American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association

[8]

"In accordance with the provisions of the AHEPA Constitution, the Supreme Convention of the Order of AHEPA shall be the highest constituted body of the entire AHEPA; it shall remain in session until it is adjourned by a majority of its members; its powers over the entire Order shall be limited only by the AHEPA Constitution and the AHEPA BYLAWS, over which it shall have the exclusive power to alter; and it shall consist, in its composite whole, of the Voting Members of the Convention.

The Supreme Convention has the authority to overturn, overrule, reject or rescind decisions of the Supreme Counselor, Board of Trustees or Supreme Lodge, including the authority to reject, rescind or terminate contracts after the consequences of such action is explained to them. Any such decision of the Supreme Convention to overturn, overrule, reject or rescind any decision of Supreme Counselor, Board of Trustees or Supreme Lodge can be made by a majority vote of the registered Voting Members of the Convention then present and voting at the time as long as those voting in favor represent at least a majority of the Voting Members of the Convention duly registered at such Convention."[17]

The Socrates Award recognizes prominent men and women who have emulated ancient Hellenic ideals. This is the most prestigious award AHEPA awards.

AHEPA's premier social event, the AHEPA National Banquet, was held for the first time on February 26, 1929, at the Willard Hotel in Washington, DC. In 1948, the name of the event was changed to the "AHEPA Congressional Banquet" and for the first time, a United States President, Harry Truman, attended. In 2000 AHEPA reverted to a more appropriate name of this event, The AHEPA Biennial Banquet.

Since 1964, the AHEPA National Banquet has also featured presentations of the organization's most coveted honor, the Socrates Award.

A list of past recipients of the Socrates Award:[19]

• Henry R. Luce – 1964 – Publisher of Time and Life magazines
• Lyndon B. Johnson – 1966 – President of the United States of America
• Everett Dirksen – 1968 – Senator from Illinois
• Spiro T. Agnew – 1970 – Vice-president of the United States of America
• Richard M. Nixon – 1971 – President of the United States of America
• Holiness Athenagoras I Ecumenical Patriarch – 1972
• The U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives – 1976
• Hubert H. Humphrey – 1978 – Vice-president of the United States of America
• Claiborne Pell – 1982 – Senator from Connecticut
• Bob Hope – 1984 – Entertainer
• Ronald Reagan – 1986 – President of the United States of America
• Archbishop Iakovos – 1988 – Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church of North and South America
• George H. W. Bush – 1990 – President of the United States of America
• William "Gus" Pagonis – 1992 – Lt. General
• Mary Matthews – 1992 – Philanthropist
• Paul Sarbanes – 1993 – Senator from Maryland
• William Clinton – 1996 – President of the United States of America
• Patriarch Bartholomew – 1997 – His All Holiness, Bartholomew I, Archbishop of Constantinople, New Rome, and Ecumenical Patriarch
• George W. Bush – 2002 – President of the United States of America
• Tassos Papadopoulos – 2007 – President of Cyprus
• Costas Karamanlis – 2007 – Prime Minister of Greece
• George A. Kalogridis – 2014 – President Walt Disney World Resort
• Joe Biden – 2015 – Vice-president of the United States of America
• John Boehner – 2015 – Speaker of the House of Representatives
• Philip Christopher – 2019 – President of the International Co-ordinating Committee "Justice for Cyprus"
• Michael Psaros - 2019 - Co-founder and Managing Partner of KPS Capital Partners
• Nicos Anastasiades - 2021 - President of the Republic of Cyprus
• Kyriakos Mitsotakis - 2021 - Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic
• Panos Costa Panay - 2022 - Chief product officer of Microsoft,
• George Tsunis - 2023 - U.S. Ambassador to Greece

Past recipients include:[6]

• George Paraskevaides (2006)

The Order of AHEPA developed the Pericles award on both the National and District level to honor those individuals in Government. Past national recipients include:

• Senator Paul Tsongas
• Senator Paul Sarbanes
• Senator John Glenn
• Congressman Mike Bilirakis
• Congressman Gus Bilirakis
• Congressman Gus Yatron
• Congressman George Gekas
• Efthimios E. Mitropoulos
• Congressman John Lewis – 2015
• Congressman Peter J. Visclosky – 2016
• Panos Kammenos – Minister of Defense of the Hellenic Republic – 2017
• Vasilios Matarangas - President Hellenic American National Council (HANC) - 2023

Also several United States Governors have been honored with this award as have many local government officials.

This national award is given to a member of the bar for excellence in the field of law.

• Honorable Charles P. Kocoras – 2016

This is a special award to be presented only by the Supreme Lodge at their discretion to any outstanding individual.

