Chris Lazarides, a Greek Cypriot banker who spent decades helping Greek and immigrant entrepreneurs gain access to financing in New York, has died at the age of 91.
Lazarides passed away on July 8 in Florida, according to family and community announcements. His career stretched across banking, business, and public service, but many in the Greek-American community remember him as one of the figures who helped transform neighborhood immigrant businesses into lasting institutions.
Born in Lefkoniko, Cyprus, on June 15, 1935, Lazarides emigrated to New York in 1953 during a period when many Greek and Cypriot immigrants were arriving in the United States seeking economic opportunities and stability.
After graduating from Columbia College and later earning an MBA from Columbia Business School, he joined Atlantic Bank of New York, the financial institution that would become synonymous with Greek-American banking in the city.
Banking the Greek-American Dream
During his three decades at Atlantic Bank, Lazarides rose to become Senior Executive Vice President and played a role in the bank’s expansion into neighborhoods with large Greek populations across New York.
For many immigrant families, traditional American banks were often difficult to navigate because of language barriers, limited credit histories, and unfamiliar lending practices. Community banks such as Atlantic Bank became a crucial source of financing for restaurants, grocery stores, shipping businesses, professional offices, and other enterprises established by Greek immigrants.
Lazarides belonged to a generation of Greek-American bankers who understood both the financial system and the realities facing newly arrived immigrant entrepreneurs.
Former clients and community members frequently credited executives like Lazarides with helping small businesses secure loans and build the foundations for long-term growth.
Leadership Beyond Atlantic Bank
In 1988, Lazarides became President and Chief Executive Officer of Olympian Bank, another institution closely connected with New York’s Greek-American business community.
He later joined consumer electronics company Audiovox in 1992 as Vice President and Director of International Operations, remaining with the company until his retirement in 2005.
His professional career was accompanied by extensive involvement in Greek and Cypriot-American organizations.
Lazarides served as president of the Pancyprian Association of America and worked with numerous advocacy and civic groups supporting Cyprus and the broader Hellenic diaspora in the United States.
In 2009, he received the Distinguished Merit Award from the Cyprus-U.S. Chamber of Commerce in recognition of his contributions to business and public service.
A Generation That Built Institutions
The story of Chris Lazarides mirrors that of many postwar Greek and Cypriot immigrants who arrived in America with limited resources but helped build businesses, community organizations, churches, and financial institutions that continue to shape Greek-American life today.
While his name may not have been widely known outside banking and diaspora circles, his work contributed to the economic growth of countless families and businesses throughout New York’s Greek community.
Lazarides is survived by his wife, children, grandchildren, and extended family.
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