. But if anyone is listening, this should not scare or deter any initiatives. On the contrary, the definition of a successful businessman is the one who takes chances and capitalizes on opportunities when they appear but go forward after careful calculation and planning so as to minimize the risk.

Do you consider a successful entrepreneur to be someone who has built a profitable business?

Profit is the objective of any business venture and the one who delivers it is considered a successful businessman. However, in order to rate as such, you also need to have integrity, consideration for others around you, and don’t allow the success go to your head, especially in an entrepreneurial environment.

What encouraging words or advice would you give to Greek & American youth today?

Today’s economic environment may bring disappointment, even a degree of depression to our young people who are looking to go forward in life. This is natural when continuing adversities surround you regardless of the times or what the causes might be. But the times change, the dark night passes and daylight comes. It is as sure as that. All you have to do is believe it and that daylight will eventually arrive. Don’t keep your head down, always look up, and you will see that light. Keep your hopes up and the opportunities will come to you, so long as you have faith in yourself and your abilities, have confidence in yourself and thus know that when the opportunity pops up you will be there to grab it. And grab it you will because not only are you skillful and knowledgeable but you are also a person that lives by certain values, values and principles that give you strength and character and distinction. They are embedded in your nature, and if they are not, make them be. They will guard and protect you all your life and they will always, always, be your best friends: You recognize them, don’t you? Here they are: Ethos, integrity, responsibility, high work ethic, respect for the rule of law, the will to succeed, and others that will be your own traits and attributes.

Tell me about the ‘Sweet Tea Restaurant’ and how you spend your time nowadays?

I don’t know how you know about it, but ‘Sweet Tea’ is a small adventure for me, a means to relax by going back to my beginnings, a vehicle through which I connect with my past. I saw an opportunity in a building that I own in downtown Birmingham that has been empty for some time and opened a restaurant. Being in Birmingham, the heart of the South, I named it “Sweet Tea” after the great desire of the Southerners to drink sweet ice tea with all their meals and several times in between; in fact sweet ice tea is so popular it has been named “the house wine of the South”.

The restaurant is in its infancy and it is doing well. I go there a few days a month and I find myself doing things that I like: I talk to customers, experiment with new recipes in the kitchen, coordinate marketing moves and, if nothing else, I get to spend some time away from the sitting at a desk. It’s good for me.

Finally, my own personal question… Can a gyro filled with delicious creamy cucumber sauce (Tzatziki), really taste as good in Chicago, than here in downtown Athens?

It tastes better in Chicago. It is all, as you are suggesting, in the Tzatziki!!! Chicagoenjoys Tzatziki, especially the Kronos product, made with a yogurt-sour cream sauce, filled with lots – and I mean lots – of fresh, chopped cucumbers, fresh, chopped garlic and other seasonings. This kind of Tzatziki delivers a gyro that tantalizes all your senses and stays (especially on your breath) for 24 hours, so that you can say “I really enjoyed that”. Can the Greeks in Athens offer such a delicacy? I don’t think so; maybe the Greeks in the States can show them how.

Thank you, Mr. Tomaras for an interesting interview and a chance to learn more about the man who is known as ‘Gyros king’.

His first book, The Virgin Suicides, was a dark but funny story of five sisters who each take their own life. The book caught the attention not only of critics, but also of first-time film director Sofia Coppola, who directed Kirsten Dunst in the film adaptation.

Nine years later, Eugenides dropped his second novel, proving he wasn’t just a one-hit wonder. Middlesex was hailed as brilliant, the story of a Greek-American man who was raised a girl. It won a Pulitzer and was even celebrated by America’s most powerful book club when Oprah Winfrey took note.

Now, another nine years later, he’s back with The Marriage Plot, which explores — in these days of high divorce rates — the importance of love, marriage and that fairy-tale ending. Eugenides dropped by the studio to speak with George Stroumboulopoulos about marriage plots, Oprah and why he takes so long in between publications.

A decade is a long time, but Eugenides has accepted that he’s just slow. “Time flies when you’re in despair,” he quipped. “I have a tough time writing, I write slowly.” Not to mention that three years of work he threw out when he realized he was working on the wrong story. “The Marriage Plot began as a whole other book,” he said. “I did three years on that and had to throw it all away. This book emerged out of that book.”

