2011 Gabby Awards: Winners & Nominees

Arts, Culture & Media

Louie Psihoyos

Photographer & Film Documentarian

Louie Psihoyos is a renowned photographer and documentary film director best known for his Oscar-winning 2009 documentary The Cove, his first film, which brought international attention to the brutal capture of dolphins at the town of Taiji in Japan. Psihoyos, an ardent scuba diver and underwater photographer, has dedicated much of his work to bringing awareness to the decline of underwater life. In 2005, Psihoyos co-founded The Oceanic Preservation Society to educate the public on the world’s oceans. He has been a photographer for National Geographic for more than 18 years and has shot hundreds of magazine covers for publications including Time, Smithsonian, Newsweek and The New York Times Magazine. He is widely regarded as one of the world’s best photographers.

Kary Antholis

President of HBO Miniseries

Award-winning filmmaker Kary Antholis is president of Home Box Office Miniseries and has steered the company toward innovative, socially conscious programming. Last year Antholis oversaw HBO’s critically acclaimed WWII miniseries The Pacific, which was nominated for a Golden Globe award for best miniseries. In his 17 years at the network, Antholis has overseen the production and development of many Academy Award, Emmy and Golden Globe-winning films, miniseries and documentaries, including John Adams, Generation Kill, Elizabeth I, Angels in America, The Corner, Wit, The Gathering Storm, From the Earth to the Moon and Educating Peter. As a filmmaker he won the Academy Award for Documentary Short Subject (1995) and the Emmy for Outstanding Information Special (1994-95) for his film One Survivor Remembers about a Holocaust survivor.

Arianna Huffington

Author, Journalist & Founder of the Huffington Post

Arianna Huffington is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, a rapidly growing liberal news, analysis and lifestyle website that has evolved into one of the Internet’s most widely known media brands. In February 2011, Huffington sold the Huffington Post to AOL for $315 million. AOL also announced it would make Huffington president editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post Media Group, which will include all Huffington Post and AOL content. Huffington, a native of Greece, is the author of 13 books and ran as an independent candidate in the 2003 California gubernatorial recall election. Huffington was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2006 and 2011. Forbes magazine named her number 12 in its first-ever list of the Most Influential Women in Media in 2009. Her company is regarded in media fields as a model for harnessing the power of social media and redefining Web journalism.

Performing Arts

Constantine Maroulis

Actor & Singer

Tony-nominated singer, actor and musician Constantine Maroulis is the star of the Broadway smash hit Rock of Ages. His headline role of “Drew” in the critically acclaimed show has earned him night after night of sold-out performances and screaming fans comparable to that of a rock ‘n roll concert. Last year, he took his success on the road and performed in a national tour with sold-out shows in over 50 cities across America. Maroulis became a household name as a finalist on American Idol in 2005. Though he did not win the contest, he went on to create his own solo album called Constantine and made many television guest star appearances. People magazine named him its Sexiest 30-year-old of 2005.

Zach Galifianakis

Actor & Comedian

Zach Galifianakis is a stand-up comedian and actor who shot to mainstream fame with his role in the 2009 film The Hangover, for which he won the MTV Movie Award for best comedic performance. Since then, he has appeared in Dinner for Schmucks, It's Kind of a Funny Story and Due Date. Galifianakis’ television career began in 1996, and he became a household name in 2002 with his own late night variety show on VH1, Late World with Zach. Galifianakis' earlier, eccentric indie comedy garnered him a cult following on video-sharing websites several years before The Hangover. He has made several appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live and a number of Comedy Central shows. Galifianakis has twice hosted Saturday Night Live and recently finished filming The Hangover Part II. He is one of Hollywood's most sought-after comedians.

Tina Fey

Actress & Comedian

Tina Fey is a comedian, writer and actress best known for her work on NBC's Saturday Night Live and films such as Mean Girls, Baby Mama and Date Night. Her hilarious satirical portrayal of vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on SNL in 2008 became NBC.com's most-watched viral video ever, boosting ratings of both Saturday Night Live and Fey's own NBC show 30 Rock. The Associated Press named her its AP Entertainer of the Year in 2008 for her spot-on Palin impersonation. Fey's humor has won her a total of seven Emmy Awards, three Golden Globes, four Screen Actors Guild Awards and four Writers Guild of America Awards. She has twice been named to Time magazine's 100 Most Influential People list and has appeared on People magazine's 100 Most Beautiful People list three times. Earlier this year she released her autobiographical novel Bossypants, which received high reviews from critics.

