 Ambassador Michael Sotirhos Awarded Ellis Island Medal of Honor
Established in 1986 by NECO, Ellis Island Medals of Honor pay tribute to the ancestry groups that comprise America's unique cultural heritage. Ambassador Sotirhos is the son of Greek immigrants George and Katherine Sotirhos, who immigrated to the United States through Ellis Island in 1923. To date, some 1400 ethnic American citizens and Native Americans have received medals. NECO Chairman William Denis Fugazy announced that this year's honorees received their awards at the annual gala ceremony in the Great Hall on Ellis Island in New York Harbor, Saturday, May 11, 2002. Ambassador Sotirhos entered his career in government service by serving in two ambassadorial positions. In 1985 President Reagan appointed him as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to Jamaica. Then in 1989 President Bush reaffirmed that confidence by selecting him as United States Ambassador to Greece. Sotirhos became the first American of Greek descent to serve in that position. In recognition of his outstanding service, the Government of Jamaica bestowed the prestigious "Order of Distinction" with rank of Commander. Ambassador Sotirhos has ardently participated in serving the Greek Orthodox Church since boyhood. He also co-founded the Greek Orthodox Youth of America and served as president for such organizations as the United Greek Orthodox Charities, the Annunciation Church and the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. For decades he was a member of the Archdiocesan Council. He also served as president of the New York Chapter of the Juvenile Diabetes Foundation. A life-long Republican, Sotirhos has served as Chairman of the New York State Republican Heritage Groups Council, Chairman of the Heritage Council of the Republican National Committee, and Chairman of Ethnic Voters '84 for the Reagan-Bush Presidential Campaign. He has also served as a member of the President's Council on Voluntary Service, New York State Council on Architecture and the District Advisory Council of the Small Business Administration. Currently retired, the Ambassador is a member of the Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation and is Vice President of the Onassis (USA) Foundation. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Atlantic Bank of New York. Sotirhos and his wife divide their time between Florida and New York and are the proud parents of two. They also have two granddaughters. Past Ellis Island Medal of Honor recipients have included several U.S. Presidents, entertainers, athletes, entrepeneurs, religious leaders and business executives. Among the past recipients: George Bush, Jimmy Carter, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Gerald Ford, Richard Nixon, John McCain, Rudolph Giuliani, George Pataki, Mario Cuomo, Bob Hope, Frank Sinatra, Coretta Scott King, General Norman Schwartzkopf, Yogi Berra and Mickey Mantle. |
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