But why, after writing about teen suicide and hermaphroditism, tackle “the marriage plot,” an outdated plot device in this age of quick divorces and pre-nups? “I was trying to see what energies of the original ‘marriage plot’ I could access, and how I could violate the traditional marriage plot as well,” said Eugenides. “The idea was to try and reanimate or reinvent the marriage plot, which is the foundational plot of novels from Jane Austen to Henry James.”

He’s quick to add, though, that his novel is nothing like a Jane Austen novel. “There’s too much sex in it, for one thing,” he joked.

But even though the ‘marriage plot’ seems outdated, Eugenides said, “it still works in our heads. We still have this idea that we might be destined in love to meet the perfect person. And my characters here are struggling with this notion, in that they are trying to both find a mate, and to reject this idealized notion.”

The novel is set in the early 1980s, when Eugenides himself went to college. He shrugs off suggestions that the book is autobiographical, though admits to certain resemblances. “All of the characters bear a strong resemblance to me,” he said. “Mitchell Grammaticus, the half-Greek guy, is the most like me, and that was the hardest role to write, because my own memories kept competing with the fiction I was trying to create.”

(source: SFLuxe)

Constantine Maroulis at the "Loukoumi Celebrity Cookbook" Premiere in New York City Photo Credit: Jillian Nelson

Tony nominated actor and American Idol alum Constantine Maroulis was a celebrity guest at the Loukoumi Celebrity Cookbook premiere, that took place at Barnes and Noble on Sunday, November 27, 2011 in Lexington Avenue and 86th Street. He opens up to Markos Papadatos about being a part of Nick Katsoris’ newest children’s book, which benefits such organizations as the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Chefs for Humanity, the charity of Iron Chef Cat Cora.

“It’s a great honor to be here,” Maroulis acknowledges. “Nick Katsoris is a great friend and he is doing so much great work for kids. It’s just an uplifting and beautiful story. I’m glad to be a part of it. I have a baby girl to think about now, and it’s great to know he is doing such great things for the children at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and young people everywhere.”

Throughout the Loukoumi series, Maroulis voiced the character of “Gus the Bear.” According to Maroulis, he remarks, “it’s great as an actor to be able to do voices and to be part of cool projects like these.”

For this latest book, Maroulis contributed his childhood recipe for Greek lemon roasted potatoes. “It’s my mother’s recipe that was probably passed down from her mother,” Maroulis discloses. “It’s a beautiful, basic Greek dish of potatoes that goes with anything; they are baked, nice, and they smell great. It’s a pretty easy recipe to follow, and you can make them in approximately twenty or thirty minutes.”

This year, Constantine Maroulis, was awarded a prestigious Gabby award in Ellis Island in the “Performing Arts” category besting out fellow Greek-American entertainers, Zach Galifianakis and Tine Fey. “It’s a wonderful honor to be recognized by my peers especially in the Greek community for my work in the performing arts. It’s really nice, and I appreciate all of the support from the Greek community. I promise to keep on doing good work for them,” he says.

When asked about what he feels is his proudest professional accomplishment, Maroulis reveals, “I think that I haven’t reached that just yet. I am working on that! As an artist, I try to grow each and every day and do great projects. Hopefully, I will be doing them for many, many years to come.”

Regarding his future plans, Maroulis shares, “I have two brand new Broadway shows in the works and you’ll hear about them pretty soon.”

Asked about which musicians he would like to collaborate with, Maroulis underscores, “There are so many great artists out there,” he admits. “I am lucky to do what I do. I have gotten a chance to work with so many great people, so I am very grateful for that. I think it’s great when people from different styles collaborate, such as Lady Gaga with Tony Bennett. Something along those lines will be great.”

Maroulis notes that he stays connected with his dedicated fans via his social networks such as Twitter and Facebook. “I try to arrange meet and greets after events, and I know a lot of the fans on a first name basis, so it’s been like a growing family over the years,” he adds.

