Hellenic – American
Chamber of Commerce
2014
Greetings from the President
As the newly-elected president of
this prestigious organization, I am very
happy to have the opportunity to
share with you some of my thoughts
as I begin my tenure.
First of all, I want to thank you, the
members of the Chamber, for your
support. Since my election, I have
been most fortunate to have received
not only good wishes from so many of
you but also your advice and guidance.
I think of this as an exceptional
courtesy to me, especially when I consider the high level of your
achievement in your lives and careers. I see your support as an
energizing vote of confidence in me, and I feel especially
honored and privileged for the opportunity to lead our
organization for the next two years. I will try my best to serve
you well.
Of course, the success of any presidency is largely dependent
upon the degree of cooperation and sharing of responsibilities
afforded to the office. I will need your suggestions, your input,
your assistance. I will depend upon your creativity and
imagination, your daring and your foresight. I urge you to be at
my side, ready to voice your ideas and suggestions. We share an
interest in and a commitment to the Chamber. Let us work
together to achieve our goals and bring our organization to
even higher levels. We are members of the same team, and
together we can benefit our Chamber as never before.
Over the years we have established a number of events that
our members have come to look forward to and that have
increased the visibility of the Chamber. We will be continuing
these efforts. Our annual film festival literally draws thousands
of viewers into state-of-the-art venues to see the exciting and
often provocative new films coming out of Greece. Our annual
gala draws distinguished members of the business community
who come from all over the world to honor the Person of the
Year. Our honoree in October is the very distinguished Robert
D. Somerville, a major figure in the shipping industry, a man
who has achieved substantial success in his profession while
earning the admiration and respect of colleagues all over the
world. Our annual shipping conference, co-sponsored with the
Norwegian Chamber of Commerce, attracts media attention
and ranks as an important event for members of this major
industry.
Our Construction, Engineering and Design Committee events
bring together major players from these industries and present
them to capacity audiences. The same holds for our Insurance
Committee as well as our Finance, Insurance and Investment
Committee and our Fashion Committee events. Our Cultural
and Education Committee is a vital part of our community
outreach agenda, presenting a number of free lectures and
special programs for all to enjoy.
I will continue to depend on the hard-working people who
serve on these committees to continue their good work under
my presidency, but I also invite all of you to join and contribute
(continued on page 2)
Robert D. Somerville Named
Person of the Year 2014
Robert D. Somerville has been named
HACC’s Person of the Year 2014 and will be
honored at the annual dinner dance at the
Pierre on Friday, October 17.
Throughout his 43-year career with ABS,
Robert D. Somerville held increasingly senior
positions. He began as a field surveyor and
steadily rose through the ranks as a senior
surveyor, principal surveyor, Regional
Manager for Western Europe, and President
and Chief Operating Officer of ABS Europe
Ltd. In 1993, he was elected President and
Chief Operating Officer of ABS. In 2002, he
was elected President and Chief Executive
Officer, and in 2004, he was elected
Chairman and CEO. In 2011, Somerville was
elected Chairman until his retirement in
2013.
Prior to joining ABS, he served as a
seagoing engineer and gained shipyard
experience at Newport News, at the time the
largest shipbuilder in the world.
Somerville
holds a Bachelor
of Science degree
in
Marine
Engineering from
Maine Maritime
Academy.
He
received
an
honorary
Doctorate
of
Science
from
Maine Maritime
Academy,
an
honorary Doctorate of Commercial Science
from the Webb Institute and an honorary
Doctorate of Science from City University,
London – Cass Business School. He is a
graduate of the Harvard Business School’s
Advanced Management Program and is a
Fellow of SNAME.
Somerville currently serves as a member of
the Board of Directors for GasLog Ltd; a
member of the Board of Directors for Keppel
Offshore and Marine, as well as for
Knightsbridge Tankers, Ltd.; Vice Chairman of
the Board of Trustees for Maine Maritime
Academy; a member of the Massachusetts
Maritime Academy Foundation Board of
Trustees. He also served as Vice Chairman
and Chairman of IACS.
Somerville is an active member of many
professional associations and has received
numerous awards in recognition of his
contributions to maritime safety. He was
inducted into the International Maritime
Hall of Fame at the United Nations in 2006.
In 2007, the US Chamber of Shipping of
America awarded him the Admiral Halert C.
