His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America bestowed the Medal of St. Paul on two of the Greek-American community’s brightest young stars at a reception in Washington, D.C. on the occasion of the Inauguration of the 44th President of the United States, Barack Obama. Philanthropist and President of AKT Development Eleni Tsakopoulos-Kounalakis and Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias were honored by His Eminence on the eve of the swearing-in of President Obama.

This took place at a reception in honor of His Eminence and celebrating Greek-Americans in public service, hosted by the Cyprus Federation of America, PSEKA and the Coordinated Effort of Hellenes. Archbishop Demetrios was invited to sit on the Presidential platform during the Inauguration of President Obama. As well, the next day he was with President Obama and Vice President Biden when he was one of very few religious leaders to participate in the National Prayer Service.

Some of the Greek-Americans of very significant accomplishment who participated in this celebration included: Deputy Secretary of State, our country’s first Director of National Intelligence, former U.S. Ambassador to Iraq and former U.S. Ambassador to the UN, John Negroponte, Member of the Leadership of the U.S. Senate (as Chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee) and Senate European Affairs Subcommittee Member, Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), the Ranking Member on the House Europe Subcommittee, Congressman Elton Gallegly (R-CA), New House Foreign Affairs Committee Member, Congressman Michael McMahon (D-NY), Former U.S. Ambassador to Greece, Tom Miller, President George W. Bush’s envoy to Darfur, former head of the U.S. Agency for International Development, and former Chairman of the Massachusetts Republican Party, Andrew Natsios, Gates Foundation Executive Director, President Bill Clinton’s Former Deputy Chief of Staff, and former White House Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director, Sylvia Matthews, Former Democratic Nominee for Governor of California and former California State Treasurer, Phil Angelides, House Europe Subcommittee Member (one of only 14 of the 435 Members), Congressmen Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Congressman and possible candidate for the U.S. Senate, Zack Space (D-OH), Brookings Institute Managing Director and former White House National Security Council staffer in the Clinton Administration, Bill Antholis, President Bill Clinton’s former Special Assistant and Senior Speechwriter and current Editor in Chief of The Washington Monthly magazine, Paul Glastris, President Lyndon Johnson’s Associate White House Press Secretary, Harold Pachios, Former long-time Chief of Staff for then-Senator Paul Sarbanes, Peter Marudas, Former Newsweek Magazine reporter and bureau head and current President of The Washington Monthly magazine, Markos Kounalakis, FOX News Channel White House correspondent, Mike Emanuel, FOX 5 News (Washington, D.C.) Anchor Laura Evans Manatos, Former Associate Counsel to President Bill Clinton and current partner at the Howrey law firm, Dimitri Nionakis, Former Clinton Administration Associate Chief of the FCC’s International Bureau and former State Department Director of Communications for Economic Affairs, Peter C. Pappas, Former White House Office of Public Liaison Associate Director, Dana Edwards Manatos, State Department Deputy Director for European and Eurasian Public Affairs, Athena Katsoulos and Then-Presidential Candidate Barack Obama’s Political Director in Connecticut, Nicholas Paindiris CEH (Coordinated Effort of Hellenes) members who co-hosted and attended this event included: World Council of Hellenes (SAE) Honorary Chairman, Andrew A. Athens; PSEKA President and Pancyprian Association of America President, Philip Christopher; Cyprus Federation of America President, Panicos Papanicolaou; PSEKA Executive Vice President Nikos Mouyiaris; PSEKA Alternate President Tasos Zambas; Hellenic American Leadership Council Founding President and Alexi Giannoulias’ Political Director, Endy Zemenides; and New Jersey Greek-American Chamber of Commerce President, Zenon Christodoulou.

Those from Greece and Cyprus participating included: Ambassador of Greece to the U.S. Alexandros Mallias; Ambassador of Cyprus to the US Andreas Kakouris; Mayor of Piraeus, Panayotis Fassoulas; Former Athens City Councilor Yvette Jarvis; and Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Heads of the major Greek-American Organizations participating included: Archon National Commander Anthony Limberakis; Archon Spiritual Advisor Father Alexander Karloutsos; Leadership 100 Vice Chairman Constantine G. Caras; Philoptochos President Aphrodite Skeadas; and AHEPA Supreme President Ike Gulas.

Phil Angelides:
“The era of financial manipulation is over, now is the time to start making real wealth”

Your thoughts on the upcoming Obama administration.

It’s thrilling, I mean, America is about to pass into a new era of change and opportunity. These are extraordinary times, the country faces enormous challenges, the economic challenge, national security challenges, challenges to our climate. But I’m excited about this turn and I think it’s a fundamental turn to a country that can make itself real moral leadership to the world, a country that is the leader not the lagger. So it’s a big moment, I believe.