“The Greek-American community is incredible,” Maroulis states. “They are very supportive of me and the arts. We stick together and we are trying to do great things for the future of Hellenism. Greece has taken a bit of a black eye in the media and we are doing our best to remedy the situation, and a lot of Greek leaders are out there and they are working tirelessly to remedy it. I encourage people to go to Greece, spend time there, discover their roots, and just have a good time.”

For hopefuls who wish to enter the entertainment and music profession, Maroulis stresses the need to practice. “Work hard, and explore higher education. Try to do as much good work as you can, whether it’s community theater or a high school play! It’s all positive and productive,” Maroulis concludes.

Tell us about your Greek roots.

I was born and raised in California. My father is from Kefalonia and my American-born mother has roots in Sidirokastro near Thessaloniki and Simiades near Tripolis. I spent all my summers in Greece, mostly in Kefalonia. The rest of the year, my time was filled with Greek School, Sunday School, GOYA, basketball and more. We went to Holy Cross Church in Belmont. I was also very involved in Greek folk dance, from 4 years-old through college. I got involved with the Greek Orthodox Folk Dance Festival in LA, and for years helped organize the festival. My husband and school would prompt a move to LA, where we now live. For a time I directed a Greek dance group in LA. I’ve taught Greek School at the Saint Sophia Cathedral in LA.

You couldn’t find the invitations you liked. What did you do?

I took some courses at the International Printing Museum in Carson, CA, so I could learn more about this craft. There, they had every single letterpress ever made. It was so cool. I attended classes on weekends, and met someone there who could help me print my invitations, once I designed them. We spent considerable time there, printing 200 wedding invitations – five pieces with two colors each. I really enjoyed the entire process. It was great to see the results of what I’d created. Nothing like this ever existed. I was so excited, so I started the business.

What kind of work are you doing?

I started out doing work for friends, and then began designing Christmas cards, and it took off from there. I’ve met a lot of Greek brides from around the world; a lot of Greek brides in Germany, Singapore. I’ve also worked with quite a few brides who were not Greek, but were marrying Greek, and felt it important to keep the Greek as a part of their wedding.

The website is my portfolio, and all jobs start there. Wedding work is typically all custom. Brides tell me their colors, theme, what they are looking for, then I create something and we tweak it together. I also design invitations for bridal showers, baby showers, baptisms, any sort of invitation desired, as well as greeting cards. When I’m not super busy with custom work, I develop more greeting cards. I sell the ready-made line of greeting cards on Etsy. There you can find holiday cards, thank you cards, and more.

You’re pretty much self-taught.

I have no formal training in design. I always loved to draw and paint, do crafts.

You work in PR too.

As the business is building, I still work part time for a small PR agency in LA. I have a Master’s in Public Relations and a BA in Communications. My clients are all architects and designers, which is a great environment for me.  It’s fun to work with them, since I understand the creative process and what they are going through, how it all works together.

What’s up with Goddess of the Hunt?

A couple of years ago, I was featured on their site, and I kept in touch with editor Dana Siomkos. We’ve developed a line of prints that have to do with the graffiti in Athens. Dana got some photos from Greece this summer and I turned them into line art. We’re selling them in the ‘Goddess’ boutique.

What else is new?

We’re selling a lot of Greek and English Christmas cards. I’m getting a lot of custom orders for photo cards, too. I’ve also developed a line of prints of different islands. They’re maps, 5×7 flat prints. We’re getting a lot of requests to add more islands.

Writing cards is still important.

These days, everyone is sending email or communicating on Facebook and Twitter, however, sending Christmas cards and writing cards is important. Written communication is still very important.

Watch the video of the making of the graffiti prints.

Ms. Cathy Nakos

Ms. Cathy Nakos runs her own management company, CN Productions, in Nashville, Tennessee and serves as the artist manager of two country artists who are at the top of their game, Andy Griggs, and Buddy Jewell.

Regarding her Greek heritage, Ms. Cathy Nakos remarks, “I am extremely proud of it. My grandparents were from the islands of Karpathos and Rhodes. I still have relatives on both islands. It’s no wonder I am so attracted to water. I have 3 sons who have been able to visit the island of Corfu where their late father’s family was from.”