Past recipients:

• Dr. Mary Lefkowitz, Andrew Mellon Professor of Humanities, Wellesley College
• Nicholas Gage – Author
• Thea Halo – Author

This award is to be presented by the Supreme Lodge at the Grand Banquet of the Supreme Convention to an Outstanding Hellene who has distinguished himself in his respective profession or field of endeavor.

• Yiannakis Matsis (2012) – Member of the European Parliament
• Robert W. Peck (2015) – Canadian Ambassador to Greece
• Theofanis Economidis (2015)
• John P. Calamos (2016)
• Michael Zampelas (2016) - Founder and CEO of Coopers & Lybrand in Cyprus and Athens, Greece
• Timothy P. Tassopoulos (2017) – President and Chief Operating Officer of Chick-fil-A

An award developed for recognition of members both national and local for their devotion and hard work in the field of public service.

These awards were funded by the Educational Foundation to honor individuals who excel in various areas of expertise. Awards can be given in the fields of business, journalism, the arts, science, and other liberal sciences.

• Efthyvoulos Paraskevaides – Academy of Achievement in Business (2010)
• Photos Photiades – Academy of Achievement in Business (2011)
• Rev. Dn. Chris Avramopolos – Academy of Achievement in Community Service (2016)
• Eleni Bousis – Academy of Achievement in Philanthropy (2016)
• Basile Katsikis – Academy of Achievement in Arts (2016)
• Gerry and Jeannie Ranglas - Academy of Achievement in Philanthropy (2023)

This award was developed to honor the Archbishop of North and South America who was an active and vocal member of the AHEPA. Archbishop Iakovos helped define a generation of Orthodox faithful in the Americas. His vision and support of Human rights and compassion are a testament to his being a unique life force for all. This award is given to those individuals who surpass any standard of giving in support of Human rights and freedom.

List of recipients:

• Andrew A. Athens – Global Hellenic Diaspora Leader
• Eugene Rossides – American Hellenic Institute Founder
• Andrew S. Natsios – Former USAID Administrator
• George Behrakis – Businessmen/Philanthropists
• George Marcus – Businessmen/Philanthropists
• B'nai B'rith International – First organization to receive the award (2014)
• Stavros Niarchos Foundation (2015)

Awarded to active and retired members of the military in honor of their service to their country.

This award was developed to honor those individuals who sacrifice their lives or put their lives in harm's way in executing their duty. After the tragic events of 9/11 this award was created and awarded to the brave first responders. Additionally, this award is also reserved for any individual who sacrifices his or her own safety for those of others.

• Col. Alan C. Macaulay (2015)
• Lt General Ilias Leontaris (2019) - Chief Cyprus National Guard

An award developed exclusively for those individuals who excel in the area of broadcasting or reporting the news, in any form. Television and or radio news personalities and other such journalists are eligible for this award.

This award is bestowed in recognition of an individual's lifetime outstanding support and promotion of Hellenism.

• Dr. Spiro Spireas, Ph.D. (2018)
• Demosthenes Vasiliou (2018)

This award is bestowed in recognition of an individual's outstanding support of and global impact on Hellenic issues of concern.

• George G. Horiates, AHEPA Past Supreme President (2021)

This award is bestowed exclusively by the Supreme President of the Order of AHEPA on a member of the Order for a lifetime of achievement in the Order of AHEPA.

• Gus J. James II – AHEPA Past Supreme President (2015)
• James S. Scofield – AHEPA Past Supreme President (2016)
• George Rigos – Founder of the Odyssey Charter School (OCS)(2018)
• Craig S. Clawson - AHEPA Board of Auditors, Parliamentarian (2021)
• Lee J. Millas - AHEPA Board of Trustees Past Chair (2022)
• Anthony Kouzounis - AHEPA Past Supreme President (2022)
• Philip T. Frangos - AHEPA Past Supreme President (2023)

The AHEPAN of the Year award is in recognition of outstanding leadership, devoted services, and unselfish contributions toward the advancement of the programs and progress of the Order of AHEPA over an AHEPA fiscal year.

All National AHEPA awards are awarded by the AHEPA Supreme Lodge and are reviewed and the criterion is always changing as dictated by the times by the AHEPA Supreme Lodge.

There are two categories of selection;

1. ATHLETES who have excelled in their particular field of play, being eligible after the passage of three (3) years from the end of their playing days (retirement); and
2. CONTRIBUTORS, being individuals who have contributed in some fashion to the field of athletics; for example, athletic directors, Coaches, Supporters and Media Personalities.

Formal induction into the AHEPA Athletic Hall of Fame is accomplished annually at the annual AHEPA Supreme National Convention during the Athletic Awards Luncheon.

AHEPA is honored to recognize Hellenes of outstanding athletic accomplishment. The AHEPA ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME serves to memorialize these individuals and recognize their outstanding achievements.

