NEW YORK, NY – [GNUSA]
“It is a great honor for me to assume the presidency of ‘Aristomenis’ alongside such a capable team,” said Constantinos Skountzos, who was elected president of the Messinian Benevolent Association “Aristomenis,” a member of the Pan-Messinian Federation of America and Canada founded in 1935. Leading a newly elected board, Skountzos said the association remains committed to strengthening ties among Messinians in the New York area while investing in the next generation.
The elections were held during the Association’s General Assembly on October 11 at the Stathakeion Cultural Center of the Hellenic Societies of Greater New York. The new Board of Directors will be sworn in and assume its duties in January 2027.
Joining Skountzos on the new board are Vice President Kostas Doufas, First Secretary Maria Pantazopoulou, Second Secretary Maria Zontanos-Sikolas, First Treasurer Stavroula Kakalou, and Second Treasurer Eleni Christakou. Board members include Stavros Giannopoulos, Ioanna Theodoratou, Christos Kargas, Marianna Bountouvas, and Anastasia Skountzos, while Georgios Stavropoulos will serve as Legal Counsel.
“I joined ‘Aristomenis’ in 1992, as a young child, through the Association’s dance group. The people I met there became like family, and the Association has been part of my life ever since. Now it is our turn to offer that same experience to our children”, he said.
In outlining the new board’s priorities, Skountzos emphasized support for young members of the Messinian community through educational and cultural initiatives.
“Our priority will be to support the children of the Messinian community in New York through a scholarship program for our young university students and by encouraging our youth to participate in the Kalamata summer program, an outstanding initiative organized by the Pan-Messinian Federation of America and Canada that brings our young people closer to Messinia, its history, and its people,” he said.
Skountzos also expressed his gratitude to outgoing President Stavros Giannopoulos, who served a total of 12 years at the helm of the association.
“It is an honor that he will remain on the Board. He is a man I deeply trust, and his experience and guidance will be invaluable to me and to the new Board of Directors,” Skountzos said. “I invite every Messinian family in the greater New York area to join us”.
The association will celebrate its 91st anniversary at its Annual Dinner Dance on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 8 p.m. at Terrace on the Park, 52-11 111th St. in Queens. During the event, “Aristomenis” will also recognize this year’s scholarship recipients. Association leaders are inviting members, friends, and the broader Messinian community to join in the celebration of the organization’s long history and continued service to Hellenism.
For more information, email: [email protected].