“I love Greek history,” Nakos acknowledges. “Our culture gave so much to the world: democracy, the Olympics, philosophy, the Hippocratic oath, spirituality, art, mythology and above all passion for what we believe in. I loved being in Greece and walking the paths of Socrates and Plato and Paul, climbing the rocks to the Parthenon and trying to grasp the magnificence of a country that was so architecturally accomplished as well as reflecting on the glory that must have been at that time. And I love the rich spirituality of the Oracles of Delphi.”

“Sitting in the Olympic arena was breathtaking as I come from a family of winning athletes,” recalls Nakos. “I encourage everyone to seek their heritage. It provides an understanding of the way you were raised. The first time I went to Greece, I witnessed why my grandparents and my father did the things they did, such as drinking from small glasses, only filling a cup of coffee half full and painting red brick houses white with blue shutters. It made me cherish my experiences even more. And to think that 300 Spartans stood their ground against thousands reminds me to be steadfast and persistent in all that I do and all the challenges I face.”

“My Greek heritage influences my music as well. I grew up going to Greek picnics with the local Greek musicians playing Greek music that we all danced to. I was also influence by my mom who was a singer with the big bands and gave her up career to marry my father. My dad grew up next door to Perry Como who was also a barber in my great uncle’s barber shop which was also in my other great uncle’s building. They encouraged Perry to pursue his singing career. Bobby Vinton went to school with my father’s cousins. The Four Coins were composed of two brothers and two cousins who were Greek and lived down the street. The brothers’ father was my dad’s Godfather. So I was surrounded by legends of the various genres of music and the love that my family shared for it all,” Ms. Nakos shares.

Ms. Nakos continues, “My mother wanted me to fulfill her dreams and had me singing on tabletops when I was three. At the age of eleven, I was singing backup on records for The Four Coins. At thirteen, I had my own folk group and we were offered numerous opportunities to record both as a group and me as a solo artist, but my father was wise and didn’t want a young teenager on the road. Just like the leading character in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Ms. Nakos was raised a traditional Greek female.

She got married and had children before going to college. She loved being a wife and mother, but something was always burning inside of her to get back into music. She started singing with a local band who played country clubs and they learned to play and sing Greek music so we did a lot of Greek dates. She also did a lot of volunteer work, especially for the National Multiple Sclerosis Society as a result of her husband’s illness, which lead her to a career in non-profits. I had the opportunity to work with many entertainers through our numerous events and found a love for the country music artists. I found the country sound and passion to be similar in sound and passion to Greek music. Eleven years ago after my children were out of college, I moved to Nashville to merge my expertise in management and marketing non-profits with my love and passion for music in an environment that felt like home.”

“My company is me, along with the help of several interns and fans. Most of the work is outsourced/contracted to specialists as needed and who match them my clients. A ‘manager of country entertainers’ is more like a combination of consultant, developer, implementor, networker and psychologist.”

On becoming an artist manager, Nakos states, “I realized I loved being on the other side of the stage and could enjoy both music and the development of people in one role. I view the artist as the owner and CEO of their career/corporation and the manager as COO. The role is to manage all aspects of an artist’s career from image/branding to creation of and distribution of product to setting short and long term goals. One is constantly implementing and evaluating these goals while securing and managing the best people for their team to assure success while keeping them real.”

According to Ms. Nakos, “I’ve worked with a lot of entertainers, but in the past few years I have had the opportunity to share in the careers of two major talents who are true to themselves and who place their spiritual beliefs, family and music at the top of their list. They are humble and fun to be around. We share a mutual respect and trust. This has to be my second greatest accomplishment and one I am most proud of. I could not be a Greek Mom without recognized my greatest accomplishment, my sons and grandsons. My eldest son Alex is an accomplished estate and tax attorney in Dallas. He and his wife Joanne have given me my greatest joy in my 3 grandsons, Andrew, Max and Jack who are all extremely handsome, talented and intelligent…of course. My son Spiro, can you tell they were all named after “Papous and uncle, who is lives in College Station, TX with his new wife, Courtney and is a successful account for a company that sells equipment to oil companies. My son Jimmy is a managing CPA for Ernst & Young in Atlanta…and ladies, he’s still single. The rest is forthcoming.”