You served as Treasurer of California and you also are a successful businessman. If you were to offer a piece of advice on the economy to the new president, what that would be?

Invest in our people, in their education and their skills. The foundation of a strong economy is good schools. That is transportation to the 21st century. Use the power of government to strengthen our economy and our people and give a foundation to growth. That’s what Roosevelt did and it’s what made America the strongest and most prosperous country. And we’ve forgotten that. Too many people said the government is the enemy, now it’s an opportunity again to do the things that matter: Educating children, laying down infrastructure are the priorities.

What do you make up of the current crisis? Have we hit bottom yet?

They’re gonna be tough times ahead of us. I think it will require building a new economy. And that takes a lot of work. The era of financial manipulation is over, now is the time to start making real wealth and that doesn’t happen overnight.

On the state of the Greek American community what is your estimate?

We’ve got a lot of talent, a lot of energy, we need to be the best citizens we can possibly be, engage in the political process, help our new president and commit ourselves to strengthening our communities. I’m sorry, I gotta run…

When are you running for office again?

Time will tell. I’ve been always active politically and I have the passion of public service hoping to make a difference.

John Negroponte:
Greek-American issues are American issues

Your feelings about this change of administrations.

This is a moment of great hope, political transition, first African American President. Even though personally I’m a Republican and I’ve served this administration (Bush), I think I speak for a lot of people when I say I’m really excited about the message we send to the world! And obviously, even though this administration is in its final day in office, we certainly wish the new team well. We only have one president at the time, we want him to succeed and I think, as the Archbishop said tonight, we all pray for Barack Obama, we pray for success and wisdom in leading our country.

You held many key positions in this administration and you experienced things first hand. Regarding the Greek-American issues, we haven’t done much, have we?

This is something that’s going to continue. I think I heard a lot of sentiment this evening about the effort made and continues to be made in order to bring Greek-American issues on the forefront. They are also American issues. We care about Cyprus as a nation, we care about religious liberty and we care about the issues the Greek American community cares about. So, I’m hopeful that progress can be made in the years ahead.

Yvette Jarvis:
Restore belief in the American dream

This must have been a very emotional time for you…

My emotions are abundant. I’m a black American and also the first to be elected in Greece…

You are kind of a Greek Obama…

(Laughs) Yeah, I’m the Greek Obama! Well, in all seriousness, Barack Obama has been for the last 11 months a continuous source of inspiration. He managed to restore belief in the American dream. Living in Europe was very difficult for all Americans, no matter where they lived, for the last eight years. He is giving me hope that Americans will find again values, black Americans will understand what is necessary and what it takes to become a family unit again. We have so many children that are born out of wedlock, men that don’t take care of their children and so many other problems in the inner cities. But now I see that children are interested again in studying history, in learning about their roots, they see that the American dream is a reality, because it was lost. And I think he (Obama) brought that dream back for America and for the rest of the world. Everybody is waiting for Barack Obama, he has such Herculean job to do!

He’s also extremely popular in Europe, even in the more emotionally reserved countries.

This guy is blessed, he has a light! I was in Berlin, I saw the 325,000 people cheering “Yes, we can!” chanting his name, crying. I think everybody wants to believe in the American dream. And when you see expressions of anti-Americanism, I think deep down inside they envy America and they would like to be part of that dream. The US has always been the leader and has always played the leadership role. The American people have always given so much of themselves for others. And I think people internationally missed the America that is righteous. I’ve been to five or six countries in the last two months and everywhere Barack was in everybody’s lips and in everybody’s prayers.

On a different subject now, what’s your take on the December riots in Athens?

People are disenchanted, people feel marginalized. People study hard, they get two and three degrees, because that is the Greek way, education has always been important to Greeks, and they can’t find jobs at all! Not only they can’t find jobs in their professions, but it’s very difficult to find ajob. And if you find a job it will be a temporary situation, with low pay, they call them now the “Generation of 700” (700 Euros a month pay, about $1,000). So, you have this generation growing up not knowing what their future will be. When they move out of mom’s house, how can they get married, how can they raise a family if this all they have to offer. We don’t have the infrastructure we need. So you have all those brained people, with fantastic degrees who when they go to London or Germany they can do well, to expect to live with 700 Euros a month, if they are lucky!

Would you run for higher office in Greece? What about running in the US?

I think I would like to come back and work for a big non-for-profit organization and help people. I’d like to follow Obama’s steps. I’d also like to go back to public schools and talk to children about learning how to be real citizens. Think outside the box and that America is not the end of the world and that there is a whole world out there that respects and admires their culture.

How did you feel when you visited that Harlem Public School the other day?

I loved it! It was beautiful to see little black and Spanish kids learning how to speak Greek and talking about (Greek) Mythology and the Parthenon. And I tried to make them feel how special they are!