A Night to Remember: Celebrating Hellenic Professionalism & Unity
Friday, September 26th at the Classic Car Club of Manhattan (CCC, PIER 76), as Nyx swept her dark cloak across the blazing New York sky, the vibrant heart of the city pulsed with Hellenic pride and professional synergy at the spectacular inter-organizational Fall 2025 Cars & Cocktails waterfront mixer. As the sun set on the Hudson River, the figurative sun rose on a new Golden Standard for NextGen leadership and community outreach.
EVENT TEAM: Julius Villanueva (Philo4Thought Tech Director), Christina Salboudis (Philo4Thought CEO), John Papaspanos Esq (HACC/HLA Board Member), George Georgiades (Philo4Thought Sponsor), Paul Pavlakos (AHEPA Delphi Chapter 25 President), Elizabeth Psaltos (Philo4Thought Volunteer), Demetri Giannopoulos (CUNY Baruch Hellenic Students Assoc. President & Philo4Thought Musical Technician)
This landmark collaborative event, spearheaded by three influential leaders in community outreach – Christina Salboudis (CEO, Philo4Thought Hellenic Mentoring Initiative), Paul Pavlakos (President, American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association (AHEPA) Delphi 25 Chapter) and John Papaspanos (Director, Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce (HACC) Young Professional Division), was made possible by the generous sponsorship of Gemean Consulting, as well as the support of several long-term Philo4Thought and AHEPA sponsors: Kellari Taverna, Welby, Brady & Greenblatt LLP., Lountzis Asset Management LLC, Styled Sharp, the Tyson family, Let’s Ducking Write, Top Golf, On The Road Again Motorcycle School, and Annunciation Greek Orthodox Church NYC.
The CCC, a private club established in 2005 by Michael Prichinello and Zac Moseley for the enjoyment of vintage and modern cars, was the luxurious backdrop to an amazing night of inspirational connectivity and professional development among emerging and seasoned professionals of the extended Hellenic-American population across the Tri-State area.
Paul Pavlakos (AHEPA Delphi Chapter 25 President)
Attendees and supporters from several other major organizations were also in attendance, including Hellenic Lawyer’s Association, Hellenic Medical Society, HABA, Hellenic Professional Women, Greek Tech and New York Life’s Grandison Group. Additionally several student groups, including Columbia University, St. John’s University, the University of Pennsylvania, CUNY Hunter, CUNY Baruch and NYU.
Driving Force: Common Mission & A Synergistic Vision for Collaboration
The concept of φιλότιμο stands at the heart of Philo4Thought, AHEPA and HACC collective missions. The success of the event is inherently linked to the passion and dedication of the three community leaders’ collaborative efforts to empower their respective networks in unique ways. “In achieving community impact, we bring φιλοξενια to life… creating a wider philanthropic reach throughout the city… helping individuals who share our home, our workplace, and many times our struggles,” says Paul Pavlakos.
Welcome Address George Georgiades (Philo4Thought Sponsor), John Papaspanos Esq (HACC/HLA Board Member), Paul Pavlakos (AHEPA Delphi Chapter 25 President), Christina Salboudis (Philo4Thought CEO)
The Cars & Cocktails Mixer served as a kick-off event for a meaningful and event-packed year and, more importantly, for the dawn of more integrative collaboration between Philo4Thought, AHEPA Delphi 25 (Manhattan) and HACC, which have served the Hellenic-American community for years. For those who are yet unfamiliar with their work:
The Philo4Thought Hellenic Mentoring Initiative is a 501(c)3 philanthropic educational nonprofit foundation that aims to educate, inspire, and empower emerging and transitioning professionals from marginalized groups.