On her future plans, Ms. Nakos reveals, “to continue my journey and to stay true to my faith, my family, myself and my goals. I want Andy Griggs and Buddy Jewell to be household names for more than just their music, rather that we all share a passion to help one another and others and to walk in God’s light as imperfect beings while being an example of love, peace and freedom.”

For the Greek-American youth who wish to go into artist management in the music industry, Ms. Nakos recommends they “have the passion and fearlessness of the Spartans, as well as the burning desire for the industry. Stay true to yourself, think out of the box, stay persistent, persevere, don’t take yourself too seriously and above all, keep the faith. Another words, pray hard always thanking God for all you have, work hard, play hard and stay the course.”

Although Ms. Nakos does not visit the motherland often enough, she notes her love and admiration towards the Greek islands, as well as the country’s capital, Athens, due to its rich history.

For the Greek-American community, Ms. Nakos concludes, “I believe there is strength in the smaller communities where everyone maintains the passion for the culture, religion and relationships. I believe there is a weakening in larger communities where families are spread out and their only bond is the church and other activities tend to interfere with the time they spend together. I pray that the young people stay encouraged to stay true to their beliefs and hold strong. I pray that in some cases, they rebuild the communities and by building stronger communities within they will influence the building of stronger communities without and the domino effect will help this beautiful country we live in to heal and our heritage to survive.”

Nick Katsoris Photo Courtesy of Jillian Nelson

Nick Katsoris, author of the Loukoumi children’s book series, took some time from his schedule to talk about his latest book in the series entitled Loukoumi’s Celebrity Cookbook, which features the favorite childhood recipes of over fifty celebrities.

According to Nick Katsoris, he remarks, “The idea to do a children’s cookbook came about at the premiere of our last book. When Loukoumi’s Gift came out we had a big event at Barnes and Noble in Lincoln Center, New York. It was one of the books that was narrated by Jennifer Aniston and her father, actor John Aniston.

Cat Cora happened to be in New York, and said that she would love to come. We had just honored Cat Cora at the Hellenic Times Scholarship Fund (HTSF) GALA the previous May. I told her that I would love for her to not only come by, but for her to participate. She ended up reading Jennifer Aniston’s parts from the book when we had the live reading at the premiere. Later on at the event, we were all signing books together at a book signing table, and Cat was next to me, and told me that she would love to be a part of the next Loukoumi book.

Then I thought that the next book involving Loukoumi would have to be something culinary-related. I started writing the story, and I created a new character named Cat, who is illustrated as a cat, and I tied her in as the aunt of ‘Fistiki the Cat,’ who is an established character in the book. Then, Cat offers to cook the characters something and they start cooking her favorite childhood recipe. Then I thought to myself that it would be fun to get other people to share their favorite childhood recipes that would become favorites to other children. I got Cat’s recipe and started with people that I knew who had supported the books in the past such as Olympia Dukakis, Gloria Gaynor, Constantine Maroulis and Gilles Marini, and then I started reaching out.

I think the final count is 58 recipes in the book, since several people have double recipes in it. It’s amazing how people open up their hearts and are willing to contribute. It is something that means a lot to each person that is featured in the book, since it is their favorite recipe, and it brings back memories from when they were kids. It reminds people of holidays and other great memories. My goal is to get kids in the kitchen with their parents, to cook these recipes, and to create new memories.”

On working with Iron Chef Cat Cora, who is also the president and founder of Chefs for Humanity, Katsoris states, “she is just amazing! She is a wonderful person with a big heart, and she is a very talented chef.”

“Chefs for Humanity is an amazing organization, founded by Cat Cora. She does so much internationally as far as healthy eating programs, she did a lot of work in Haiti, and there is so much that she does on a nutrition level and also on a human interest level. It is in line with the wonderful person that she is. I also have a soft spot for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. This is all for the kids!” Katsoris acknowledges.

