The annual HACCI Excellence Awards Gala Ball is just two weeks away!

HACCI AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE GALA BALL

The annual HACCI (HELLENIC AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY) Excellence Awards Gala Ball is just two weeks away!

The Gala Ball is a premier event not to be missed and promises to be an incredible night celebrating excellence and achievement in our business and wider community, as well as a chance to enjoy fantastic entertainment and dance the night away.

This year HACCI will award six Excellence Awards recipients in the categories of Lifetime Achievement, Business Excellence, Professional Excellence, Community Service, Young Achiever and Sporting Excellence. We thank all who took the time to nominate the many inspiring individuals that have contributed so much to our community.

Tickets to the Gala Ball are $235 per person and can be booked by emailing rsvp@hacci.com.au or by calling Chrissa at the HACCI Office on Thursdays or Fridays on (03) 9602 2977. Tickets are selling fast. Book now to avoid disappointment.

We look forward to seeing you at our premier event on 21 November.

HYPN NETWORKING EVENT – UNDERSTAND YOUR WORK PREFERENCES

Do you ever wonder why you do what you do? Or do you ever wonder why it is easier to engage with some people than others?

The final HYPN networking event for this year will focus on understanding your work preferences.

Facilitated by human resources specialist and HACCI Board Member Georgegina Poulos, join in for a fun interactive evening of discovery and exploration to discover your work preferences, and explore how you can manage the impact you have on yourself and others in more effective ways.

This event will be held on Wednesday 9 Decenber 2015 at the Swinburne University CBD campus. See the flyer for more information. Booking can be made via TryBooking here. HYPN Premiums are free of charge, and standard members are $25.

Interested in joining HYPN? Find out more at the HACCI website, and follow our Facebook page. Why not join us at our next networking drinks on 20 November at Trunktown – add it to your Facebook events now.

HYPN MENTORING PROGRAM – 2016 EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST NOW OPEN

After a very successful 2015 HYPN mentoring program, registrations are now open for next year.

During this year’s inaugural program, 19 mentor and mentee pairs participated in one-on-one sessions, as well as monthly events to network and socialise with others in the program.

To take part next year, expressions of interest forms must be submitted in full by 23 December 2015. Please email to info@hacci.com.au

The matching of mentors and mentees will commence in January, with final pairing completed by 26 February 2016. The six month mentoring program will run between 9 March and 14 September 2016 and is open to all HYPN premium members.

HYPN brings together Hellenic Australians between the ages of 20 – 35, and a premium membership for $80 per annum also provides access to four networking events each year. Find out more about joining HYPN here.

 
Some mentees with their mentors from the 2015 inaugural program

NEW APPOINTMENTS EMBRACE DIVERSITY OF VICTORIAN MULTICULTURAL COMMISSION

The Minister for Multicultural Affairs Robin Scott today announced the appointment of six new Commissioners to the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC).

The VMC plays a key role in promoting participation, understanding, cohesion and harmony across Victoria. It acts as a conduit of information and communication between Government, culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse (CALD) communities and the broader community.

VMC Chairperson Helen Kapalos “As the Victorian Multicultural Commission embarks on a new strategic journey, I look forward to working closely with my fellow Commissioners to lead a new, constructive dialogue on multiculturalism, to advocate on behalf of our multicultural community and to provide honest and independent advice to the Andrews Labor Government.”

“Together, we will not only be focused on listening to our culturally, linguistically and religiously diverse Victorians to understand the issues they face, we will also be focused on finding solutions that contribute to long and lasting change for the benefit of all Victorians.”

The new appointments include: Mr Peter Khalil, Mr Tsebin Tchen, Mrs Sonia Vignjevic, Dr Mimmie Claudine Watts, Mr Dr Sundram Sivamalai (Community Representative Commissioner) and Ms Tina Hosseini (Youth Commissioner). For more information and to read the full biographies of the new Commissioners, click here.

DELPHI BANK HACCI BUSINESS FORUM WRAP UP 

More than a hundred members of the HACCI and Delphi Bank communities turned out to the Greek Centre in Melbourne last Tuesday night, for the Delphi Bank HACCI Business Forum.

The forum featured a range of speakers from both organisations and provided details of the products and services the organisations offer the Hellenic-Australian community.

Delphi Bank Relationship Manager Eve Papadopoulos provided an overview on behalf of the bank, describing its lending, account, foreign exchange and support services. However, she also emphasised the bank’s commitment to its customers.

“We’re more than just a bank, we’re family. You know our name and we know yours. That’s why the Delphi Bank symbol stands for three very important pillars – family, business and community,” Ms Papadopoulos said.

HACCI President Nick Mylonas praised Delphi Bank’s commitment to the Hellenic-Australian community, thanking the bank for ‘walking the walk’ in terms of their community support.

“Unlike other banks, Delphi Bank is in the community, they’re part of the community, and they support community organisations and initiatives. They walk the walk on community engagement,” he said.

Mr Mylonas, along with HACCI Director of Operations Georgegina Poulos and HACCI Director of Trade Arthur Baoustanos, offered details on the services that HACCI offers its membership.

