AHEPA to Honor Outstanding Ahepans at Historic Sites During Philadelphia Convention

 

American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association

For Immediate Release | July 3, 2026

Contact: AHEPA Headquarters Phone: 202.232.6300 E-mail: ahepa@ahepa.org AHEPA to Honor Outstanding Ahepans at Historic Sites During Philadelphia Convention

In addition to our Grand Banquet honorees, AHEPA will honor several notable Ahepans during the upcoming 104th Supreme Convention in Philadelphia. These individuals will be recognized for their outstanding contributions to the United States, AHEPA, Hellenism and their local communities. Dr. Elias Anthony Iliadis will be honored with the AHEPA Hellenism Award at the Historic Independence Hall, Wednesday night, July 29th. The following evening, two additional individuals will be honored for their military service on the Battleship New Jersey.

Dr. Elias Anthony Iliadis, MD AHEPA Hellenism Award Dr. Elias Iliades is awarded the AHEPA Hellenism Award for his lifelong contributions to Hellenism. He is a preeminent cardiologist in the Philadelphia region. He is currently Program Director, Interventional Cardiology Fellowship, and Associate Director, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratories at Cooper University Hospital, Camden, NJ. He is an Associate Professor of Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University. He has served his community, aiding many young Hellenic professionals in their advancement throughout his career as well as virtually all Hellenic organizations. A lifelong member of the parish council at St. Thomas in Cherry Hill where he currently serves as Vice President, Dr. Iliades has given presentations to Hellenic Seniors, CPR classes, and has given back with his medical expertise to many Greek communities. In 2021, Elias was installed as an Archon of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of the Greek Orthodox Church and is a member of the Bartholomew Foundation. He is the current president of the Greek American Heritage Society of Philadelphia. He previously served the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America as a camp physician at Ionian Village in Greece. He is a founding Board Member and past President of the Hellenic Medical Society of Philadelphia. Elias is the immediate past President of the Hellenic Federation of New Jersey and was appointed to the New Jersey Hellenic Heritage commissioner by Governor Phil Murphy. He is also a proud member of the Federation of Hellenic Societies of Philadelphia. He was selected as a board member of the Robert Wood Johnson Medical School Alumni Association and served as Vice President. Elias is married to Katherine Dedes Iliadis, RPH. They have three children: Sophia, 30, Nicholas, 27, and Elena, 24. The family resides in Moorestown, New Jersey.  A former District AHEPAN of the year, Dr. Iliades has been recognized for his work during the COVID pandemic. A lifelong AHEPAN, Dr. Iliades has served in many significant roles, using his capacity as a preeminent cardiologist and as a dedicated Greek American for the advancement of Hellenism.

The following two individuals will receive the Military Service Award on the Battleship New Jersey, Thursday night, July 30th. The Military Service Award is a premiere award in the AHEPA Domain, honoring the incredible contributions made to the U.S. by members of our armed forces.

Major Carl Hollister, Ret. US Army Past Supreme President Order of AHEPA Mr. Hollister is a retired U.S. Army Major 21-year tenure, the majority of which were in Special Operations. Carl was awarded the Bronze Star in 2005. He has extensive experience in the securities industry and served as President of L.M. Kohn & Company. A dedicated defender of the Greek Orthodox Church, Carl has served in leadership roles in the Church and its institutions, including with the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. He also served most admirably both as Chair of AHEPA Housing and as AHEPA Supreme President. Carl now serves as the Executive Director of St. Photios Greek Orthodox National Shrine in St. Augustine, FL.

Colonel Nicholas P. Vamvakias, Ret. U.S. Army Past Supreme Treasurer Order of AHEPA Colonel Vamvakias’ distinguished military career began in the 101st Airborne Division. He served two combat tours in Vietnam, earning prestigious honors including the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star with Valor, and the Purple Heart. He commanded the 1st/34th Armor Tank Battalion and the 1st Armor Brigade at Ft. Knox, overseeing 7,000 soldiers. After graduating from the U.S. Army War College and serving two tours at the Pentagon —including a role with the Joint Chiefs of Staff—he transitioned to the Defense Intelligence Agency. Colonel Vamvakias has been equally impactful within AHEPA as Supreme Treasurer (2009-2011) and chair of AHEPA’s Veteran’s Affairs committee.

Founded in 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia, on the principles that undergirded its fight for civil rights and against discrimination, bigotry, and hatred felt at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan, AHEPA is the largest and oldest grassroots association of American citizens of Greek heritage and Philhellenes with more than 400 chapters across the United States, Canada, and Europe.  AHEPA's mission is to promote the ancient Greek ideals of Education, Philanthropy, Civic Responsibility, and Family and Individual Excellence through community service and volunteerism.  For more information, please visit www.ahepa.org.

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