After more than two decades at the helm of one of Greece’s most prominent U.S.-affiliated institutions, Chris Spirou has been removed from the leadership of the Hellenic American Union.
He was replaced by Dr. Leonidas Tzonis, who currently serves as Executive Vice President of the Hellenic American University, also in Athens.
Founded in 1957 by prominent Athenians who wanted to build a cultural institution with ties to the United States, the Hellenic American Union is a public-service and educational institution whose courses, cultural events and exhibitions attract tens of thousands of people annually.
Since its founding, the HAU has been Greece’s official representative for the administering of the University of Michigan’s Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE).
In exclusive comments to The Pappas Post, the incoming President, Dr. Leonidas Tzonis, called his appointment a “new beginning.”
“I’m honored to take the helm of this historic institution that has the potential to strengthen the cultural and educational ties between the United States and Greece,” Tzonis said.
“This is a historic day and a new beginning for the Hellenic American Union and I’m excited to serve at a time when Greek-U.S. relations are the best they’ve been in a long time,” Tzonis added.
When asked about the forced departure of Chris Spirou, whom Tzonis replaced, he said “I’d rather let the Greek court system comment on these matters so I can do my job of transforming and moving this institution forward.”
Tzonis currently serves as Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Hellenic American University, a U.S-accredited institution of higher learning in Athens..
He holds a Ph.D. from the Newcastle Business School, UK, an M.Sc. in Finance and Investment, a PG Certificate in Higher Education from the University of Durham, and a B.Sc. in Economics and Business Finance from Brunel University.
He served as a full-time member of the Business School Faculty at Durham University, a visiting lecturer at the Singapore Institute of Management, and a distance learning tutor for SOAS (University of London). He also served as Professor of Business at Hellenic American University before assuming duties as Executive Vice President.
