Dr. Leonidas Tzonis, an educator with long-standing ties to the United States who has spent years strengthening ties between the two nations, was elected president of the Hellenic American Union on Thursday, April 3, 2025.

The elections marked the end of a tumultuous five year period of uncertainty and court involvement with elections of the voting membership giving Tzonis, and the newly-elected board of directors, a strong mandate to turn the page and begin writing the next chapter of the historic organization.

Tzonis received 185 votes, over Leonidas Koskos, who received 90 votes.

A historic organization founded almost seventy years ago to affirm and impart America’s cultural and educational influence in Athens, the non-profit Hellenic American Union has long been a leader in English-language proficiency training and certification, life-long learning and professional training.

A lifelong educator and leader in academia, Tzonis holds a Ph.D. from the Newcastle Business School, UK, an M.Sc. in Finance and Investment, a PG Certificate in Higher Education from the University of Durham, and a B.Sc. in Economics and Business Finance from Brunel University.

Mr. Tzonis was a full-time member of the Business School Faculty at Durham University, a visiting lecturer at the Singapore Institute of Management, and a distance learning tutor for SOAS (University of London). 

He maintains a close relationship with the Greek Orthodox Church leadership in Greece and the United States, as well as with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. As a result of his longstanding support of the Church, he was named an Archon of the Church by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, personally.

Dr. Tzonis with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew