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Laurier-Dorion MNA Liberal Gerry Sklavounos was in Chicago on June 12 to accept a nomination from the Greek America Foundation, which was honouring him as one of the top 40 Greek North Americans under 40 years of age.
“I am truly humbled and honoured to receive this very special distinction by the Greek America Foundation,” Sklavounos, who is Parliamentary Assistant to Quebec’s Minister of Health and Social Services, told Nouvelles Parc Extension News. “I thank them sincerely and I congratulate all the other nominees and recipients for their notable contributions to society.”
Chosen from hundreds
The Greek America Foundation recognizes young Greek scientists, businesspeople, politicians and researchers, among others, and promotes their success by means of the Greek America Magazine whose readership is over 250,000. The top 40 young Greek leaders were chosen from among more than four hundred candidates.
In an interview, Sklavounos said he was surprised to learn of the award because he knew very little about the Greek America Foundation. “I had maybe heard about them a couple of times as an organization promising young Greeks in the United States that brought together different people of Greek origins from various areas, but I had never heard of the under 40 award. This was actually the first edition of it. But I was also surprised that they were considering people from Canada.”
Nominated locally
Sklavounos was nominated for the honor by the president of the Hellenic Community of Montreal, Billy Balobanos, and the former president of the Canadian Hellenic Congress, Demetrius Manolakos. A field of 400 candidates from all over the continent was eventually reduced to the 40 chosen. Sklavounos’s nomination shouldn’t have come altogether as a surprise, considering how much time he’s spent in the U.S. as an official delegated by Premier Jean Charest to serve as a liaison for certain trade issues in the north-eastern states.
In this capacity, Sklavounos has had the opportunity to meet some of the leading politicians of Greek origin in the U.S., including former State of Massachusetts governor and Democratic presidential candidate Michael Dukakis. Some of the other nominees for the Greek American Foundation under 40 award with whom Sklavounos rubbed shoulders is a speechwriter for U.S. president Barack Obama. Another is a candidate for the Illinois state legislature seat that Obama vacated when he ran for president.
Prestigious guests
Among the guests at the awards gala was the president of Coca Cola Canada Ltd., who according to Sklavounos is of Greek origin. He said he was seated at the same table as the owner of the Carolina Hurricanes hockey team, another person with Hellenic roots. “It brought together different people,” added Sklavounos. “At the end of the day, it was a nice opportunity to get together with people of similar origin, with similar interests, even though we’re all in different areas.”