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The Foundation Presents 2016
Paradigm Award Honoree
John S. Koudounis, CEO, Calamos
Investments
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May 11, 2016, Chicago, IL - The PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation is proud to
announce that John S. Koudounis, CEO of Calamos Investments, is the
2016 Paradigm Award honoree. The award will be presented at the
upcoming gala on Saturday, June 18, at the Ritz-Carlton, Chicago.
Koudounis, a
Chicago native, is an exemplary businessman living the American
Dream. From his humble background, he has rapidly risen through the
ranks to achieve extraordinary success as a leader in the financial
industry. In March 2016, he became the Chief Executive Officer of
Calamos Investments.
"I am honored and humbled to be this year's
PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation Paradigm Award honoree," said Koudounis. "Throughout
my life, I have been guided by the values of my Hellenic upbringing,
including the belief that education provides an important stepping
stone for achievement. Like so many, I am inspired by the generous
philanthropy and love of education demonstrated by the late Mr. Chris
Tomaras, founder of the PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation."
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Koudounis'
grandparents emigrated from Sparta, Greece in 1900 and his
grandfather made a modest living selling hot dogs outside of Wrigley
Field in Chicago. His father, George, eventually expanded the family
business by opening a drive-in and investing in real estate.
Koudounis became the first in his family to attend college when he
enrolled at Brown University, where he played football. He graduated
with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics and international
diplomacy and foreign affairs.
Prior to joining
Calamos Investments, Koudounis was the President and CEO of Mizuho
Securities USA Inc., a subsidiary of the Japanese bank, Mizuho
Financial Group. In 2008, Koudounis became the youngest CEO of any
Wall Street firm when he assumed the leadership role at Mizuho at age
44. The "gregarious Greek American" executive, as he was
described in Forbes, built the firm into one of the strongest
contenders on Wall Street. In his first year at the helm, his
division made more than the entire firm did in that year, dispelling
any rumors that Mizuho could not be taken seriously as an investment
firm.
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In addition to
being an accomplished financial leader, Koudounis is also a much
sought after public speaker, appearing frequently on financial news
programs, including CNN, Fox Business, CNBC, and Bloomberg TV, among
others. He is a member of the Leadership Council of the Concordia
Summit and Bretten Woods, as well as a board member of the National
Hellenic Museum and the Hellenic Initiative. In April 2016, Koudounis
was honored at the CollegeBound Initiative in New York. He lives in
Chicago with his wife, Joanne, and their twin daughters, Constance
and Demi.
The PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation is proud to honor John
Koudounis with the 2016 Paradigm Award. His success in the business
world, along with his profound love and respect for his family, his
faith, and his Greek heritage make Koudounis an ideal example and an
inspiring role model for our scholarship recipients.
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In honor of
our forty outstanding Greek American undergraduate scholarship
recipients and our Paradigm Award honoree, John S. Koudounis, we
invite you to attend the annual Awards Ceremony and
Gala on Saturday, June 18, 2016 at the Ritz-Carlton,
Chicago. For additional event details and to purchase tickets, call
(312) 357-6432 or visit www.panhellenicsf.org.
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