Napoleon
D. Damianides was born in Agriokerasia, Potamos, Drama, Greece, on February
2, 1934. He attended grammar and high school in Giannitsa, Greece before
immigrating to the United States in 1956. He received his Bachelor of
Science in Education in 1968, followed by his Illinois State Certification
in Secondary and Bilingual Education, with a concentration in History.
Mr. Damianides became a member of the Pan-Macedonian Association in Chicago
in 1956. In January of 1974, he co-founded the Greek Macedonian Society of
Chicago "Macedonia" and served terms as President, Vice-President, Treasurer
and Board Member. He is the founder of "To Spiti Tou Macedona" in 1978 and
co-founder of the Youth Dance Troup, Aristotle Chapter. Mr. Damianides has
also contributed and promoted Greek Culture and history at the national
level by serving terms as Supreme President (1982-84), Supreme
Vice-President (1978-80, 1981-82) and Governor of the Midwest States
(1976-78) for the Pan-Macedonian Association. As Supreme Vice-President,
during the "Search for Alexander the Great" exhibit at the world-renowned
Art Institute of Chicago, he organized the "Pan-Hellenic Costumes" which
were also exhibited at the Museum of Science and Industry of Chicago. As
Supreme President, he reactivated the publication of the Pan-Macedonian
Association newspaper "Macedonia". In addition to his life-long involvement
with the Association, Mr. Damianides is an active member of the UHAC, CAHO,
AHO, and Hellenic Heritage organizations. He also has been involved in
various aspects of soccer and has served in the United States Soccer
Federation as the Illinois State Soccer Referee Administrator (1978-91) and
coach as well as an inductee in the State of Illinois Soccer Hall of Fame.
Mr. Damianides resides in Chicago with his wife Gerda and has four daughters
and six grandchildren. His daughters Persephone, Marianna, Christina and
Linda Alexandra are teachers in primary and secondary education. Marianna,
Christina, and Linda all dance and teach authentic Greek folk dances
throughout the Chicago area to both children and adults. |