Shepheard Award. In 2009, he received
both SNAME’s Vice Admiral “Jerry” Land
Medal and the Massachusetts Maritime
Academy Foundation’s Captain Emery Rice
Medal. In 2011, he received the United
Seamen’s Service Admiral of the Ocean Sea
Award. In 2012, Somerville was awarded
the Lifetime Achievement Award from
Seatrade. In 2013, he was named
International Personality of the Year at the
Lloyd’s List Greek Shipping Awards. That
same year, he received the U.S. Coast
Guard Distinguished Public Service Award.
In 2014, he was recognized with Lloyd’s List
North American Lifetime Achievement
Award.
Clay Maitland Elected
HACC Chairman
Clay Maitland has been elected Chairman
of the Hellenic American Chamber of
Commerce.
A long-time member and benefactor of
the HACC, Mr. Maitland has worked in the
shipping industry for the past 45 years. He
is Managing Partner of International
Registries, which administers the Marshall
Islands Ship Registry, the third largest
registry in the world.
Beyond his business interests, Mr.
Maitland serves as Director of the Coast
Guard Foundation. He was awarded the
U.S. Coast Guard’s Distinguished Public
Service Award in 2010.
Greetings from the President
(continued from page 1)
to the effort. Who knows how much more we will be able to accomplish over the next two years.
“We” is going to be the operative word during my tenure as
president. We are in this together. We, members and friends of the Chamber, must channel our efforts to promote the Chamber, make sure the business
community knows about our work, increase our audience base and draw in our young professionals, the wonderfully energetic young men and women who
are making their way in the business community
and who represent in a very real sense the future of our Chamber.
One last point. Much has been said about the fact that I am the first woman to be elected president of the Chamber. Of course, I understand that there is a
degree of excitement to be drawn from the new and the novel. However, my gender is really not the issue. What is important is that we have an organization
that understands the importance of being all-inclusive and that recognizes that there is a record of achievement that we, men and women of the Chamber, not
only must emulate but grow as well. We can do it.
Nancy Papaioannou, President
HACC Honors Robert G. Shaw,
Person of the Year 2013
Friends and colleagues of Robert Shaw filled the Grand Ballroom of the Pierre Hotel last October to pay tribute to the Hellenic-American Chamber of
Commerce Person of the Year.
Shaw, a former president and chairman of the Chamber, is a pre-eminent leader of the New York Maritime and Hellenic communities.
Born and raised in London to a Greek mother and a British father, Shaw is a graduate of St. John’s college, Oxford University. He began his career as a lawyer
in London and for over twenty years was an associate and then a partner of Healy and Baillie in New York, a firm specializing in maritime and commercial law.
In 2000 he joined Navios Corporation and was named president in 2005. He is currently managing director of Sea Trade Holdings, Inc., a holding corporation
with investments in the dry bulk shipping sector.
An elegant evening honoring an elegant gentleman.
September 2013
Construction Committee Scores Success
With Residential Development Panel
A panel discussion entitled “New York City Residential,
Development and Construction 2014: The Flight of Icarus” drew
a capacity crowd at the Holy Trinity Cathedral Center last
September. Featured speakers were Joseph Moinian, CEO of
the Moinian Group; John Catsimatidis, Chairman and CEO of
Red Apple Group; Jay Badami, President of Tishman
Construction , Philip Wharton, SVP Development of Brookfield
Properties and Randy Gerner AIA, Principal of Gerner, Kronick
and Valcarel Architects , P.C..
The focus of the panel discussion made up of major industry
players and moderated by Louis Katsos, the Committee
Chairman, was on current large scale residential /mixed use
projects. The panel members combined are currently involved
in about 10 million square feet of construction and over 3
billion dollars worth of work.
The title “The Flight of Icarus” related to the current massive
amount of new ground up construction and the possibility that
the industry is “flying too close to the sun” and heading for a
“dive.”
The program was presented by the Development, Design and
Construction Committee of HACC.
October 2013
Festival Screening Benefits
Jewish Museum of Greece
The New York City Greek Film Festival donated $2,500 to the
American Friends of the Jewish Museum of Greece. The
amount represents the proceeds from the festival’s special
benefit screening of the documentary KISSES TO THE CHILDREN
at the NYIT Auditorium on Broadway last October.
“The contribution is deeply appreciated,” said Solomon Asser,
President of American Friends. “It helps us achieve our mission
to preserve and protect the rich heritage of Jews in Greece and
supports our museum.”
