Dear National Hellenic Society family and friends,
I am honored and humbled to serve as the National Hellenic Society's (NHS) Chairman of the Board of Directors. The NHS' legacy is a testament to the vision of my predecessor, co-founder George Marcus, who worked diligently with the board, members, staff, and Heritage Greece/America Alumni to make NHS a preeminent Hellenic organization.
Our community has changed greatly since our immigrant families first came to the United States nearly 150 years ago. Our best resource is our very own people, who empower us to preserve, protect, and expand this rich culture and legacy that we share.
We have looked back in retrospect on past successes that we need to build upon by looking forward to the future, with an open mind; a commitment to our mission and a vision of ensuring all people of Hellenic descent, and philhellenes, benefit from our support and service to the community.
As we close out another year, my focus for 2018 will be:
· To grow and expand our committees. The talent and expertise in this organization is second to none. We need your involvement. If you have an interest in serving on a committee or as a chapter co-chair, please let us know as soon as practicable.
· To ensure NHS staff have the tools and resources to effectively engage and support our membership.
· Programs are our lifeblood, and we have developed unique and impactful programs that benefit our community and the next generation. We have learned that leveraging effective partnerships can amplify effectiveness. We will continue to work with other organizations and not lose sight of our ethnic identity.
· We will continue to focus on the next generation, a challenge all organizations face. We need to engage, empower, and groom them, which means to mentor, not preach; listen, not lecture; and to involve, not inform.
· Our commitment to the future and our continued viability means we need to work towards an endowment. In the coming year, we will lay out our vision to you.
We have learned from our past, but we spend too much time trying to live in it. We need to focus on the present and future. We've come a long way, but the journey ahead is even more challenging. Together we can and will accomplish our goals. I look forward to working alongside each of you. Please feel free to contact me, Art, or Vicki with your opinions, concerns, and/or suggestions.
With personal regards,
Drake G. Behrakis
