By George Tserdanis
The Mytilenian Brotherhood of Sydney & New South Wales has elected a new Board of Directors following Sunday’s elections, which marked the organisation’s first vote in five years and drew a strong turnout at the Mytilenian House in Canterbury.
The long-awaited elections saw members return in significant numbers to choose a new leadership team, following an extended hiatus. Candidates contested key executive roles including president, vice president, secretary and treasurer, with members also voting for up to seven additional committee members.
Those standing for president were Dimitris Barmakelis and Christine Gazepis Stavropoulos, while Gabriel Petreziklis and George Tserdanis contested the vice presidency. For secretary, candidates included Vicky Gazilas, Peter Psomas and Maria Tryfon, while Symeon Gazilas and Tom Marangos stood for treasurer.
Mr Psomas was the outgoing president of the Brotherhood. His tenure is widely credited with engaging younger members and contributing to the growth of the Brotherhood, a legacy many within the community say will be remembered.
At Sunday’s election, The Greek Herald can reveal an argument between opposing sides due to personal accusations escalated during proceedings and required intervention from others to de-escalate the situation before it turned physical.
Despite these incidents, the election process was completed and a new leadership team was elected. Jim Barmakellis will serve as President, alongside Gabrielle Petriziklis as Vice President, Maria Tryfon as Secretary, and Sam Gazilas as Treasurer.
The remaining Board positions have been filled by Dimitri Bebedellis, Parry Doukas, Dimitra Roumeliotis, Greg Georgeantis, Louie Papadakis, Vicki Gazilas and Terry Leondios.
The preparation, conduct and counting of votes were carried out on a voluntary basis by Stavros Kritikos, who is understood to have dedicated extensive time to overseeing the process.
In the hours following the election, some members raised concerns and complaints about aspects of the day. Notably, the elections saw a large number of members return to participate, including individuals who allegedly had not attended the Brotherhood for many years, as well as a strong presence of elderly community members.
The vote had been widely viewed as a significant moment for the Brotherhood, with hopes that the newly elected board will help shape the organisation’s next phase and address key areas for improvement.
As the new Board takes office, community leaders have emphasised the importance of unity and continued engagement, particularly in strengthening support for older members, fostering connections with younger generations, and expanding cultural and community activities at the Mytilenian House.
