By Terry Poulos, special to the Hellenic News of America
MLS CHIEF MED OFFICER: Major League Soccer recently named Dr. George T. Chiampas of Chicago its chief medical officer. He’s globally-recognized with more than two decades of experience in emergency and sports medicine and mass event preparedness. Dr. Chiampas serves as associate professor and associate director of emergency medicine and orthopedic surgery at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Sports-wise, he’s been chief medical and safety officer of the Chicago Marathon, chief medical officer of the US Soccer Federation, and is a team physician for the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks and NFL’s Chicago Bears.
MASTER ARCHICHEF: Western Springs, IL resident Ted Pappas spent a career as an architect advising on construction of healthcare facilities. Now, he’s turned his pursuits to cooking. Previously appearing on a national PBS chef contest, Pappas is now in his second national competition, the 16th season of MasterChef airing on FOX. Celebrity chef Gordan Ramsey is one of the judges. The show airs Wednesday evenings and streams the day after on Hulu. Follow Ted on Instagram or Facebook at @teds_everyday_eats. Ted is a former parish council president at St. Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church and currently is on hiatus as president of the St. Iakovos Retreat Center in Wisconsin.
EYE ON LOGOS: Rising opthamologist Dr. Hercules Logothetis, owner and primary surgeon at Eye Physicians of Libertyville, IL, recently opened a second location. He comes from a highly-accomplished family of professionals. Sister Effie Logothetis Gountanis is a former marketing manager for Mercedes-Benz who’s now executive director of the American Hellenic Academy in Deerfield, IL. Father Demetrios “Jim” Logothetis was a top CPA at Ernst & Young, assigned to the Coca-Cola account. In January, he was appointed chair of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board by the US Securities & Exchange Commission.
FUNDRAISER FOR ALZHEIMER’S: The PanCretan Association of America on April 2 hosted a packed fundraiser at the expansive, Greek-owned and regal Elia Cafe in Park Ridge, IL. The event benefited the Alzheimer’s Day Care Center in Chania, Crete and its goal of relocating to a new, expanded facility. Event chair was Bianca Pigounakis. The Association’s national president, Diane Kounalakis, was in attendance, as was Emmanuel Koumbarakis, Consulate General for Greece. Luminaries spotted include Transformers Manufacturers CEO and National Hellenic Museum board member Alex Gianaris and wife Kathy Kaporis Gianaris, marketing exec and Daughters of Penelope leader, and Eleni Bousis, chair of the Hippocratic Cancer Research Foundation and Greek American Rehabilitation & Care Centre in Wheeling, IL. Also spotted, Tina Lambros Anagnos who jogged my memory that her late father, Yannis Lambros, played basketball for Greece in the Olympics and was also a high jumper in the Olympics. Wow! Yannis’ late wife, Antigone Lambros, was a longtime fixture on Chicago’s Greek media circuit.
GREEK GAMBLING RING BUST: In late April, the US Attorney’s Office in Northern Indiana indicted 21 individuals in Indiana and Illinois who allegedly operated an illegal interstate gambling ring. Most charged are Greek Americans.
KASS-TING FOR BIG FISH: Get well wishes to political commentator John Kass, recovering from a stroke. John was the longtime page 2 columnist at the Chicago Tribune where he exposed government corruption and frequently articulated on his Greek heritage.
HOLLY-LEAKS: Call her the Wikileaks of Hollywood. Chicago native, TV host and former “Deal or No Deal” model Patricia Kara in early April appeared at “Spill Sessions,” hosted by the Village of Highwood, IL, to deliver a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the entertainment industry. The venue was The Merchant, a new wine and spirits store owned by husband-and-wife team Joseph Nebolsky de Ochoa and Cathy Demetropoulos.
CARD HARD MAN RETIRES: After a 31-year career, Lee Roupas retired from the Illinois Secretary of State’s office. Known as the “Card Hard Man,” he appeared on liquor safety posters seen at bars statewide. He was also a bodybuilding competitor who authored “Living Proof: A Fitness Journey.”
KAPPA COLLECTIBLES BOOM: The husband/wife team of Konstantinos and Catherine Kalampalikis opened Kappa Coll
30-YR BIZ ANNIV: Computer Greeks in Palos Heights, IL recently celebrated its 30th year. It was founded by brothers Steve, Toby and Phil Georgiou.
HOOPS FOLLOW-UP: Nequa Valley H.S., IL and Yale grad John Poulakidas, now a sharpshooting guard for the Dallas Mavericks, finished the NBA season on fire, scoring 23 and 28 points in two separate games. In between, he had a near homecoming in Milwaukee, scoring 11 against the Bucks with 30 friends and family in the stands. Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t play but Poulakidas got a couple minutes against Giannis’ brother Alex Antetokounmpo…Greek American Seth Cooper is an assistant coach and director of player development for the NBA’s Golden State Warriors.
VIVA VIDA VEGA: Chicago native Kirk Vidas, a mainstay on the late 80’s Panathanaikos teams that won the Euroleague title that kick-started the basketball craze in Greece, is retiring as a teacher at Chicago’s Taft H.S., wrapping a second stellar career. He’s been invited to play a legends reunion tour in Europe, after which he’ll retreat to his house in Las Vegas.
EVENTS: The 3rd annual Greek Film Expo is slated for May 21-24 at the Pickwick Theater in Park Ridge, IL…The National Hellenic Museum hosts its golf outing June 5 at Odyssey in Tinley Park, IL…The PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation hosts its awards ceremony and gala June 20 at the Hilton Chicago…The annual Peter Fasseas Golf Open benefiting the PAWS Chicago animal shelter is June 8 at Shoreacres in Lake Bluff, IL. PAWS was founded by Paula Fasseas and the outing honors her late husband, a prominent banker and philanthropist.
Until next…
Terry Poulos is a writer and publisher of TheSportsIndex.com who also chronicles Greek America. He’s co-founder of Chicago’s Greek Media Club and a member of the AHEPA Athletics Hall of Fame selection committee
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