On approaching all of these popular celebrities to participate in his latest cookbook, Katsoris underscores, “My philosophy is: ‘you never know what you can accomplish until you try.’ I just started asking. People were so wonderful and so willing to participate in the project. We have Oprah Winfrey in the book! I’ll never forget the moment when I got an e-mail from her Communications Division that she wanted to participate in the book. We have Beyonce, Reese Witherspoon, Betty White, Nicole Kidman, Matt Lauer, Justin Timberlake, Taylor Swift, Paula Deen, Jay Leno, Mark Wahlberg, Melina Kanakaredes, and others. These recipes are their favorite childhood recipes. They selected the recipes, and they furnished the quotes as to why it is their favorite childhood recipes, as well as a headshot of themselves. At the bottom of each recipe, we have pictures of the characters of the book. The fact that they gave me the recipes themselves makes it that much more special!”

“Then I sat my son down, Dean, who is seven-years-old, and my niece and nephew, and I asked them who they wanted to see in the book, so they rattled off names of stars from the Disney Channel. These are celebrities that the kids can relate to and go crazy for! I just started asking and we got a majority of those celebrities. As a result, my son, niece and nephew were thrilled,” Katsoris adds.

Recalling one of his most memorable visits to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Katsoris shares, “I went down there and donated five hundred books to the hospital and I signed Loukoumi books for all the kids, and I did an event for them, and we had ‘Loukoumi the Lamb’ down there, and it changed my life! I saw these kids that were coming either to or from their cancer treatments, but what got me more than the kids were the parents, since they understood! I will never forget this one father put his hand on my shoulder after the event, and he said ‘Nick, thank you for distracting our children!’ I thought, ‘That’s what my purpose was for that day. It was to distract the kids with these books and to give them a little comfort and fun during their daily cancer treatments; not only for St. Jude Children’s Hospital, but for children everywhere.

The purpose of the books is to teach children a lesson. In this book, the lesson is: ‘the secret ingredient is to never give up,’ not only in cooking but also in life; moreover, for children to do everything they can and be the best that they can be!”

Yet another memorable moment for Nick Katsoris at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital took place two years ago.

“There was one little girl that was nine months old, and I will never forget her. She is one of the sweetest little girls you are ever going to meet. She had a headband on with a huge daisy and she was sitting there in the front and took pictures with Big Loukoumi and I only had one of the Loukoumi stuffed animals with me that day as a prop, and gave it to her. Two years went by, and last week on Thursday about midnight, I was on the computer and I see a picture of her pop up on Facebook, and I couldn’t believe where this came from. Her grandmother was commenting on the picture and was filling me in on how her granddaughter just had surgery on her eyes and in order to save her vision, they did radioactive plaque surgery to save her eyes from the cancer.

Then, her grandmother went on to tell me how important the Loukoumi books are to her granddaughter, and how much they meant to her over the last two years. Her mother chimed in and said that ‘not a night goes by where her daughter doesn’t ask to have one of the Loukoumi books read three times.’ Here is a grandmother whose granddaughter underwent surgery for cancer of the eye, and two days later, she is taking time to tell me the progress of her granddaughter and how much these books meant to her. It’s just amazing to me, that these books touched this girl in this way! That is what I am trying to do here: to touch people with my books. It means so much to me that these books meant so much to this little girl and her family,” Katsoris reveals.

Particularly impressive about Katsoris’ latest book, Loukoumi’s Celebrity Cookbook, is that a minimum of $2 from the sale of each book will go towards the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and to Chefs for Humanity.

Mr. Katsoris’ wife, Voula, also makes a cameo in this book, where along with Lori Sandler, the founder of Divvies, a dairy-free company, they both provide allergy-friendly substitutes for the baking ingredients in the recipes of his book. “Our son has a dairy allergy, so we have been challenged to find allergy-ingredient substitutes, since we didn’t want to exclude anybody with this book. You can substitute ingredients without losing taste. If you have a dairy allergy, you can put soy milk or rice milk. My son has his own Sundae recipe in the book! He got all excited to have his own recipe that we’re doing a recipe contest, where children ages four to twelve can submit their favorite recipes, and in ten words or less they can specify why it is their favorite, and we will select a winner, and subsequently, the winner will get a chance to cook that favorite recipe with Cat Cora,” Katsoris says.

“This is such an amazing group of people that have come together for this project. I feel a great sense of responsibility to do everything that I can to make this project as best as it can be. We have Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Jay Leno, Beyonce, Oprah Winfrey… I still can’t believe it sometimes when I look at the book and see everybody that has graciously contributed to this project,” Katsoris acknowledges.