• A nominated candidate must be of Hellenic descent.
• Nominated candidate was considered exemplary in their particular sport or athletic field. (Criteria as set forth in the guidelines includes both accomplishments and good character)
• Nominated candidate needs to be nominated by an AHEPAN, supported by his chapter, and accompanied by the completion of the appropriate nomination forms attached hereto.
• A current photograph (head shot) of the candidate, as well as an action shot (if applicable), is requested.
• Once the nomination application is received, it is reviewed by the selection committee, and determined is thereafter included on the selection ballot.

AHEPA athletics recognizes outstanding athletic achievements in many ways. AHEPA athletics department award scholarships to deserving scholar-athletes who have demonstrated outstanding achievements both in the classroom and the athletic fields. The funds are available through the athletic booster trust fund established through the donations of individuals.

AHEPA hosts many regional and national tournaments in sports such as golf, bowling, basketball, and softball. Winners of the tournaments are awarded in many cases free travel to the national tournament during the Supreme convention.

The most prestigious AHEPA athletic award is the Harry Agganis Hellenic Athlete Award, which is awarded annually to the outstanding Hellene in the field of athletics professional or amateur of college level and above.[21]

Any organization of men, but no fewer than ten, which individually and collectively, shall have duly petitioned for and received a Charter from the Supreme Lodge and which, thus Chartered and authorized, is functioning under the name and style of AHEPA, or its corporate name, shall be deemed to be a Chapter of the Order of AHEPA, and subject to its jurisdiction.[22]

At the chapter level, the main officer positions are:[23]

• President
• Vice-president
• Secretary
• Treasurer
• Chaplain
• Warden
• Captain of the Guard

In addition, a chapter may also have the following officer positions:

• Vice-president/Director of Hellenism
• Vice-president/Director of Education
• Vice-president/Director of Philanthropy
• Vice-president/Director of Civic Responsibility
• Vice-president/Director of Family and Individual Excellence
• Inside Sentinel
• Outside Sentinel
• Athletic Director

The chapter also has a Board of Governors composed of a chairman and a number of Governors selected in accordance with the number of members for whom per capita assessment has been paid to AHEPA Headquarters.

Number of Governors Based on Chapter Size:

• 10-25 Members 2 Governors
• 26-100 Members 4 Governors
• 101-200 Members 6 Governors
• 201-300 Members 8 Governors
• 301-400 Members 10 Governors
• 401-500 Members 12 Governors
• 501 and up Members 14 Governors

The Officers of a Chapter shall serve for a term of twelve (12) months, or until their successors are elected and qualified.

All AHEPA Chapters report to a specific District.

The Chapters within the jurisdiction of this Order may be organized by the Supreme Lodge into twenty-eight (28) Districts. Each District shall bear an individual name and number. Each District shall have a minimum of three (3) active Chapters. The Chapters in a District with less than three (3) active Chapters will be assigned by the Supreme Lodge to another District or Districts. The Supreme Lodge shall fix the boundaries of each District.[24]

At the District level, the main officer positions are:[25]

• District Governor
• Lieutenant Governor
• District Secretary
• District Treasurer
• District Marshal
• District Warden
• District Athletic Director

In addition, a District may also have the following officer positions:

• Vice-president/Director of Hellenism
• Vice-president/Director of Education
• Vice-president/Director of Philanthropy
• Vice-president/Director of Civic Responsibility
• Vice-president/Director of Family and Individual Excellence

Each and every District of the Order shall hold a District Convention annually during the months of May, June, or July. The specific time, date and place for succeeding District Conventions may be chosen by the District Convention not more than two (2) years in advance. The Order of AHEPA in Canada may hold the District Conventions not later than the first week in August.[26]

The Conventions of each District shall be composed of duly elected Delegates of the respective Chapters composing the District and the District Officers thereof, and the immediate retiring District Governor. All Past District Governors of any District in the AHEPA Domain may vote and have a sovereign vote provided that they are members in good standing of a Chapter of that District.[26]

The District Conventions of the Order of AHEPA shall have power and authority to:

1. ALL MATTERS: Consider and discuss all matters affecting the affairs of the Order in the District;
2. LEGISLATION: Adopt such legislation as the Delegates may deem necessary and proper for the welfare of the District, provided that such legislation does not in any way conflict with the AHEPA CONSTITUTION and AHEPA BYLAWS and decrees of the Supreme Convention of the Order;
3. DECISIONS: Decide any and all things necessary and proper for the advancement of the District;
4. RESOLUTIONS: Pass resolutions and transmit them to the Supreme Convention through the District Governor; and
5. APPROPRIATE FUNDS: To appropriate monies had or to be had in the District Treasury, prescribe the manner and purposes of and for which such appropriations shall be used and designate the Officer or Officers who are to disburse the same.