KISSES TO THE CHILDREN, directed by Vassilis Loules,
presents the eloquent testimonies of five Greek Jews who were
saved by Greek families during the German Occupation.
“I highly value our partnership with the Hellenic American
Chamber of Commerce in bringing quality films on the topic of
Greek Jewry as part of the New York City Greek Film Festival,”
Asser said.
Hellenic-/Norwegian-American Chambers Present
20th Annual Joint Shipping Conference
On February 4, 2014, the Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce and the Norwegian
American Chamber of Commerce held their Annual Joint Shipping Conference at the
Waldorf-Astoria in New York. The conference was a great success with many major industry
players as conference speakers and delegates. There were over 200 people in attendance!
This was the 20th Joint Shipping Conference of the Chambers, a testament to the quality of
the programs and cooperative hard work over the past two decades.
The title of this year’s program was “Today’s Vision – Tomorrow’s Reality.” It was
interesting to hear the many thoughts on the changing nature of the shipping industry and
the positive views relating that change. There were insightful discussions about growth in
emerging markets, technological advances as a result of not only regulation but also good
business practices, and financial transparency. There was also a first time panel composed
of speakers from intergenerational shipping families. Their candid and personal discussion
provided unique insight into the important things the current generation of leaders have
accomplished and hopes and aspirations of their children. The highlight of the day was, of
course, when keynote speakers George Wells of Cargill Ocean Transport and Peter
Georgiopoulos, 2004 Hellenic American Person of the Year Award Recipient, had a lively
lunchtime conversation on better capitalized companies leading to more corporate
transparency in the marketplace.
We look forward to continued success at next year’s conference on February 11, 2015, as
well as those to follow over the next twenty years.
October 2013
OXI Day Commemoration Features
Speaker, Documentary
The 8th Annual Demetrios Contos Memorial program
commemorating OXI Day, when Greek forces delivered a
resounding NO to the advancing Italian army in the early stages
of WWII, featured Louis Katsos, Chairman of the Cultural and
Education Committee, speaking on the influence of OXI Day on
Hellenic Americans.
Katsos showed how the unprecedented bravery of Greek
soldiers fighting against a better equipped enemy changed the
perception that most Americans had about Greeks, affording a
new status to America’s Hellenes.
The talk was followed by a screening of Lela Karagianni:
Fragrance of a Heroine, a moving short documentary directed
by Vassilis Loules, featuring one of the sons of Karagianni
sharing his memories of his mother, a leader of the Greek
underground who was executed by the Germans shortly before
the end of the war.
The annual event is held in honor of long-time HACC member
Demetrios Contos and is sponsored by his widow Carol and
their children, a son George and a daughter Nicole Liakeas.
March 2014
Film Festival Supports
Showing of Iliou Documentary
Maria Iliou’s new documentary FROM BOTH SIDES OF THE
AEGEAN had a successful commercial engagement at New
York’s Quad Cinema in March. The screenings were presented
with the support of the New York City Greek Film Festival.
The film documents the “exchange of populations” that
followed the destruction of Smyrna, a compulsory expulsion of
1.2 million Greek Orthodox and 400,000 Muslims from Turkey
to Greece and Greece to Turkey respectively.
Just as they did in their first collaboration SMYRNA:THE
DESTRUCTION OF A COSMOPOLITAN CITY, 1900-1922, Iliou and
historical consultant Alexander Kitroeff used rare archival
material as background to individual testimonies and probing
interviews.
Originally scheduled for a two-week engagement at the
Quad, the film’s run was extended a third week to
accommodate public interest in the film.
March 2014
Academics Speak at
March 25 program
This year’s program commemorating Greek Independence
Day – “Up From The Ashes: We Are All Greeks” – featured
prominent academics in short presentations appropriate to the
day.
Dr. Vassillis W. Molos (NYU) spoke on the Orlov Revolt as a
prequel to the Greek War of Independence. Dr. Angelo
Repousis (Temple University and West Chester University)
focused on American relief efforts during the Greek war. Dr.
Katherine F. Fleming, Alexander S. Onassis professor of Hellenic
Culture and Civilization at NYU spoke on Ali Pascha’s influence
on the Greek war, revealing many interesting facts about him.
A reception at the Greek Consulate preceded the program.
