The Leadership 100 Board of Trustees voted unanimously at their meeting in New York September 10, 2010 to designate Nicholas J. Bouras, one of the first members to join, and a member of its Board of Trustees since 1997, “Honorary Life-Time Member of the Board of Trustees.”

His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios and Leadership 100 Chairman, Constantine G. Caras, along with Acting Executive Director, Paulette Poulos, traveled to the offices of Bouras Properties in Summit, New Jersey to bestow upon Bouras, the Archbishop Iakovos Leadership 100 Award for Excellence for his extraordinary service and philanthropy.

Chairman Caras said that the Leadership 100 Board created the special honor because of the “commitment and dedication of Mr. Bouras over the years.” “Nick Bouras has gone the extra mile for our Church and Community supporting every worthwhile cause and responding to every urgent appeal; the consensus of the Board was that he is an extraordinary churchman and one of the finest persons we have had the privilege of knowing,” he said.

Bouras, who was born in Pontiac, Michigan and grew up in Chicago and graduated from The School of Commerce, Northwestern University, spent some 20 years with United States Steel Corporation before beginning his own steel construction company with his wife, Anna K. Bouras, of Blessed Memory, in 1960. He had enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1942, serving in World War 2 in Europe where he flew 44 combat missions as lead bombardier and navigator, reaching the rank of Major. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, eight Air Medals and five Battle Stars.

Bouras Industries grew to consist of five operating companies with five manufacturing operations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Illinois, which became an industry leader in joist and deck production before being sold in 2007. Bouras continues to operate Bouras Properties, LLC, the real estate arm of the company, from the same location.

Bouras is founder and active member of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Westfield, New Jersey, where he served as President and Chairman of the building committee, an active member of the Archdiocesan Council, serving for 25 years, four years on its Executive Committee, and an Archon Depoutatos of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Order of Saint Andrew, where he serves as National Vice Commander. He received the Order’s highest honor, the Patriarch Athenagoras Human Rights Award in 2006. He was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate by Hellenic College/Holy Cross School of Theology and is a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.