Science & Medicine

Dr. Andreas Tzakis

Transplant Surgeon

Dr. Andreas Tzakis, M.D., is a world-renowned transplant surgeon and research scientist. He has performed more than 2,000 liver transplants and is a trailblazer in innovative techniques that have advanced the field of transplant surgery. Dr. Tzakis is the founding director of the Miami Transplant Institute, a joint program at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and Jackson Memorial Hospital that is considered to be the leading transplant center worldwide. Since the mid-90s, Dr. Tzakis has been a leader in successfully transplanting insulin-producing cells from the pancreas and performing intestinal and multi-visceral organ transplantations. He is the director of the Microsurgery Core Facility in the Cell Transplantation center at the Diabetes Research Institute.

Dr. Peter Diamandis

Founder of the X Prize Foundation

Chairman and CEO of the X Prize Foundation Dr. Peter H. Diamandis is an international leader in the commercial space industry. His non-profit foundation focuses on designing and launching large-incentive prizes to jump-start radical breakthroughs in a number of industries. The foundation is best known for its $10 million Ansari X Prize for private spaceflight and this past year’s Progressive Automotive X Prize that challenged global teams to build a car that run on 100 miles per gallon of gasoline. He is now overseeing contests for genomics, lunar and oil cleanup prizes. Dr. Diamandis has founded several of the leading entrepreneurial companies in commercial spaceflight. He is the chairman and co-founder of the Rocket Racing League as well as the co-founder and director of Space Adventures, the only company to have brokered the launches of private citizens to the International Space Station.

Dr. John Golfinos

Neurosurgeon

John Golfinos, M.D., is one of the nation's foremost neurosurgeons and an award-winning medical researcher. His expertise in the treatment of acoustic neuromas, metastatic brain tumors, skull base tumors and neurofibromatosis Type 2 has been widely hailed. He is chair of the neurosurgery department at New York University Langone Medical Center, where he has been on staff since 1995. He is also the co-founder of the neurofibromatosis center at NYU and has launched neurosurgical clinical trials on neuroradiology, neuro-oncology and radiation oncology, working closely with oncologists to treat brain tumors. In 2010, Dr. Golfinos became the president of the New York Society for Neurosurgery.

Business & Entrepreneurism

James Gianopulos

Chairman & CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment

Chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment James N. Gianopulos oversaw the studio’s release of the critically acclaimed Avatar, the highest-grossing film of all time. The film won three Academy Awards for best cinematography, best visual effects and best art direction. He has served as chairman of Fox Filmed Entertainment for more than 10 years and is regarded as a leading strategist in the film and media industry. Gianopulos is a Governor of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, a member of the Board of the Motion Picture & Television Fund and a trustee of the American Film Institute. Prior to his current post, Mr. Gianopulos was President of Twentieth Century Fox International, where he oversaw all international marketing and distribution of theatrical releases, the Home Entertainment division, as well as financing, acquisitions and co-productions of films for Fox throughout the world. Among the many notable successes during Mr. Gianopulos’ tenure at Fox International are the Oscar winners Titanic and Braveheart, in addition to the achievement of simultaneously having four of the five top grossing pictures of all-time internationally: Titanic, Star Wars, Independence Day and Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace. He was selected by Premiere in 2007 as one of the two most powerful people in Hollywood.

Jamie Dimon

CEO, JP Morgan Chase Bank

James “Jamie” Dimon has been the CEO of JPMorgan Chase & Co. since 2004 and is highly respected for maintaining a profit on his bank throughout the recent economic recession and emerging more powerful than ever. He steered the company through a market meltdown where other banks refused to lend – but JPMorgan continued to offer credit to homeowners and major corporations alike. Recently JPMorgan Chase assisted the federal government in bailouts for prominent failing investment banks including Bear Stearns and Washington Mutual, which Dimon’s bank bought out for $236 million and $2 billion, respectively. Dimon was been named to Time magazine's lists of the world's most influential people in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2011. He served as a Class A director of the Board of Directors of the New York Federal Reserve from 2007 to 2010.