“HACCI primarily creates opportunities for our members to meet and connect. We develop government and industry alliances, enhance and develop bilateral trade relations between Australia and Greece, and identify and develop trade opportunities,” he said.

“Further more, HACCI utilises its resources to develop initiatives that support our economy and community, we host events and information sessions that stimulate thought leadership, and we provide opportunities for the next generation of business leaders through the HACCI Young Professionals Network,” Mr Mylonas said.

He also emphasised HACCI’s recognition and acknowledgement of excellence within the Hellenic Australian business & professional community through the HACCI Excellence Awards. These will be presented at the HACCI Gala Ball at the Grand Hyatt on 21 November.

HACCI RADIO “PRONIOS KAFES” 

In the past month Proinos Kafes has run the full gamete of stories, from global, to national, to community. A few weeks ago we crossed to the Greek island of Lesvos to speak with Australian nurse Helen Zahos, who is volunteering there to aid the refugee crisis.

Most recently we spoke with HACCI President Nick Mylonas and also featured the first ever phantom call of the HACCI Melbourne Cup. Here’s a link for your listening pleasure.

Join us each Tuesday morning for HACCI’s Proinos Kafes radio program on 3XY Radio Hellas, between 9-10am.

HACCI GOLF CLASSIC – MONDAY 9 NOVEMBER 2015

The annual HACCI Golf Classic is next Monday! Following on from last year’s highly successful occasion we will be back at world renowned Huntingdale Golf Club.

This is a great opportunity to play at one of the world’s most beautiful golf courses, meet like-minded professionals and have some fun along the way. Join us for a golf and dinner package, or if you’re not a golfer, just for dinner at this amazing venue.

For detailed information, see the event flyer. Tickets can be booked here. Places are filling so be sure to book now!

GREEK COMMUNITY OF MELBOURNE DINNER SUPPORTS GREEK CENTRE FOR CONTEMPORARY CULTURE

The event was an historic night, bringing together more than 50 Greek community organisations across Victoria for the first time in over 30 years.

HACCI was proud to be in attendance at the event and congratulates all who participated and gave generously on the night to support the new Greek Centre for Contemporary Culture in Melbourne.

TASTE OF GREECE EXPO, ATHENS

“Taste of Greece” Expo is held for the first time from 27 – 30 November 2015 at the Olympic Fencing Centre in Athens in order to promote Greek Gastronomy, Greek Tourism and Greek Culture.

The General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad invites expatriate entrepreneurs to participate in this effort, a bridge to economic and cultural development.

Greek producers will meet Greek and foreign trade visitors to promote Greek products into new markets.

The General Secretariat for Greeks Abroad of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Michalis Kokkinos, will actively participate in the EXPO, providing advisory support to expatriate businessmen who will visit the exhibition at an INFO DESK.

For information about the EXPO, please visit the website.

GREEK TOURISM EXPO: @ND INTERNATIONAL TOURISM FAIR

After the great success of the 1st GREEK TOURISM EXPO last year, the second edition will be held from 4 to 6 December 2015 at Metropolitan Expo, the largest and most luxurious exhibition centre of the Mediterranean area.

Exhibitors from all sectors of the Greek tourism will inform the thousands of visitors that, all parts of our country are wonderful and there is competitive tourism for everyone!

Under the moto COME TO MEET THE GREEKS the Exhibition will host 100 International Buyers from Europe, Balcans, Asia and Middle East covering all tourism sectors. Hosted Buyers and Exhibitors will participate in very well organized B2B Meetings.

For more information visit the expo website.

ZOFORI ELIXER OFFERS AUSTRALIANS SOME OF THE WORLD”S MOST NATURAL AND EFFECTIVE SKINCARE

In our last eNews we announced the exciting arrival of ZOFORI elixer.

ZOFORI celebrated the launch of its range in Melbourne on 21 October to a crowd of more than 300, which included special guests – Greek officials, key suppliers and beauty bloggers.

ZOFORI’s Product Director, Sally Pendock, was thrilled to introduce the range in Australia and at the launch, explained some of the key factors that set ZOFORI apart from other skincare products.

The arrival of ZOFORI means that Australians now have access to an effective, natural solution to skincare. ZOFORI products incorporate high-quality natural ingredients sourced from the breathtaking island of Crete and have been designed to target all skin-related concerns.

To help cap off the successful launch ZOFORI also introduced Ambrosia, its collection of specialty tea. Ambrosia boasts two varieties, a consumable and a water-soluble, bathing tea. Each variety contains Cretan herbs that have been used throughout history to assist in relaxing and easing both the mind and body.

(Pictured left to right) Emanuel Starakis ZOFORI, Arthur Baoustanos HACCI Director of Trade, Sally Pendock ZOFORI Product Director

SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY UPDATE

An old school satchel for the digital era

With vinyl records back on shelves and people trying ‘digital dieting’ (taking extended breaks from smartphones and social media), Brent Nelson, a Master of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (MEI) graduate, yearned for a product that reflected simpler times.

Read about his leather satchel start-up with a difference – where you do the stitching!

Check out Swinburne’s diverse range of events here.