Global Diaspora Takes Root at The Hellenic Initiative Gala

The Hellenic Initiative hosted it’s 5th Annual Gala at the New York Hilton Midtown, raising over $2 million. Approximately 900 guests – dignitaries, politicians, philanthropists, celebrities from around the world – attended.

Marianna Vardinoyannis was presented with an award for her efforts to help fight against childhood cancer and support human rights. She is Founding President of The Marianna Vardinoyannis Foundation, ELPIDA’s Association of Friends of Children with Cancer, and ORAMA ELPIDAS Volunteer Bone Marrow Donor Registry. Since 1999, Ms. Vardinoyannis has been a Goodwill Ambassador of UNESCO, gaining international recognition for her humanitarian work. Sakis Rouvas served as the MC and main entertainment for the evening, performing in collaboration with the Jimmy Vali Band. Mr. Rouvas also contributes extensive charitable efforts to initiatives for ELPIDA’s Association of Friends of Children with Cancer.

From left, Andrew Liveris, Chairman of The Hellenic Initiative, Sakis Rouvas who mc'd the event, the Honoree Marianna Vardinoyannis, and George Stamas, President of The Hellenic Initiative

Libra Group Chairman and CEO George Michael Logothetis, along with his wife, founder and Chairwoman of the Seleni Institute, Nitzia Logothetis, Stella Lymberis, MD, radiation oncologist at NYU Langone Medical Center, Vassilis Stachtos, Tomi Papanikolaou, PhD physicist from San Antonio, Texas and finally Dr. Evangelos Pappas (far right) CEO and Co-Founder of RTsafe

RTsafe, Inc USA group, left to right, Stella Lymberis, MD, Evangelos Pappas, PhD, Vassilis Stachtos and Tomi Papanicolaou, PhD

The Pantelides brothers with family members and John Koudounis

Mike Gianaris with Mike Manatos

Kostas Angeloudis, George Angelakis, Mrs. Plakiotakis, Katerina Aggelakis and Ioannis Plakiotiakis

The John Metaxas family

Justine Frangoulis-Argyris with friends

George Bousis with friends

Acclaimed jazz guitarist and composer Spiros Exaras

FBI Director George Venizelos, John Catsimatidis Jr., George Petrocheilos and friends

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PHOTO: ETA PRESS

Notable guest speakers included George Fertitta of Bloomberg Associates and Julia Chatterley, co-anchor “Bloomberg Markets” and “What’d You Miss?” THI presented a video featuring average Athenians sharing their favorite parts of the city with visitors.

Another special video featuring the medical company RTsafe was presented to the audience. The company had received the THI Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award in 2014, funded and administrated by the Libra group and THI. RTsafe is a medical technology company that has developed a unique approach to quality assurance that significantly enhances the safety and accuracy of radiotherapy for cancer and other medical conditions. RTsafe combines proven expertise in medical physics with highly accurate 3D printing technology to create pseudo-in-vivo dosimetry phantoms towards End-to-End commissioning, benchmarking and quality assurance in SRS, IMRT, VMAT and SBRT applications. Their novel and creative technology solutions using anatomically accurate phantoms enable medical professionals to plan more precise treatment interventions and help radiotherapy technology innovators to fine-tune their products ensuring safety and accuracy.

RTsafe’s patented end-to-end QA products and services are already being trusted by many leading institutions, leading research conferences and companies in the United States and is rapidly expanding services improving the quality, precision and safety of radiation therapy treatment delivery around the world.

Founded in 2012, THI is a global nonprofit organization designed to support sustainable economic recovery and renewal for the Greek people. It is now a leading group in the international Greek diaspora. Proceeds from the gala are typically invested in entrepreneurial programs based in Greece, lending additional support to Greek Non-Government Organizations that promote and support economic development and crisis relief for underserved communities in Greece. Since 2012, THI has distributed over $3 million dollars in direct crisis relief funding and has invested approximately $8 million in economic development. A $5.7 million Hellenic Entrepreneurship Award is managed and funded by The Libra Group.

Artemis Kohas, CEO of The Kohas Agency and a long-time expert in public relations, international entrepreneurial endeavors and hospitality management, served as a major organizer for this year’s gala. Artemis first attended the THI Gala in 2015 and was moved to learn more about the initiative from that moment. “It struck me that this was different than all the other Greek organizations I support because proceeds go directly to two things that have been top of mind for me – aiding in the Greek crisis, and helping to mentor entrepreneurs and create healthy small businesses in Greece. Further, The Hellenic Initiative has supported campaigns encouraging tourism in Greece and specifically Athens….We worked tirelessly on what turned out to be a completely sold out event…. The response was overwhelming and we were all moved by the number of attendees, volunteers and businesses who donated their time, efforts and products…. The Hilton’s ballroom was at its most beautiful, the staff impeccably accommodating. Believe it or not, there are very few venues in the city that provide such value to their clients…. It is a special thing when your work and your passion align to do good and help others. The night was electrifying and I have been inspired!”