• MOTHER LODGE DISTRICT NO. 1: All Chapters within the states of Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Mississippi.
• CITRUS DISTRICT NO. 2: All Chapters within the state of Florida, Puerto Rico and in Nassau, Bahamas.
• CAPITAL DISTRICT NO. 3: All Chapters within the states of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, District of Columbia and the Chapter of Bluefield, West Virginia.
• POWER DISTRICT NO. 4: All Chapters within the state of Pennsylvania, excepting Sharon-Farrell.
• GARDEN DISTRICT NO. 5: All Chapters within the state of New Jersey and Wilmington, Delaware.
• EMPIRE DISTRICT NO. 6: All Chapters within the State of New York.
• YANKEE DISTRICT NO. 7: All Chapters within the states of Connecticut and Rhode Island, and the Chapter of Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
• BAY STATE DISTRICT NO. 8: All Chapters within the State of Massachusetts, excepting the Chapter at Pittsfield.
• NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND DISTRICT NO. 9: All Chapters within the states of Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont.
• AUTOMOTIVE DISTRICT NO. 10: All Chapters within the state of Michigan.
• BUCKEYE DISTRICT NO. 11: All Chapters within the states of Ohio, Kentucky, and the Chapters at Weirton, Huntington, Wheeling, Clarksburg and Charleston, West Virginia, and Sharon-Farrell, Pennsylvania.
• HOOSIER DISTRICT NO. 12: All Chapters within the state of Indiana.
• BLUE RIBBON DISTRICT NO. 13: All Chapters within the states of Illinois, Wisconsin.
• GRAINFIELDS DISTRICT NO. 14: All Chapters within the states of Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, all of Nebraska (excepting Bridgeport, Nebraska), and the St. Louis, Missouri Chapter No. 53.
• DELTA DISTRICT NO. 16: All Chapters within the states of Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and all the Chapters in Kansas City, Missouri.
• SILVER DISTRICT NO. 17: All Chapters within the states of New Mexico, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, and Colorado, the Chapters in Ely, Nevada, and Bridgeport, Nebraska.
• EL CAMINO REAL DISTRICT NO. 20: All Chapters within the state of Arizona, Hawaii, and in the city and south of Bakersfield, California; and Chapters in Henderson and Las Vegas, Nevada.
• GOLDEN GATE DISTRICT NO. 21: All Chapters north and exclusive of Bakersfield in California, and the Chapter at Reno, Nevada.
• FIREWOOD DISTRICT NO. 22: All Chapters in the states of Oregon and Washington, and Alaska.
• BEAVER DISTRICT NO. 23: All Chapters in the Provinces of Quebec, Ontario, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Islands, and New Brunswick, Canada.
• ROYAL CANADIAN DISTRICT NO. 24: All Chapters in Provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, Canada.
• HELLAS DISTRICT NO. 25: All Chapters situated within Greece.
• CANADIAN DISTRICT NO. 26: All Chapters in the Province of British Columbia, Canada.
• CYPRUS DISTRICT NO. 27: All Chapters situated within Cyprus.
• EUROPEAN DISTRICT NO. 28: All Chapters situated in Europe except for Cyprus and Greece.[27]

AHEPA also has Regions. There are ten Regions defined by the Order of AHEPA. Each Region is divided into a set of active districts. Each Region also has an elected Supreme Governor who makes up part of the Supreme lodge.

The ten Regions are:

• Region 1 – Districts 1 and 2. Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee
• Region 2 – Districts 3 and 4. West Virginia, DC, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia
• Region 3 = Districts 5 and 6. Delaware, New Jersey, New York
• Region 4 = Districts 7, 8 and 9. Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont
• Region 5 = Districts 10 and 11. Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, except Bloomfield WV
• Region 6 = Districts 12, 13 and 14. Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, E. Nebraska, E. Missouri
• Region 7 = Districts 15, 16 and 17. Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Louisiana, W. Missouri, W. Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Utah, except Salt Lake City
• Region 8 = Districts 20, 21 and 22. Idaho, Montana, Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Utah
• Region 9 = Districts 23, 24 and 26. Canada: Maritimes, Quebec Ontario (23) Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta (24) British Columbia (26)
• Region 10 = Districts 25, 27 and 28. Greece, Cyprus and the rest of Europe [27]

The "Supreme Lodge" of this Order shall be composed of the following Supreme Officers:[28]

• Supreme President
• Supreme Vice President
• Canadian President
• Supreme Secretary
• Supreme Treasurer
• Supreme Counselor
• Supreme Athletic Director
• National Sons of Pericles Advisor
• Nine Supreme/Regional Governors