In a vibrant celebration of Hellenic heritage and culture, over 350 members and friends convened recently at the Four Seasons Hotel in Las Vegas for the National Hellenic Society’s annual Heritage Weekend & Classic (HWC).
Heritage Weekend is a chance to get together with NHS members and guests, with the young professional alumni of NHS’ signature Heritage Greece Program to celebrate the Hellenic heritage and take great pride in NHS’ programs and accomplishments which include the sponsorship of 700+ student participants in the Heritage Greece Program.
NHS also kicked off its $10 million dollar endowment program to forever secure the future of the Heritage Greece Program, with the announcement of its first gift of a $1 million dollar pledge by NHS Board Member and Program Committee Chair, Lea Soupata and her husband Sotiris Zervoulias.
NHS Chair, Drake Behrakis stated, “NHS is driven to serve our community as a beacon of excellence as we advance our vision to pass on Hellenism’s torch to the next generation through our work and impactful programs.
“We see change in our demographic as opportunity, not a threat. Lea’s gift is not just a financial contribution, but a heartfelt investment in the potential of every student that participates in the Heritage Greece Program as we strive to have them take our place one day as Hellenic heritage ambassadors.”
Lea Soupata, served as Sr. Vice-President of United Parcel Service (UPS) Human Resources and in other executive capacities at UPS. The donation plays a crucial role in enabling NHS to achieve its programmatic objectives and expand its reach and impact.
The $10 million endowment shall support and ensure the viability of NHS’ signature Heritage Greece Program for the long term. NHS has sponsored 700+ students of Greek descent on what is described as a life-changing experience.
The NHS’ announcement of a $10 million Program Endowment, bolstered by Lea Soupata’s generous $1 million pledge, is a significant step towards ensuring the preservation and promotion of Greek heritage and culture.
The multi-faceted weekend offered a rich tapestry of activities, from engaging speaker sessions and a memorial golf tournament to a hike in the stunning desert landscape.
The spectacular music of Thanos Petrelis and his band provided an upbeat backdrop to the weekend’s events.
Issues discussed at the NHS Heritage Weekend
The NHS Talks speakers illuminated attendees with their wisdom and insights, featuring notables like Dr. Zoe Ragouzeos of NYU and Dr. Katherine Kaye, a revered public health expert, who shared insights from her book, “Sailing with the Wind of Freedom.”
An intimate connection with Greek history was forged as attendees were welcomed by a relative of the iconic Laskarina Boubouli and representatives from the Bouboulina Museum. Dr. Mark Reynolds, President of the St. Constantine School in Houston spoke about the benefits of reintroducing ancient Greek Paedia and studies in modern studies programs for children.
In a business roundtable moderated by Antoni Mistras, a powerhouse panel addressed diverse topics, from innovation in health technology with Chrysa Tsakopoulos Demos, CEO of Wellcent, to the impact of eco-friendly products with Kelly Vlahakis Hanks, CEO of ECOS® and international trade opportunities from Alexandros Bakatselos, President, and CEO of Pyramis Metallourgia, a leading manufacturer of consumer products in Greece.
The roundtable touched on international relations, commerce, and education, with inputs from leaders across these domains and was augmented by a discussion led by Alexandros and Elias Spirtounis, Executive Director of the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. George Liakeas steered a captivating panel on anti-aging and wellness, with Dr. George Kotsarelis, Dr. Anthony Pothoulakis and Dr. Chad Prodromos. Saturday’s breakfast keynote by Tim Kilduff brought the International Marathon Center into focus. Other project discussions, like the Parthenon Project, led by Sarah Baxter and Thanassi Lefas, aimed to stoke dialogue around repatriating the Parthenon Marbles to Greece.
An intriguing dialogue about the entertainment industry, moderated by Bill Antholis, with Kary Antholis, former Mini-Series President at HBO and Programming President of Cinemax and legendary studio chief, Jim Gianopulos, President and CEO Emeritus of both 20th Century Fox studios and Paramount Pictures.
The discussion scrutinized aspects from streaming’s impact to the potential influence of artificial intelligence, a timely discussion considering the ongoing Hollywood labor union strike.
The audience was also riveted by a presentation from Yelena Popovich Potter, the screenwriter and Director of the critically acclaimed film, “Man of God.” Yelena provided the audience with a sneak peek at her next project, “Moses the Black.” The film will be about the 4th century monk, saint and former gang leader who appears amidst a modern day embroglio of gang violence.
NHS welcomed Heritage Greece Program host institutions, Claudia Carydis, American College of Greece and Peter Chrsyanthakes, American College of Greece. The audience also was pleased to hear from Dr. Alexis Phylactopoulos, Chair of the Board of Trustees of the prestigious College Year in Athens institution. Dr. Max Nikias, President Emeritus of USC presented an incisive discussion on leadership through the pen of the ancient writer Xenophon on his masterpiece, Cyropaedia.
Culinary and Cultural Celebrations
The culinary journey, led by Master Chef and host of “My Greek Table,” and a donation to the NHS Culinary Legacy Fund, added a flavorful dimension to the weekend.
Celebrations further unfolded as Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne were honored with the NHS Excellence Award.
Katherine Kallinis Berman and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne are the co-founders of the iconic Georgetown Cupcake and stars of the hit reality series, “DC Cupcakes.”
Looking Forward: NHS Heritage Weekend 2024
The torch of celebration passes to the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Nashville, TN for the 2024 NHS Heritage Weekend, scheduled for October 10-13.
With an Awards Celebration earmarked for NHS’s 15-year anniversary at the Parthenon in Centennial Park, the event promises to be another spectacular homage to Hellenic heritage.
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