NE Greek American Community Says Goodbye to Consul General Constantinos Orphanides

Monday, January 24, 2011

Consul General of Greece in Boston, Constantinos Orphanides was feted at a Farewell Reception at the Maliotis Cultural Center on December 16 by the Greek American Community of New England.  Sponsored by the Metropolis of Boston and the Federation of Hellenic American Societies of New England, the event drew friends of the Consul General from the diplomatic community and the community at large, as well as from the Greek American Community which he served for the past five years.   Metropolitan Methodios welcomed the guests which included former Massachusetts Governor and presidential candidate Michael Dukakis and his wife, Kitty, Rhode Island State Senator Leonidas Raptakis, the President of the Hellenic American Societies of New England, Eleni Vidalis.   Mr. Orphanides was praised and thanked by many for his five-year tenure in Boston.  Born and raised in Cairo, Egypt, Mr. Orphanides is a son of the Greek Diaspora.  He received a law degree from the University of Athens in 1977 and became a member of the Athens Bar in 1980. He holds a pre-MBA Diploma from the University of Dallas, TX where he received a pre-MBA Diploma in 1978, he completed graduate studies at the American University of Cairo, Egypt and received an MBA in 1987. In 1988, he entered the Academy of Diplomacy of the Public Administration School in Athens, which he successfully completed and joined the Foreign Service in 1990.  His service includes a three-year term as consul in Boston from 1994 to 1997 during which time he built strong bonds and friendships with the people of New England, promoted the teaching of the Greek language in local schools and worked for the strengthening of the relations between the academic communities of Greece and New England.  Fluent in Greek, English, Arabic, French and Spanish, Mr. Orphanides returned to Greece to assume new diplomatic responsibilities.