Access Hollywood correspondent Maria Menounos was on the cover of the May Guideposts Magazine for which she penned an inspiring article which aptly describes her close-knit family and her closeness to her dad who is suffering from diabetic. She writes, "In my tight-knit Greek-American family we did everything together. I mean everything. Played basketball, watched wrestling and Boston Bruins hockey on TV, ate meals together, went to church and the grocery store and stuck so close that I knew I was loved by my parents more than anything else. If anything ever went wrong, I would be okay because they looked out for me and I looked out for them. And you know what? It’s still the same. I might be a 29-year-old journalist working crazy hours in the studio and on the red carpet…. but I’m never more than a cell phone call away from Mom and Dad". Maria grew up in Medford, MA, surrounded by loving family about which she speaks fondly. She was a member of the choir at the Dormition Church in Somerville, went to Sunday school, and studied Greek. Her mom was born in Kalamata; her dead in Akovos. She is very proud of her Greek heritage.

Christos Papoutsy of Rye Beach, NH attended the June 1 Metropolis of Boston Ministry Awards Dinner where he signed copies of his just of the press book Ships of Mercy - The True Story of the Rescue of the Greeks, Smyrna, September 1922. The thoroughly researched, well documented and well written tome reveals the true heroes of Smyrna, forgotten by history. It uncovers surprising answers and displays previously unpublished materials. It dispels common myths about the evacuation of the refugees and documents clearly the real saviors in this enormous tragedy. Mr. Papoutsy donated 40% of the proceeds from the sale of the book to the ministries of the Metropolis. Christos Papoutsy is the former owner and president of Hollis Engineering-Cooper Electronics Co., with sales in the hundreds of millions worldwide, and director of United States Arbitration & Mediation Co. A noted Greek-American philanthropist, Archon of the Greek Orthodox Church, and member of Leadership 100, Mr. Papoutsy presently writes and lectures on business, entrepreneurship and business ethics. He is also an accomplished musician (santouri, percussion) and the conductor and founder of the 30-piece Hellenic and Near Eastern Musical Society Orchestra. He and his wife, Mary Papoutsy, established the Christos and Mary Papoutsy Endowed Chair in Business Ethics at Southern New Hampshire University in 2001. They also founded and are publishers of Hellenic Communication Service.

Margarita Tsirigotis Oge, the Director of Transportation and Air Quality at the United States Environmental Protection Agency, spoke before a gathering at the St. George Parish in Bethesda, MD on the moral responsibility for the environment. Margarita is a member of the Archdiocesan Advisory Committee on Science and Technology. Margarita was born in Piraeus, Greece and came to Boston in 1968. She received a Master’s degree in Chemical Engineering from UMass, Lowell and attended George Washington University and the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard. The EPA Director told the gathering at St. George that climate change impacts not only our environment but also faith and religion for its moral connection. She said, "We inherit the earth for a time and must cherish what we have and leave a legacy for future generations." Margaret drives a hybrid car!

Public relations specialist Joanne Danielides was one of eight women honored by New York Women in Communications Inc., recently at a ceremony sponsored by People Magazine. Joannie is president and founder of Danielides Communications Inc., a public relations firm specializing in image-making campaigns for career-oriented and community-minded women of distinction. She served for many years as press secretary to Donna Hanover, former first lady of New York City. In 1998. Joannie received the Media Award from the American Academy of Nursing for securing a "60 Minutes" feature called, "The Nurse Will See You Now." She holds a bachelor’s degree from Finch College and a master’s degree from Queens College.

atthew Bogdanos, author of "Thieves of Baghdad", was feted at a reception by the Embassy of Greece in Washington, DC, where he presented and signed his book. Matthew is a New York City homicide prosecutor, U.S. Marine Corps colonel, middleweight boxer and an author. He was raised waiting table in his family’s Greek restaurant in New York City. He holds a classics degree from Bucknell University, a law degree, a master’s degree in classics from Columbia University, and a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the Army War College. After Matthew lost his apartment near the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, he was called to active duty and deployed first to Afghanistan and then to Iraq. He received a Bronze Star for his actions against al-Qaeda during his duty in Afghanistan. In Iraq he led the investigation into the looting of the country’s National Museum in Baghdad, recovering almost 6000 stolen antiquities in eight countries. Matthew continues to hunt for stolen antiquities and still boxes for the New York City Police Department’s Widows and Children’s Fund. All his royalties for the book "Thieves of Baghdad" go to the Iraq Museum.

