HABA Honors James M. Orphanides

By Constantine S. Sirigos

Special to The National Herald

Posted by HABA with the express permission of The National Herald, http://www.thenationalherald.com/ 

NEW YORK - The Hellenic American Bankers Association honored James M. Orphanides as its 2009 Executive of the Year at the historic Union League in Manhattan on Thursday evening, April 30.

It was clear from the start that this was not a typical award dinner.

The current economic crisis has hit the financial industry particularly hard. But from Mr. Orphanides to HABA President James Hansel, the annual HABA dinner served as a vehicle of encouragement and mutual support for Greek Americans in the financial sector.

Guests of honor included Dr. John Brademas, President Emeritus of New York University, the first American-born Greek elected to the United States Congress (1959-81); New York State Senate Minority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre); NYS Assemblyman Mike Gianaris (D-Astoria); Consul General of Greece in New York Aglaia Balta; Consul General of Cyprus in New York Andreas Panayiotou; Alia Papanastasiou, deputy trade commissioner, Greek Trade Office; and Polixeni Mastroperou, press counselor, Greek Press Office.

Dinner guests were reminded that people's current anxieties extend beyond the economic realm when Dorie Klissas, director of media relations at NYU's Langone Medical Center, and the night's mistress of ceremonies, conveyed reassurances from medical authorities regarding the swine flu outbreak.

Rev. Dr. Frank Marangos, dean of the Archdiocesan Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, cited Mr. Orphanides' achievements and philanthropic endeavors in his invocation, and Event Chairman John Catsimatidis, Chairman & CEO of the Red Apple Group and himself a past recipient of the HABA award, lauded the life and work of his good friend.

Like Mr. Orphanides, Mr. Catsimatidis, who was born on the island of Nisyros and came to the United States at a very young age, also has Pontian roots.

"James is a man who truly believes in giving back to the community, and to his people. He is a great family man, a great businessman, and is great to his community... things we should all strive for," Mr. Catsimatidis said.

Several speakers and guests noted the special partnership between Mr. Orphanides and his wife Nora, who is as talented and passionate about the arts as her husband is in the business world.

Mrs. Orphanides is an instructor at the Princeton Ballet School. Together, she and her husband somehow manage to find time and energy, beyond their busy work schedules and the challenges of raising their three children, to raise money for numerous causes and organizations they support.

After words of praise for the honoree, Mr. Orphanides and Mr. Hansel converted the event into a tribute to philanthropy and emphasized the spirit of mutual support.

Mr. Orphanides' emphasized the theme evening was interconnectedness. "We are here together tonight because we are all linked to each other," he said.

Several speakers communicated the importance of the spiritual dimension in modern life, from the best of today's self-help books to the ancient wisdom of the Orthodox and other Christian Churches and family lore.

Mr. Orphanides told the audience that his mother taught him not to succumb to negative thoughts. In seeking help from people and when there is a chance to support others, he advised, "be mindful of all the people around you at all times," adding that "it's not the size of one's checkbook that matters." He also compared today's hardships with the challenges Greek immigrants faced: "Is this today as bad as what those people experienced? I don't think so," he said.

Mr. Orphanides advice: "Plan for the future and appreciate everyone in this room. I would be nothing without all your help and support," he said.

Mr. Hansel, a hedge fund manager (managing director of Eight Winds Capital), conveyed the evening's tone of sobriety and thanked all who contributed to the success of the event.

"Others deserve the credit. I'm just the president of HABA. I just delegated everything," he said. Mr. Hansel discussed mass layoffs and uncertainty in the finance industry, and echoed Mr. Orphanides' message: "Let’s stick together. If you need a job, don't be afraid to ask. You are part of our family," he said. "There is more talent in this room than in many small cities. But be flexible. I know a hedge fund manager who is waiting tables to support his family, and there is no shame in that. A good person may suffer, but his virtue remains intact," he added.

Other HABA members agreed that warmth and friendship is a hallmark of HABA events.

Ms. Klissas shared the story of her arrival in New York more than 20 years ago, and being immediately embraced by HABA members at what was her first social event in her new home. "They were welcoming, warm and professional to me, and I saw they were very supportive of each other. I am deeply honored to be the MC tonight," she said.

Key organizers included HABA Vice President and Event Co-Chair Georgia Tavlarios, a bank executive who is responsible for Greek language instructions found on Citibank ATM's; HABA Treasurer Nicholas Agrotis; and Costa Kellas, who helped coordinate event operations.

For more information about HABA, visit the web at www.haba.org.