John Varvatos

Menswear designer

John Varvatos is a high fashion menswear designer whose rock ‘n roll-inspired collections have made him a widely known name in fashion. His $80 million brand has launched fragrances, leather goods, and has had his fashions worn by celebrities at numerous red carpet events. Varvatos began his fashion career working for Polo Ralph Lauren in 1983 and opened his own boutique in Soho in 2000 just months after showing his first solo collection. His laceless Converse sneakers have been one of the company’s most successful shoes. In 2005, Varvatos received the Council of Fashion Designers of America’s Designer of the Year Award. GQ named him its Designer of the Year in 2007. In addition to fashion, Varvatos has leveraged his star power into a number of philanthropic efforts including VH1’s Save the Music Foundation, dedicated to restoring instrumental music programs in America’s schools, and the annual Stuart House benefit to raise money for a treatment center for sexually abused children.

Politics & Public Service

Sen. Olympia Snowe

US Senator from Maine

Sen. Olympia Snowe is a Republican senator for Maine with a reputation as one of the country’s leading centrists. She is widely respected by politicians on both sides of the aisle and recently took the media spotlight for her support of health care reform. Known as a moderate within her party, Snowe has influenced a number of close votes including several filibusters. She serves the committee on commerce, science and transportation; finance; and small business and entrepreneurship. She has worked to build bipartisan support for a range of issues from fiscal responsibility to education. Snowe is highly popular in her state and has never lost an election in 35 years as an elected official. She is the second female senator in history to represent her state and the first woman to serve in both houses of a state legislature and both houses of Congress.

Rep. John Sarbanes

US Representative from Maryland

Maryland Congressman John Sarbanes has served in the U.S. Congress since 2007 and was elected to the House of Representatives in 2006 to represent his state's third congressional district. In the House of Representatives, Sarbanes serves on committees for natural resources; energy and commerce; and science, space and technology. He has been recognized by numerous environmental organizations for his work on spreading awareness of environmental issues. Sarbanes has led efforts in Congress to clean up the Chesapeake Bay and authored the No Child Left Inside Act to promote environmental education opportunities for children. He recently introduced his Hellenism in the Public Service campaign and is working to bring greater attention to Greek-Americans working to improve their communities.

Harry Markopolos

Financial fraud investigator

Harry Markopolos is an independent financial fraud investigator best known for blowing the whistle on Bernie Madoff’s fraudulent wealth management business – now thought to be the largest Ponzi scheme in history. A native of Pennsylvania, Markopolos joined equity derivatives firm Rampart Investment Management in Boston in 1991 after several years in the capital management business. At Rampart he first began uncovering Madoff’s scheme in 2001, years before it made international headlines. He testified before the U.S. House Financial Services subcommittee on capital markets in 2009 describing the Security and Exchange Commission’s refusal to heed his warnings on Madoff over a period of nine years. In 2010, he released a book called No One Would Listen: A True Financial Thriller detailing his investigation into the Madoff scandal and the SEC’s failure to examine his findings.

Philanthropy

Peter Karmanos, Jr.

CEO and Co-founder of Compuware & CEO, Owner of the Carolina Hurricanes

Peter Karmanos, Jr. is the co-founder, chairman and CEO of Compuware Corporation and owner of the Carolina Hurricanes, Plymouth Whalers and Florida Everblades hockey franchises. Compuware is one of the world's largest software vendors and professional services organizations. Karmanos is well-known for his philanthropy, namely his sponsorship of numerous youth hockey programs in Michigan. He has donated more than $50 million to the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, renamed for his first wife who died of breast cancer in 1989. The center, located in Detroit, has been designated by the National Cancer Institute as among the best cancer centers in the U.S. and is the only nationally recognized center to be named after a woman.

