John Markulis, better known as "Yiannis O Psomas," will be the recipient of the 2003 Periclean Award to be presented by the El Camino Real District #20 of the Order of AHEPA at the District 20 Convention Grand Banquet at the Long Beach Marriott on Friday, June 20, 2003. In making the announcement, AHEPA District 20 Governor Chris Mellas said, "John Markulis is someone who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to support the Greek-American community."

An Ahepan, a member of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church in Long Beach, CA, and a member of the PanCretans, Markulis' biggest contribution to the Greek community may be his valuable help to countless numbers of aspiring Greek-American businessmen whose success can be traced to John's advice and his willingness to work with their fledgling businesses.

"My father put a lot of these people to work," said his son John. "He later helped them get into the restaurant business. My dad gave them their first break and they are all successful and grateful to him to this day."

When asked why he has done so much to help the Greek community, John Markulis gave a quick response. "It's very simple," he explained. "When I was starting my business in 1965, I was fighting the 'big guys' and I was a little hole-in-the-wall. I started doing business with the Greek community and they were loyal to me. If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't be where I am today. For that, I owe a lot to the Greek community."

His father, George, was a coal miner in Utah and a member of the Salt Lake City AHEPA Chapter. In the 1920's, George went on an AHEPA-sponsored trip to Greece where he met the woman who would become his bride. Together they had five sons, with John being the oldest. The family moved from Utah to California in 1943, where John attended San Pedro High School. His outstanding play as guard on the school football team earned him scholarships to three universities. His education plans changed, however, when he was drafted to fight in the Korean War.

John was introduced into the bakery business when he was hired by the D'Carlo Bakery. Through hard work, he rose through the ranks into management. He eventually decided to start his own business with partner and close friend, Tom Grimes, and Puritan Bakery was formed. In those early days, he was told by many people that because of the large companies which dominated the market, his business wouldn't last six months. Through hard work, innovation and a business style which inspires loyalty, however, Puritan Bakery became one of the most successful bakeries in California.

John and his wife, Anita, have four children, Lorrine, George, Cathy and John, and several grandchildren. His office walls prominently feature pictures of his family, as well as paintings and photos of boats. He is the proud owner of a boat he named "Puritan." He created a web site, www.yasou.org, to unite the Greek community. "We Greeks have a lot of power. If we could gather this power, there would be no stopping us. Alexander the Great united the Greeks and conquered the world."

AHEPA Supreme President James F. Dimitriou, Ph.D., will also be honored at the banquet. A member of the South Bay AHEPA Chapter in Redondo Beach, CA, Dr. Dimitriou will be honored for his hard work and for the many projects and programs that he has started during his term. For banquet reservations and convention souvenir album contract, call Tasos Papas at (562) 429-1985, or download a reservation form at www.ahepa20.org.