The Hellenic Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry last night recognised the best and brightest of the Hellenic Australian community, with the 2016 HACCI Excellence Awards supported by Delphi Bank.
Recognised as the premier business and community awards for the Hellenic Australian community, the HACCI Excellence Awards acknowledge and reward organisations and individuals that have achieved excellence in the following categories:
The Spiros Stamoulis Award for Lifetime Achievement – Gregory Gavrilides, businessman, philanthropist and pillar of the Sydney Hellenic Australian Community, who has worked tirelessly and generously to support that community over many years. The Award for Sporting Excellence, awarded by the South Melbourne Football Club – Ange Postecoglou, Socceroos head coach, who recently steered the national side to victory in the AFC Asian cup, and has played a role in changing the Australian football landscape, transforming the way Australians play football.
The Delphi Bank Award for Business Excellence – Kathy Tsaples, former investment banker, cancer survivor, author and proprietor of Prahran Market’s Sweet Greek. The Award for Community Service, awarded by Security Plus Shutters and Blinds – Helen Zahos, emergency nurse and humanitarian volunteer, who recently returned from Greece, where she had been working to provide relief to those caught up in the refugee crisis. The Award for Professional Excellence, awarded by Doncaster Jaguar Land Rover (joint winner) – Con Mylonas, former neurosurgeon, now barrister, Board member of Austin Health and chairman of the Audit committee, and founding member and present Chairman of the Spinal Research Institute.
The Award for Professional Excellence, awarded by Doncaster Jaguar Land Rover (joint winner) – Professor Dennis Velakoulis, Head of Neuropsychiatry at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Clinical Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Melbourne, who has developed an international reputation for neuropsychiatry research, especially in the area of schizophrenia research.
The Award for Young Achievement – Fotini Karakitsos, geologist, microbiologist, and researcher with Rio Tinto.
“We are incredibly proud of this year’s winners,” said HACCI Chair Georgegina Poulos.
“None of them has sought the limelight but through their endeavour and tenacity, they represent the best and brightest of our community. They embody the excellence we seek to recognise through these awards,” she said.
The HACCI Excellence Awards Gala Ball was held at 7pm on Friday 18th November, 2016 at the Grand Hyatt Savoy Ballroom, 123 Collins St, Melbourne.