Peter Peterson

Founder, Peter G. Peterson Foundation

Peter G. Peterson is a businessman, investment banker, politician and founder of the Peter G. Peterson foundation, a dramatic philanthropic endeavor to which he devoted $1 billion of his personal wealth. Peterson set out to use his wealth in a meaningful way after the initial public offering of the Blackstone Group, the private equity firm he co-founded. His foundation seeks to increase awareness of economic challenges and develop long-term solutions through a number of annual grants and special initiatives. In 2010, Peterson became one of 40 billionaires to sign The Giving Pledge, where he agreed to give away half his wealth to charity. Peterson's first foray into philanthropy was three decades ago, when he chaired a commission that recommended that foundations be required to give away at least 5 percent of their assets annually - a rule the government adopted and which still holds today. He served as U.S. Secretary of Commerce under former President Nixon and was chairman and CEO of Lehman Brothers. From 2000 to 2004 he chaired the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

George Behrakis

Chairman, Gainsborough Investments

George Behrakis is the chairman of Gainesborough Investments and a major philanthropist in the Boston area, having donated millions to East Coast universities. During Behrakis' distinguished forty-year career in the pharmaceutical industry, he significantly advanced the treatment for asthma, allergies, and other respirator ailments in his research and marketing of asthma and allergy products. He is the founder of Dooner Laboratories and Muro Pharmaceutical, Inc. His philanthropy includes the George D. Behrakis Chair in the Field of Targeted Pharmaceuticals and the construction of the George D. Behrakis Health Sciences Center at his alma mater, Northeastern University. Behrakis has also funded the George D. Behrakis Hellenic Fellowship in Respiratory Allergy at the Johns Hopkins Asthma & Allergy Center. His generous donations have extended to Tufts University, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, Hellenic College/Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, Massachusetts and chairs at the University of Mississippi, Hellenic College and Boston College. He also sponsors fellowships to Harvard for Greek physicians. The Boston Museum of Fine Arts has named its Art of the Ancient World wing after Behrakis and his wife, Margo.

Promotion of Hellenism

AHEPA - American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association

The American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association is a historic organization that has helped hundreds of thousands of Greek Americans through its mission to promote Hellenism, education, philanthropy, civic responsibility, family and individual excellence. Established in 1922, AHEPA awards half a million dollars annually in student scholarships at the local, district and national level through the organization's $4 million endowment. The organization works hard to preserve and enhance Hellenic and classical studies programs on college campuses. In addition, AHEPA supports educational programs such as Journey to Greece, an annual opportunity for students to learn about ancient and modern Greece while earning college credit. With chapters in every major metropolitan area in North America, AHEPA works to communicate the positions of the Greek American community to elected officials at all levels of government.

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation

Since its inception in 1996, the Stavros Niarchos Foundation has provided nearly $1.3 billion in grant commitments through 2,000 grants to nonprofit organizations in 95 countries worldwide. Established in memory of Greek shipping magnate Stavros Niarchos, the foundation awards grants in four main areas: education; social welfare; health & medicine; and arts & culture. With the recent economic downturn, the foundation has focused its sights on Greece with special commitment to social welfare and health care for Greece's most vulnerable populations. Recently the foundation took on a multi-year project to support the building of a new National Library of Greece in an effort to update and improve the country's access to libraries. The program's vision is to place public libraries at the center of local societies to promote knowledge and vitality. In addition, the foundation has granted thousands of dollars for the preservation of Greece' arts and culture, supporting musicians, exhibitions and renovation works at several cultural centers.

The PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation

The PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation offers $250,000 in scholarships annually to deserving college and university students based on demonstrated financial need and merit. Since it’s founding less than a decade ago the support has exceeded $1 million in grants. The foundation seeks to pass on the Hellenic principles of filotimo, philoxenia and philanthropia to the next generation of leaders by providing its scholarship recipients with opportunities to advance their education. All award recipients are automatically inducted into the PanHellenic Honors Society, an elite network of young adults that provides opportunities for its members to keep in contact as they begin their careers. The PanHellenic Scholarship Foundation believes the continued practice of its core Hellenic principles will deliver enlightened and engaged citizens.

Athletics

Chris Chelios

Retired NHL Hockey player

Chris Chelios is an award-winning, recently retired professional ice hockey defenseman with a long and storied hockey career spanning nearly three decades. He made his professional hockey debut playing defense for the Montreal Canadiens in 1984 and subsequently played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Detroit Red Wings and Atlanta Thrashers. Following his 2010 retirement, Chelios became executive advisor to Ken Holland, the general manager of the Detroit Red Wings. As a player, Chelios played on three Stanley Cup-winning teams, winning the cup once with the Montreal Canadiens and twice with the Detroit Red Wings. Throughout his career he achieved a number of All-Star team appearances and three NHL Defenseman of the Year trophies. He also served as captain of the U.S. Olympic Hockey team that played in the 2006 winter Olympics in Torino, Italy.