The event was co-sponsored by the Education and Cultural
Committee, the Hellenic-American Bankers Association, the
Hellenic Lawyers Association and the Holy Trinity Cathedral.
April 2014
Residential Development, Design,
and Construction in New York City2015: Daedalus’ Labyrinth
A panel discussion in April entitled
“Residential Development, Design, and
Construction in New York City- 2015:
Daedalus’
Labyrinth“
focused
on
Condominium/mixed use projects and
featured panelists developing, designing,
constructing and financing the current
premier condominium projects and tallest
residential structures in New York City. The
panelists included Roy Chin, Regional
Director of TD Bank, N.A.; James Davidson,
AIA- Partner of SLCE Architects; David Dods
SVP of Construction, Macklowe Properties;
and David Rothstein, EVP Construction of
Extell Development. The panel discussion
was moderated by Louis Katsos and among
many other issues dealt with project
underwriting criteria, equity requirements,
international buyer trends, latest zoning and
design issues, constraints relating to the
disciplines, systems and new technologies,
etc. The event title “Daedalus’ Labyrinth”
highlighted the complexities of navigating
the complex condo maze, where certain skills
and an Ariadne string are necessary for
succeeding.
April 2014
Dr. Koutrelakos Discusses
Research on Ethnic Identiy
The Cultural and Education Committee
presented a lecture by psychologist James
Koutrelakos, Hunter College/retired, on
“Ethnic Identity: Cultural Practices That
Sustain Ethnic Identity,” on April 29 at the
Cathedral Center.
Published studies have found that ethnic
identity is more important to Asian, Black
and Hispanic groups than it is for Whites. In
contrast, Dr. Koutrelakos examined specific
white samples of Armenian, Greek and
Jewish groups and found that they scored
very high on a measure of ethnic identity and
did not differ from one another.
Dr. Koutrelakos explained that the highest
scoring Whites were “more apt to have had
the benefit of attending classes in the history
and culture of their group, had a higher level
of ethnic language competency and more
often had attended religious services.”
These findings, Dr. Koutrelakos explained,
strongly indicate that “the formation of
ethnic identity requires learning about your
group and participating in the group’s
cultural practices.”
Dr. Koutrelakos believes that the findings
have far reaching significance as they relate
to Greek-American education and cultural
involvement.
Among the co-sponsors of the lecture were
the Chian Federation, Greek American
Behavioral Scientists Institute, Greek
American Writers Association, The Hellenic
Link Inc., Hellenic American Educators
Association/UFT, and the Consulate General
of Greece in New York.
June 2014
New York Life’s Ted Mathas
Honored at Yale Club Event
Ted Mathas, CEO of New York Life
Insurance Company, was honored at a Yale
Club dinner on June 26 sponsored by the
Finance, Investments and Insurance
Committee.
In addition to discussing the challenges of
running the largest life insurance company
in the United States in today’s political and
economic environment, Mathas focused on
the importance of strong ethics and
personal responsibility in corporate
America.
“Companies don’t make
decisions. People working in companies
make decisions,” he said.
Mathas, a Greek American, spoke about
the importance of family, citing in particular
the strong presence of his grandmother in
his home while he was growing up. He
credited his mother with teaching him the
importance of effective communication in
expressing his ideas and opinions and
recalled his father setting high standards
that his son was always expected to meet.
Warm and gracious, Mathas proved
himself most accessible as he met and
spoke with guests during the pre-dinner
cocktail hour and answered questions
following his presentation.
Papaioannou Named
Atlantic Bank President
HACC President Nancy (Athanassia)
Papaioannou has added another title to her
name. She has been appointed president of
the Atlantic Bank division of New York
Commercial Bank, a subsidiary of New York
Community Bancorp, Inc.
Papaioannou replaces Spiros J. Voutsinas
who served as president from 2006 until his
death last April.
8th Annual New York City Greek Film Festival
Opens October 18
The eighth annual New York City Greek Film Festival will run
from October 18 through 30, featuring the best of the current
films from Greece.
The Museum of the Moving Image will host the festival on
Saturday and Sunday, October 18 and 19, and on Wednesday,
October 22. The festival will play Bowtie’s Manhassett Cinema
on Monday and Tuesday, October 20 and 21. This year’s
Manhattan Gala will be at the Ziegfeld Theater on Thursday,
October 23. The festival then moves to the NYIT Auditorium on
Broadway on Friday through Sunday, October 24-26. The last
four evenings of screenings, Monday through Thursday,
October 27 – 30, the festival will be at Cinema Village.