“We are having our New York premiere of Loukoumi’s Celebrity Cookbook, on November 27, 2011 at the Barnes and Noble on Lexington Avenue and 86th Street, New York at 2 PM. We will have a reading of the book, as well as a lot of people from the book,” he adds.

“As long as the Greek-American community keeps reading these books, I’ll continue to write them. The support from the Greek community has been overwhelming. These books are for all kids, Greeks and non-Greeks alike, but it is the Greek community that inspired me with the first book on Loukoumi going to Greece on summer vacation. Loukoumi will always be first and foremost for the Greek-American community. Their support for these books is very touching and heart-warming!

For more information on Nick Katsoris’ latest book, visit Loukoumi’s official website, www.loukoumi.com and for more information on Cat Cora’s organization Chefs for Humanity, check out their official website.

Loukoumi's Celebrity Cookbook

Nikos & Vasilki Argeroplos

Nikos Argeroplos & Vasiliki Argeroplos co-founded “Okay To Play”, they live in Maryland and here in a remarkable interview, they talk about their determination to help others, the organization they set up and how they feel about their notable achievement:

1. Vasiliki: Before we talk about ”Okay To Play” and its tremendous success, please tell me a little about yourself, your family and your Greek roots?

My name is Vasiliki Argeroplos , I am 12 yrs old and I will be 13 on Nov 10th. I like to draw, play field hockey, swim, sing and read. I have a brother, Niko, who started this organization with me who is 16 yrs old. I have two wonderful parents Ted and Demetra. My father’s family are from Corinth and my mother’s are from Dombrena, a village 30 minutes from Thiva. My mother was born in Athens and immigrated here at the age of 2. My father was born in Dayton, Ohio and we live in Maryland.

2. Niko: Do you and Vasiliki, ever visit Greece? What do you like about the country and society in general? Can you sympathize with the citizens over the present situation they find themselves in?

Vasiliki and I have visited Greece every year since we were born. When we were young up until a year ago, we would come to Greece with our Grandparents from June until August. Now as we are older, we have other commitments so we come with our parents for a month every year. I love our Greek culture, our amazing history, and it is truly the most beautiful country I have visited. Yes, I do sympathize with the citizens over the present situation. It is very upsetting for us Greek Americans because we are so proud to be Greek.

3. Vasiliki: What is ”Okay To Play” all about and what or who was the inspiration behind it?

“Okay to Play” is about giving joy to underprivileged children by giving them toys and other fun things they wish for. My brother and I were watching a documentary on how kids develop and grow by playing, and then we thought of children who are orphans or in foster care where they do not have the opportunity to play as we do. What we do, is collect cell phones, PDA’s and other used electronics. Then, we sell them to a recycling center. The profits of the electronics go to buying orphans toys from amazon.com, including soccer goals, basketball hoops and roller blades. We also recieve donations as well from personal and business contributors.

4. Niko: Would you like to see the idea of making children smile spread around the world?

I would love to see children smile and play around the world. It is what life is all about.

5. Vasiliki: Can you tell me something about the rest of the team involved in the organization and their roles?

The rest of the team of “Okay to Play” are cousins and close friends that live in other states and so they all run their own piece of “Okay to Play” in their states. Here are the names and states: Panayota Perdikis, NJ : Vlasi and Niko Pappas-Cleveland, Ohio: Nikolina Janakievski -Columbus, Ohio and Lucky, Rena Masoutis in NYC: Katerina and Jeff Jordan in Maryland.

6. Niko: Has it been fairly easy to persuade people to donate their cellphones and other electronics?

Yes. It has been very easy to have people give up their old electronics. Most people want to be able to help the environment and not allow their items to end up in land fills polluting our country. It does not cost them anything so that makes it even easier.

7. Vasiliki: How many cell phones have you collected so far and do you encourage young people to recycle products too?

We have collected over 1000 cell phones that we have recycled and received some form of money for them. We have collected several hundred other cell phones where there was not any money we received, but we still recycled them to keep these cell phones out of land fills. Yes. I encourage everyone to recycle because we need to keep our planet intact.

