The Hellenic Initiative (THI), the largest global nonprofit uniting the Greek Diaspora – with supporters in over 47 countries – will host its 12th Annual New York Gala on Saturday, December 7, at Cipriani 55 Wall Street in New York City.
Funds raised at the Gala support THI’s vetted humanitarian partners and economic/entrepreneurial development in Greece. Prior to the event, THI’s hotly anticipated annual online auction will go live showcasing luxury items from renowned Greek designers.
This year’s event will honor noted philanthropists Marianne and Dean Metropoulos. The Gala will celebrate their contributions to supporting the people of Greece and recognize their philanthropy worldwide.
Themed ‘Dare to Dream’ the black-tie evening will open with cocktails and auction item viewing at 6:30 PM. Dinner and awards will begin at 8 PM and dancing will kick off at 10 PM. The event will feature a special performance by Greek singer Thanos Petrelis and dancing by the Jimmy Vali Band.
Special guests include Antonios Tsapatakis, 2024 Paralympian Silver Medalist in Swimming – 100m breaststroke, and Alexandra Stamatopoulou, 2024 Paralympian Gold Medalist in Swimming – 50m backstroke.
More than 800 invitees, benefactors, and dignitaries are anticipated at this important annual celebration of community, heritage, and culture, which unites the Greek diaspora in a meaningful manner.
Tickets: Individual $800, THI New Leader (45 years old or younger) $400. Table prices start at $15,000.
About the Hellenic Initiative
Founded in 2012, THI is a global, nonprofit, secular institution mobilizing the Greek diaspora and philhellene community to support sustainable economic recovery and renewal for the Greek people.
THI’s programs address crisis relief through strong nonprofit organizations and build entrepreneurial skills in a new generation of business leaders. Since its founding, THI has raised more than $37 million and has grown to be the largest Greek Diaspora organization in the world.
Hellenic Initiative Gala Honorees Marianne and Dean Metropoulos
Prior to her marriage, Marianne worked for a Middle East Embassy as the Program Director for Cultural Affairs. She oversaw the admittance and study programs for 2,500 graduate students studying in universities and colleges throughout the United States.
While still at the Embassy she was offered a position with the Office of Protocol at the State Department. During the interim period of accepting the position at the State Department, she met Dean Metropoulos and they married.
In 2019, while in London for the premiere of Cliffs of Freedom, a feature film that Marianne wrote and produced, she was introduced to Prince Charles, now King Charles, and members of the Greek Royal Family.
At that time Marianne learned of the work that Prince’s Trust International, now known as the King’s Trust International, was doing in Greece. Wanting to help promote and advance this important work, she became “Grand Benefactor” in 2020 having contributed through these last five years several million dollars reaching 15,265 children and young people across Greece, Kenya, and Rwanda.
The Trust supports education, job opportunities, and helps young people to have the ability to start their own businesses among many other things.
“I wanted to help families who were not able to offer these advantages to their children and to honor Dean’s parents, who loved their homeland, but immigrated to America because it was their only hope to offer their children a better life, not available in the village of Dean’s birth. It has been an honor and a privilege for me and my family to be a part of this unique organization.”
Marianne heads the Metropoulos Family Foundation, which is a member of the Giving Pledge. The Foundation also supports cancer research in Epigenetics and advancing TCR Cellular Immunotherapies for solid cancers at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center which is truly groundbreaking in finding a cure for certain cancers.
The Cleveland Clinic, Paul Newman’s ‘Hole in the Wall’ camps for critically ill children suffering from cancer, Wounded Warriors, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, among many others. The Foundation is also supporting ‘Big Dog Ranch Rescue’ which was founded in 2008 and has saved and adopted out 60,000 dogs and is a ‘no kill’ dog rescue.
The Foundation was recently launched at Babson College in Boston, at the C. Dean Metropoulos Institute for Entrepreneurship and Technology Center. As Babson has been recognized for over a century as one of the top entrepreneurial schools in the U.S., Dean felt that given the incredible momentum of AI, young entrepreneurs must embrace, empower and control AI as it truly redefines and challenges our world going forward.
Dean, Marianne Metropoulos and the family are an integral part of our Greek-American community. Participating in many of our Hellenic philanthropic and social platforms – Philoptochos, Faith, St. Nicholas Church, Archons, THI, NHS, AHI – several Greek Orthodox churches, just to name a few.
Dean Metropoulos to be honored at the Hellenic Initiative Gala
Dean Metropoulos, an immigrant from Greece, has journeyed a unique career, starting after his MBA from Babson College, with GTE, a global telecommunications, lighting, precision materials and home entertainment company.
Moving to Europe as the youngest CFO of Europe, the Middle East and Africa at age 25, and returning to the U.S. as the youngest senior vice president of GTE International. Dean has traveled and very happily explored the history of every continent and 120 countries.
Young in his career and observing that a new business frontier of private equity was rapidly evolving and globally redefining business, investments and venture capital, Dean decided to disrupt his unique corporate career and focus on the excitement of acquiring and transforming companies.
He also loved and embraced a unique partnership with his sons, Evan and Daren, from the ages of 15 and 17. They initially focused on industrial companies, but when acquiring 2-3 consumer businesses they realized their love of transforming and bringing back to life and relevance the many historic and iconic brands that are admirably identified with around the world.
They have created a legendary, brand revival platform with their firm, Metropoulos & Co., which has become globally recognized for their performance and integrity and are sought after partners by many global private equity firms and investors, particularly with their highly recognized and superior investment returns.
Among a few of the unique brands and companies acquired and transformed are: Hostess, Ghirardelli Chocolate, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Schlitz, Lone Star, Mumm and Perrier Jouet Champagnes, Chef Boyardee, Bumble Bee, Vlasic, Duncan Hines, Pam Cooking Spray, Premier Foods – the largest UK consumer business, and recently all of Nestle’s U.S. and Canadian spring water brands, including Poland Spring, Saratoga, Pure Life, Zephyrhills, Arrowhead, etc. Metropoulos & Co. has been involved in many acquisitions globally and 5 SPACS and is well known for having earned some of the highest returns on Wall Street.
