Gift Honors Nick Mamalakis, Enhances AASU's Emerging Leaders Program

Savannah, GA— Armstrong Atlantic State University has received a generous donation to expand its Emerging Leaders program. The program has a ten year history of offering a highly successful, interactive program featuring mini-lectures, skill building workshops, and hands-on exercises that prepare students for leadership positions.

The donation was made through the university's Leadership Institute, which provides community-based programs offering distinctive approaches to scholarship, education, training, and service. The programs are designed for the development of today's leaders within the public, private, and non-profit sectors throughout the Coastal Empire.

Cliff McCurry, president of HRH Insurance, made the donation in honor of Nick Mamalakis, who he describes as "the epitome of a community leader." Mamalakis, retired president of Mercer Insurance and Realty Company, is well known for his extensive involvement in the Savannah community and the national and local Greek Orthodox Church. The program will be renamed the Nick Mamalakis Emerging Leaders Program.

"The gift has allowed the university to expand the program's offerings and give participants more individualized attention," said Joseph Buck, vice president of AASU's Division of Student Affairs. "New to the program are activities that enable students to develop an extensive personal leadership vision."

A new focus for emerging leaders is increased student interaction with Savannah's community leaders. Mamalakis, McCurry, and other leaders will be involved in directing some of the program's small group discussions on ethics, change, integrity, and coalition building.

McCurry says he designated the gift for emerging leaders because he knows the difference a mentor can make in a person's life. He worked for Mamalakis at Mercer during his freshman and sophomore years at Armstrong State College. "Mr. Mamalakis took me under his wing after the loss of my mother and helped me focus on hard work and believing in myself," said McCurry.

McCurry learned several guiding principles from Mamalakis, who encouraged him "to make a difference in business by getting to know people and getting involved in the community." He describes Mamalakis as "a person genuinely motivated by a desire to share with others and not by money."

"Mr. Mamalakis has devoted his life to the community and to AASU. His counsel, his wisdom, and his integrity have been a valuable addition to the life of Savannah and Armstrong Atlantic," said Buck.

Mamalakis has served for thirty years as a member of the Archdiocesan Council of St. Paul’s Greek Orthodox Church and has held laity positions both locally and with the National Church. He was the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for outstanding National Service and the Savannah Chamber of Commerce's General James Oglethorpe Award. He currently serves on the board of the Savannah Port Society; the executive committee of the Savannah Council on World Affairs; the Friends of Johnny Mercer Foundation; and is a member of the Savannah East Rotary Club.

The Emerging Leader Advisory Council, composed of community leaders and AASU faculty members and students, plans and conducts quality leadership training experiences for each student. The informal interaction between participants and community and campus leaders is an important facet of the program.

For more information about the Nick Mamalakis Emerging Leaders program, call Joseph Buck at 927.5271.