Christina Salboudis (Philo4Thought CEO), Julius Villanueva (Philo4Thought Tech Director), George Georgiades (Philo4Thought Sponsor), Demetri Giannopoulos (CUNY Baruch Hellenic Students Assoc. President & Philo4Thought Musical Technician), Paul Pavlakos (AHEPA Delphi Chapter 25 President), Nick Tsoukaris (AHEPA Delphi Chapter 25 Treasurer), Nikki Geogiades, Elizabeth Psaltos (Philo4Thought Volunteer), Andrew (CCC Management)
Additionally, in the sincere pay-it-forward spirit of the mission established by their founder, Prof. Christina E. Salboudis, Philo4Thought is committed to highlighting the efforts of outstanding professionals who truly embody the spirit of φιλότιμο. With this in mind, the team often celebrates select students, young professionals, and seasoned executive mentors at their Annual Founders Day Glendi (October 10, 2025 at Kellari Taverna) and their Annual Spring Symposium (April 25, 2026 at St. John’s University Manhattan Campus). “Philo4Thought was always meant to be ‘the training wheels’ for young professionals to connect with senior professionals, and it’s so great to see this happening tonight, with the help and support of Paul Pavlakos, John Papaspanos and George Georgiades….,” says Prof. Salboudis.
Christina Salboudis (Philo4Thought CEO)
Prof. Christina E. Salboudis, Founding CEO, Educational Director, and Editor in Chief of Philo4Thought Inc. (est. 2009), is an award-winning mentor, professor, and certified coach with over 30 years of experience serving students and emerging young professionals globally.
All are welcome to attend and support Philo4Thought events and initiatives! For details and registration, please visit https://www.philo4thought.org/events or email info@philo4thought.org to join the event mailing list.
AHEPA Delphi 25 is the Manhattan-based chapter of the Order of AHEPA (American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association), an international organization with a mission to promote the ancient Hellenic ideals of education, philanthropy, civic responsibility, integrity, and family and individual excellence through community service and volunteerism.
Recently, Delphi announced one of its new core goals – The Delphi Network – and the commitment to community impact.
Paul S. Pavlakos, Esq. is AHEPA Delphi 25’s current President and District 6 (NY) Advisor to the Sons of Pericles (as well as former Supreme President of the Sons of Pericles, which celebrates its 100th Anniversary in 2026). As such, he is at the forefront of executing AHEPA’s core principles throughout the NYC community. In recognition of his work, Philo4Thought, under the aegis of the New York State Assembly, honored him on Friday, October 10th at Kellari Taverna.
All are welcome to attend and support AHEPA Delphi 25 events and initiatives! For details and registration, please visit www.ahepa25.org.
John Papaspanos Esq (HACC/HLA Board Member)
III. The Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce (HACC) was formed for the purpose of promoting and strengthening the economic and cultural ties between the U.S., Greece and Cyprus. Beyond its traditional commercial role, HACC is a multifaceted organization that offers a network and forum for its members to meet, conduct business, exchange ideas and promote the business interests of the Hellenic community.
HACC looks forward to honoring Dr. John Coustas (President/CEO of Danaos Corp.) at their 73rd Person of the Year Award Gala, November 14, 2025 at Cipriani Wall Street, ft. guest performance by Anna Vissi! All are welcome to attend: https://www.hellenicamerican.cc/copy-of-73rd-person-of-the-year-gala-1.
Philo4Thought Sponsors Andreas & Anastasia Aktipis (Kellari Taverna), Christina Salboudis (Philo4Thought CEO)
John Papaspanos, Esq. (2015 Philo4Thought Honoree and primary author of the Arete guidebook for pre-law students), is a Board member of HACC, and fully committed to promoting the flourishing of the Hellenic community. He studied International Relations, conducted research on energy geopolitics as a Fulbright Scholar at the Law School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece under a law professor and E.U. energy expert. He studied law and business at the University of Pennsylvania Law School and Wharton where he earned a J.D. and is currently Partner at the international law firm Baker Botts L.L.P.
Featured Upcoming Event: Philo4Thought and the Grandison Group of New York Life look forward to hosting several celebrated specialists in FinTech Innovation and Global Impact Assessment on November 21st at One World Trade Center. To register, visit https://events.livemazi.com/e/globalfintech.
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