Master filmmaker Pantelis Voulgaris and his wife, scenarist
Ioanna Karystiani, will be honored at the Museum of the
Moving Image on Wednesday, October 22. The evening will
feature the tenth anniversary screening of their legendary film
BRIDES (Nyfes). Following the screening, Scott Foundas, chief
film critic of Variety, will interview the couple. The special event
is presented in association with the Onassis Foundation (USA)
and the Museum of the Moving Image.The following evening,
Voulgaris and Karystianni will present the NY premiere of LITTLE
ENGLAND (Mikra Agglia) at the Ziegfeld Theater. The film, the
story of shipping families on the island of Andros during the
1930s and 40s, was a major box office hit in Greece, and last
month won top honors at the Shanghai International Film
Festival, winning the awards for Best Picture, Best Director, and
Best Actress. The film won six Hellenic Film Academy Awards
this year.
Among the films this year will be THE ENEMY WITHIN (O
Ehthros Mou), a riveting drama about the consequences of
vigilante justice, directed by Giorgos Tsemberopoulos;
COMMITTED, an English-language romantic comedy from
Cyprus, directed by Stelana Kliris;
SEPTEMBER, a fascinating drama of a
complex relationship between urban
neighbors,
directed
by
Penny
Panayiotopoulou; the witty new comedy
COMMON
DENOMINATOR
(Koinos
Paronomastis), directed by Sotiris Tsafoulias,
presented in its world premiere; and THE
WINTER (O Heimonas), directed by
Konstnatinos Koutsoliotas, the story of a
failed writer who seeks refuge in his
abandoned childhood home, only to be
haunted by memories of the past; and
XENIA, the new film by Panos Koutras that
won major acclaim at the Cannes Film
Festival last May.
The
particularly
rich
slate
of
documentaries will include: KALAVRYTA:
PEOPLE AND SHADOWS, directed by Elias
Giannakakis; LOVE IN THE TIME OF CRISIS,
directed by Theopi Skarlatos; PALIKARI:
LOUIS TIKAS AND THE LUDLOW MASSACRE,
directed by Nikos Ventouras; and LOST IN
THE BEWILDERNESS, directed by Alexandra
Anthony, about a young Greek boy who is
kidnapped and taken out of Greece, only to
return eleven years later, a stranger to
everything Greek.
The full list of films, screening schedule
and ticket purchase opportunity will be
available later this month on line at:
www.nycgreekfilmfestival.com
The following firms and individuals
have joined the HACC. Welcome to
all.
CORPORATE MEMBERS
Studio3
Angela Giannopoulos
Voce Di
Giorgio Stefano Maroulis
Astoria Bank
George Galanis
INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS
Nicholas Chivily
Mayo Crowe LLC
Thomas G. Economou
Electromagnetic Technologies
Industries, Inc.
Kleon Diamantopoulos
Jacq. Pierot Jr. & Sons, Inc.
John Lagoudis
Realty Executives of New York
Film Festival Hits the Road
Following its run in New York City, the film
festival travels to Boston and Atlanta this
year, presenting “The Best of the New York
City Greek Film Festival” in both cities.
The festival will be at the famous Kendall
Square Cinema in Cambridge, MA, on
Wednesday and Thursday, November 5 and
6. It will play the Woodruff Arts Center, part
of the High Museum complex on Peachtree
Street in downtown Atlanta, on Saturday and
Sunday, November 8 and 9.
“We are very excited about this
expansion,” said festival manager Stamatis
Ghikas. “Over the years we have gotten
many requests to show Greek films in cities
other than New York, where audiences have
little if any access to Greek cinema. Finally,
this year we will take the major first step in
getting these wonderful films to more people
who want to see them.”
HACC Elects
Two New Board Members
At last May’s election two young
professionals were elected to the Board of
Directors. They are shipping industry
professional Hara Gisholt and architect Nick
Sellas.
Paul G. Barnes
Crystal & Company
Kalli Livanos
Kyla Shipping
John Delaportas
Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Dr. Grigorios Koutsogiannis
Lockheed Martin
Steve Leunes
Law Offices of Steve Leunes, PLLC
George Kanakis
BTM Group, LLC
Fotis Giannakoulis
Morgan Stanley
Spyridon Vangelatos
Alma Bank