The Greek Community of Melbourne (GCM) officially appointed its new Board of Management on Monday night, July 14, following the results of the organisation’s election held on June 29.
The meeting was chaired by Kostas Tsoubakos, Chair of the Electoral Committee, and attended by members of the incoming Board and the Electoral Committee.
Mr Tsoubakos congratulated the successful candidates and reminded them of the significance of their role in leading the 128-year-old organisation. He also commended the Board for achieving an important milestone in gender representation.
“With nearly 50% of board members being women, this is a proud moment for the Community. For the first time in its history, the Board reflects the makeup of its membership – equally balanced between women and men,” Mr Tsoubakos said.
Following the confirmation of the election results, the Board proceeded to elect its President. Bill Papastergiadis OAM was elected unopposed.
In accepting the role, Mr Papastergiadis thanked his colleagues: “Thank you for the faith you’ve placed in me. We are all volunteers, and these are important positions. I take on this role with the confidence that I am surrounded by an incredibly talented and dynamic team. The strength of this organisation lies in our unity. Working together has been the hallmark of previous Boards, and I’m confident we will continue this tradition.”
He also thanked Mr Tsoubakos and the Electoral Committee – George Kalianis, Manuel Starakis, Christos Papadopoulos, Panagiota Dimitropoulos, Vasilis Tsalkos, Vasilios Sapoutsis, Christo Kalavretinos and Tina Veloff – for overseeing a smooth, transparent, and well-run election process.
Mr Tsoubakos then handed the meeting over to Mr Papastergiadis, who led the election of the Executive Officers:
- Vice Presidents: Anthie Sidiropoulos, Vicki Kyritsis, Leonidas Vlahakis
- Secretary: A/Prof Marinis Pirpiris
- Assistant Secretary: Sophia Siachou
- Treasurer: Manuel Tsirmiris
- Assistant Treasurer: Mena Giannellis
Mr Papastergiadis thanked the Executive team for accepting their roles and expressed his enthusiasm for the years ahead: “This Board brings together energy, experience, and a shared passion for the community. We are entering a significant chapter for the GCM.”
The meeting continued with the appointment of Committee Chairs – an essential part of the organisation’s operations.
“The GCM’s Committees are the engine room of our organisation,” Mr Papastergiadis said. “They plan, oversee, and deliver our projects and initiatives. Sharing responsibilities across board members ensures we’re leveraging the right people for the right tasks and operating efficiently.”
The appointed Committee Chairs are:
- Finance: Manuel Tsirmiris
- Fundraising: A/Prof Marinis Pirpiris
- Education: Helene Hiotis & Dr Nick Dallas
- Alphington Grammar: Michael Karamitos
- Churches: Nick Koukouvitakis
- Cultural Programs: Dr Jim Bossinakis
- Members & Benefactors: Vicki Kyritsis
- History & Archives: Dr Spiridoula Demetriou
- Youth & Community Outreach: Tass Sgardelis & Dora Papamakarios
- Sport: Michael Karamitos
- Infrastructure: Nick Koukouvitakis
With this newly appointed Board, the Greek Community of Melbourne embarks on its next chapter, driven by diversity, collaboration, and a commitment to serving the evolving needs of the community.