KOSTA FOUFOS, a freshman at Ohio State, led the Ohio State Buckeyes to the NIT Championship with 22 points, and was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. Koufo’s Buckeyes (24-13) beat Massachusetts 92-85 in the NIT.

ARTHUR KYRICOS has been named the Bob Bryson Man of the Year at the New England Ice Cream Association’s annual meeting. Arthur has served on the organization’s Board of Directors and as a past associate president and a member of the USFDA Standard of Identity Committee.

CHRISTOPHER PAMBOUKOS, a junior at Champlain College where he is majoring in Mass Communications, spent his February vacation in New Orleans, LA with Habitat for Humanity, helping rebuild homes. Christopher has become involved with a Video Communications Practicum at the Burlington, VT FOX affiliate Channel 3 WCAZ and with the Champlain College Web Radio—The Notion of Interplanetary Motion. Christopher is also a tour guide with the Champlain Office of Admissions. Christopher is the son of Vassili and Barbara Pamboukes.

MICHAEL GREGORY has won the Division II wrestling championship at the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association State Tournament in Wakefield, MA. Michael, a junior at Greater Lowell Technical High School in Tyngsborough, followed his championship performance with a second-place finish in the All State Westling Tournament in Salem and a sixth place finish in the New England Tournament in Lowell. He wrestled in the 285-pound weight division and completed the season with an outstanding record of 42-4.

MICHAEL S. DEMOS was elected selectman in Bridgewater, MA. Michael won the election over Mark Oliari, the incumbent selectman chairman. Michael is the son of Steve Demos, producer/director of the TV show Grecian Melodies of Brockton.

PROF. DEMETRIOS GIANNAROS who teaches economics and International Economic Relations at the University of Hartford, CT, and is also an elected State Representative of Connecticut with the Democratic Party, has been promoted to Deputy Speaker in the Connecticut House of Representative. It is the first time that a Greek-born official is being appointed to such a position in the state of Connecticut. (Rep. Giannaros was born on the beautiful island of Samos). Prof. Giannaros is also the President of the World Hellenic Interparliamentary Association which includes about 220 members, elected Senators and Deputies of Greek-descent from all over the world.

KATHLEEN TYPADIS who plays with the lacrosse team at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, scored the tying goal of the game with one second remaining in regulation and the lone goal in overtime, capping off a 4-goal, 1-assist performance. Her skills enabled her team to upset three-time defending champion Richmond, 10-9, in the Atlantic 10 tournament semifinals. Kathleen, a former Medfield High School star where she netted 77 goals in her senior year, set a UMass single season record with 52 tallies last spring. Her game-winner against Richmond was scored after she circled around from behind the net. She ranks second at UMass with 160 goals (the record is 170), fifth with 179 points and first with 113 draw controls.

VICKY ZERVAS and TONI DIMEOLA are sisters and the owners of Mythos Restaurant in Chicago, IL, an eatery they opened last fall. Their passion for homemade Greek food has made them an overnight success and the talk of the windy city. Vicky is the chef of the establishment which features a simple décor and which attracts customers who are willing to wait on line for the excellent food. This is a BYOB restaurant, a concept which has greatly contributed to the success of Mythos Restaurant.

ALEX KOSMIDIS who recently graduated from Case Western Reserve University of Cleveland, OH, will begin his residency in the Joint Health Medical Center. He will also do a year of transitional residency at Riverside Hospital in Columbus, OH. Alex has been a member of the St. Demetrios choir in Rocky River, OH from an early age. An accomplished pianist, he has served as assistant choir director and organist. Alex is the son of Elpida and Panagiotis Kosmidis.

EFTHYMIOS and GEORGIA ATHANASIADIS cook at the Esperia Grill & Rotisserie in Brighton, MA the way they cook at home. Efthymios is from Katerini in northern Greece; Georgia is from Kalamata. The couple ran the Center House of Pizza in Brighton for many years. Since they converted the establishment to an authentic Greek kouzina, they do a brisk take-out business or in house where ordering is over the counter and then the customers sit and enjoy the meal. The esperia Grill & Rotisseire was recently featured in the Boston Globe where Sheryl Julian gave it a very good review.

DID YOU KNOW? In any given semester, one in ten students at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is taking at least one Greek-related class. So reports Vassilis Lambropoulos, C.P. Cavafy Professor of Modern Greek at the University. Since the University has 30,000 students, this means that about 3,000 are taking courses in Greek history, philosophy, art or literature—ancient, Byzantine or modern—at any given time during the academic year. Michigan’s Modern Greek Studies Program fall under the auspices of two of the University’s departments, Classics and Comparative Literature.

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