IOCC Elects Alex Machaskee As new Board Chairman

1/10/2007

SCOBA
The Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas
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INTERNATIONAL ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN CHARITIES (IOCC)
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For immediate release

January 9, 2007

IOCC Elects Alex Machaskee as New Board Chairman
Retired Publisher and Prominent Serbian-American Brings Many Years of Civic Leadership

Baltimore (IOCC) – Alex Machaskee, retired publisher of The Plain Dealer and a prominent Serbian-American businessman, was elected Chairman of the Board of Directors of International Orthodox Christian Charities (IOCC) at its board meeting at the Antiochian Village in Bolivar, Pennsylvania. He replaces Bert Moyar, who has served IOCC as board chairman since 2002, and as a board member since 1995.

Machaskee was publisher, president and chief executive officer of The Plain Dealer, Ohio’s largest newspaper, from 1990 until his retirement in 2006. An active and dedicated member of leading civic organizations, Machaskee has been presented with numerous awards throughout his career including the Urban League of Cleveland’s Whitney M. Young Humanitarian Award, and the World Trade Center of Cleveland’s International Executive of the Year. Currently, he is president of Alex Machaskee & Associates, a public relations and marketing firm based in Cleveland.

Archbishop DEMETRIOS, Chairman of the Standing Conference of the Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA), congratulated Machaskee on his election. “Working with the dynamic IOCC staff, we are certain that IOCC will continue to be the outstanding example it has been of what we Orthodox Christians in America can do together to fulfill our Lord’s commandments to love our neighbors and to help those in need.”

Machaskee, who will preside over IOCC’s continued implementation of a 5-year strategic plan, also plans to travel regularly to the organization’s field operations. “Wherever IOCC has gone—the Holy Land, Lebanon, Russia, and Ethiopia—it has distinguished itself for programs that minister to the whole person and whole community,” says Machaskee. “I look forward to working with our U.S. headquarters and field staff to expand IOCC’s presence in Africa, the Middle East, and right here in North America, as well as increasing its visibility among our Orthodox constituents,” he continued.

Machaskee is Chairman of the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, and a board member of St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary. He holds several other board memberships, and has been an IOCC board member since 2000. In 2004, he was named Lifetime Director of United Way Services.

Also elected to IOCC’s Executive Committee at the Pennsylvania meeting were Dr. Frank Cerra of Minnesota as Vice Chair; Mark Stavropoulos of Michigan as Treasurer; and Presbytera Maria Mosssaides Apostola of Massachusetts as Secretary.

IOCC was founded in 1992 as the official humanitarian aid agency of the Standing Conference of Canonical Orthodox Bishops in the Americas (SCOBA). Since then, it has implemented over $226 million in relief and development programs in 30 countries around the world.


Media calls: Contact Amal Morcos at +1-410-243-9820 or (cell) +1-404-805-4142.