8. Niko: Have you had any help from large sponsors or interest in the organization from local authorities?

We need more sponsors and awareness out in the world. We do have several corporate sponsors that have recently voiced their support of our non profit charity. There are many others we would like to see support us in the near future. We are not anywhere near where we need to be, but are thankful for the supporters we have.

9. Vasiliki: How can people become involved in ”Okay To Play?” What kind of fundraising events would help the organization?

People can get involved in many ways. They can donate phones directly off our website or donate money right off our website. They can hold cell phone drives in their schools and churches. They can do various fundraisers such as car washes, bake sales, and gift card sales. Fundraising that would help “Okay to Play” would be to get corporate sponsors to support our cause by running promotions in their stores where a percentage of the sales can go to our charity. Any fundraiser would help us in any way. Also, I’d like to say here that if people have any orphanage in mind that needs our help, then they just have to contact us so that we can deliver some toys. The kids draw up a wish list and we try to see to it that they get exactly what they want.

10 Niko: What kinds of reactions do you get from the children when they see all the toys?

The children are skeptical at first when they receive these toys and items from their wish list. They do not trust us and are very withdrawn in the beginning. It seems to take a few hours of time spent with them before they then start to relax, trust and have fun. Some of the younger children have a happy and excited reaction right away and that is great to see.

11 Vasiliki: Do you find it heart-breaking to see so many children in orphanages and foster homes?

Yes. I find it heart-breaking to see other kids in these homes. We have heard some very sad stories that make me want to do even more. I feel the saddest part is that they are missing loving parents.

12. Niko: Can you tell our readers about any amusing incidents that have taken place when handing out the toys?

An amusing thing that occurred when we were giving out roller blades to one orphanage was that the children asked for these roller blades but only 2 of the children actually knew how to use them. So all of us from “Okay to Play” held on to each of them and tried to get them to learn how to roller blade. It was a lot of fun. The amusing part was watching all of us fall down together and start laughing, as none of us were really pros at this.

13. Vasiliki: Why do you think child development play is a very important part of growing up?

If you did not play, life would be boring. When you are little and you play it helps your brain develop and you learn different things. Also play keeps children from becoming obese because it keeps you active which can decrease diabetes.

14. Niko: What plans do you have for the future of ”Okay To Play”?

The plans we have for the future, involve raising more money in order to be able to grant more wishes to as many underprivileged children as we can. We are all kids running this organization and therefore we are quite busy with school and sports and all kinds of other activities, so the progress does not run as quickly as I would like to see it run. My sister and I, devote a great deal of time on the weekends to promote and build the organization. I would like to secure more grants from companies and create more awareness of our charity in any way that I can. I would like to have more corporate sponsors. I would also like to increase awareness and secure other children in other states promoting the charity. We have a long way to go, but I feel we are moving in the right direction.

15. Vasiliki: How do you feel about being chosen by Junior Achievement of Central Maryland as one of three Maryland young entrepreneurs?

I thought being picked for Junior Achievement through my school at Garrison Forest was a big honor and it was a very amazing experience. The Junior Achievement program helped me to learn how to set up a business and is what partly gave me the motivation.

16 Niko: What started off as a small affair in a conference room has now took off in several U.S. states. Why do you think that the organization is doing so well?

I feel the organization is doing well because we are just kids trying to make a difference by bringing some happiness to other kids, while at the same time helping the environment. We do not need money, we are just kids, so 100 percent of the money raised goes straight to the underprivileged children. We are an official 501 3 c non profit charity, so any donations are tax deductible. We hope it continues to grow and prosper so that we can see many more children’s lives impacted. I also feel that my school, The Park School of Baltimore, MD and their unique way of teaching us how to learn to think, has helped us immensely in our journey.

17. Vasiliki/Niko: Finally, what would you both like to say to the youth of America?

Vasiliki: Thank God for everything you have and make sure to always give back.

Niko: To not be passive in life, they need to get involved and help make the world a better place for all of our futures.

To become involved with “Okay to Play’, volunteer your help, become a sponsor, or donate cell phones and other electronics, click on: www.okaytoplay.org

“The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things.” ~ Plato