Nick Markakis

Right fielder for the Baltimore Orioles

Nick Markakis is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Baltimore Orioles and recently signed a $66.1 million contract to play with the team through 2014. Markakis made his major league debut with the Orioles in 2006 and has since been the team's starting right fielder. He has hit over .298 his entire career, has driven in 100 runs and more than 20 home runs in two out of his five Major League seasons. He played for the Greek Olympic baseball team in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens. In addition to his exceptional performance on the baseball field, Markakis has been recognized for his many philanthropic endeavors such as co-founding the Right Side Foundation with his wife Christina. The organization seeks to improve the lives of distressed children in their home state of Maryland. He has also acted as an MLB representative for breast cancer and prostate cancer.

Ted Leonsis

Founder, Chairman, Majority Owner & CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment

A pioneer of the Internet and new media, Ted Leonsis is the founder, chairman and majority owner of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which comprises of the NHL's Washington Capitals, the NBA's Washington Wizards and the WNBA's Washington Mystics. Monumental is one of the largest integrated sports and entertainment companies in the country. Leonsis worked in active management of AOL for 13 years where he held numerous positions including president and vice-chairman. Leonsis is the founder of SnagFilms, a social media sharing site for documentary films. He championed the term “filmanthropy,” producing socially conscious, award-winning films such as Nanking and Kicking It. He sits on the board of Groupon and Rosetta Stone and serves as chairman for Clearspring Technologies and Revolutionary Money. Leonsis is a committed philanthropist through the Leonsis Foundation and has been recognized with many honors including Washington’s Businessman of the Year, Washingtonian of the Year and one of the 20 most influential people in sports.

Education

Dr. Linda Katehi

Chancellor of the University of California, Davis

Dr. Linda Katehi was recently named chief executive officer and the sixth chancellor of the University of California Davis, one of the world’s top research institutions. She oversees all aspects of the university's teaching, research and public service mission. Katehi is a member of many national boards and committees including the National Academy of Engineering and the American Association for the Advancement of Science. She previously served as vice chancellor for academic affairs at the University of Illinois. Since her early years in the field of education, Chancellor Katehi has focused primarily on expanding research opportunities for students and improving the educational and professional experiences of graduate students. In her efforts, she has mentored more than 70 postdoctoral, doctoral, and master’s students in electrical and computer engineering. Of the 45 doctoral students who graduated under her supervision, 22 have become faculty members in research universities in the United States and abroad.

Dr. George Kafkoulis

Associate Professor of Mathematics at Florida International University; President and Chairman of the Archimedean Academy

Dr. George Kafkoulis is the chairman and president of Archimedean Academy Inc., the largest public K-12 school cluster teaching the Greek language in America. Only 10 percent of its students are of Greek descent; the majority of students are Hispanic and other minorities. Under Kafkoulis' leadership, the Archimedean Schools were placed in the top ten public schools in Florida and have led the state in science competitions. The school is in high demand with an enrollment of 800 and waiting list of 900. Prior to founding the Archimedean Academy Inc., Dr. Kafkoulis was a mathematics professor at Florida International University. In 1997, he became president of Nostos, the Hellenic Cultural and Educational Foundation of South Florida.

Dr. Nicholas Economides

Professor of Economics at New York University

Dr. Nicholas Economides is recognized internationally for his research on network economics, electronic commerce and public policy. He is a professor of economics at New York University and the author of more than 100 articles in top academic journals in areas such as telecommunications, antitrust, and product positioning. Previously he has taught at Columbia and Stanford universities. Dr. Economides currently works as the advisor to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, the governments of Greece, Ireland, New Zealand and Portugal and the Attorney General of New York State, to name a few. Dr. Economides is Executive Director of the NET institute, a non-profit institution world renowned for research on economics of network and high technology industries.

2011 Gabby Awards Winners & Nominees