A History of Greece as the Yachting Resources of the Globe
In 1969 Costs Lefakinis a Greek birthed and USA reproduced entrepreneur visualized a dream, which has actually considering that come true - Greece, The Yacht Resources of the World.
Bill left Greece at the early age of 13 to seek a much better life and future for himself and his family. Expense attended the Hackley Institution and also The College of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Company on complete scholarships as well as served in the US Army and also the Greek Flying Force. Having functioned as well as traveled thoroughly as Chief Executive Police Officer of Filtrine International Co., Bill finally went back to Greece in 1969 where he began his very own business, Valef Yachts.
At that time there were no marinas in Greece and just regarding 30 private yachts, 20 of which were for personal use. Its one-of-a-kind history, world, hospitality, 4,000 islands and also 13,000 miles of seashore (two times that of the UNITED STATES where just 18% was private yacht friendly compared to Greece's 99%) made it most perfect for the globe of luxury yacht chartering. Today, Greece has over 20,000 private yachts for charter and also for exclusive use, and over 50 marinas.
To complete this, with each other with Panos Tsafos, Bill started and also presided over The Specialist Private Yacht Owners Association, came to be Secretary General of the Hellenic Luxury Yacht Brokers Association and also Professional Association, and arranged the Association of Greek Luxury yacht Crews in order to collaborate efforts to boost private yacht chartering in Greece. He also started a publication called "Sea as well as Yacht" to enlighten Greeks about the beauty of their islands, their potential along with the significance of participating in salt water sports. He constantly wrote caustic posts resolved to the Greek Government concerning their apathy about boosting problems and regulations to regulate correctly specialist yacht in Greece. Expense likewise came to be co-publisher of the English Daily Newspaper "Athens Mirror," in 1971, became a participant of the Foreign Press Association, The Greek Traveling Brokers Organization, Hellenic American Chamber of Business, Greek Ship proprietor's Club and also several others.
In his initiatives to promote Greece worldwide, Expense brought the Miss Cosmos Contest to Greece in 1973 (it was the very first time they held the competition overseas); flicks James Bond in 1980 & 1983 as well as The Greek Mogul; TELEVISION collection The Love Watercraft in 1980, Heart to Heart, The Life Styles of the Rich and Famous with Robin Leach, The Evening Magazine (which included Greece for one entire week), The Arthur Frommer Show, Eyes on LA, Canadian and also Japanese Government television; publications Playboy and Penthouse, Conde Nast's "The Vacationer" and lots of other worldwide TV programs, films and magazines remaining to today. Internationally kept in mind characters were offered Greece by Costs to advertise yachting. Among others, Hugh Hefner and also child Christina, Bob Cuccione, John and also Bo Derek, John Wayne, Anthony Quinn, Christina Onassis, Baron Hans Heinrich von Thyssen, Patricia Gucci - fashion developer,
Claude Arpels - Van Cleef and Arpels jewellers,
Garavani Valentino - designer, Max Fisher, John Clinton (Chairman of Dunhill and also Rothman Team), Ernest Gallo, Giovanni-Yanelli of Fiat, Henry Ford II of Ford Motor Firm, Roger Smith, ex-CEO of General Motors, ex-Chairman of the Board of Intercontinental Hotels Corp. Mr. Hans Sternik, ex-German Head of state Richard Fon Weizsacker, worldwide well-known cellist Mr. Rostropovich, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, John Denver, Kenny Rogers as well as Charlton Heston. He has actually been an expert to the Greek National Visitor Organization, Greek Ministry of the Merchant Marine and participant of the Greek Government's Advisory Council for the Advancement of Greece, yachting marinas, and the yacht facilities.
In 1978, with the increasingly hefty air pollution in Athens as well as water contamination in the Hellenic Seas, Bill co-founded "PAKOE" (The Panhellenic Ecological Study Structure) together with a team of volunteer researchers as well as doctors. As the Assistant General of the company, he hired planes and helicopters to take thousands of air examples by University and also Federal government scientists (consisting of press reporters abroad) to evaluate the contents for air pollution around the Castle, Athens as well had several Valef Yachts with the same teams to examine for water contamination in the seas. All proof was confirmed by Government scientific research laboratories as well as independent research study. The high degree of pollution was widely published with posts, images to all the media as well as complete records to the Greek Authorities consisting of the Head of state, Head Of State and all parliamentary participants. As an issue of truth, pollution was the major topic for the following year's election. Now the Greek Seas are the cleanest in Europe according to the findings of the European Union and also the air contamination has actually gone down significantly, the Parthenon is safeguarded as well as lots of legislations have actually been made to safeguard the setting.
Expense as well as Kathy, his spouse of 27 years; run the North American Headquarters of Valef Yachts and also Expense travels regularly to the Greek headquarters constantly maintaining his finger on the pulse of the market. Kathy and also Expense met in 1978 while she was taking a trip in Greece. Within months they were married and also moved to Greece where they worked out and began functioning with each other. Kathy as well as Bill recognized in 1981 the need to establish an USA North and also South American Head office for even more direct get in touch with and extra effective response and also details for potential clients. Running two offices half method around the world from each various other keep Kathy and Costs quite busy.
In 1986 Costs, as Head Of State of Valef Yachts and also Head Of State of the Private Yacht Owners Association, welcomed 200 American luxury yacht brokers on 20 private yachts to "Discover the Yachting World of Greece." They went to lots of islands where mayors of the islands welcomed all with events and festivities as well as the popular Greek Easter was commemorated with the standard baked lamb on the fire as well as fantastic enjoyable was had by all.
Such hard work leads to an appreciation and understanding of a proper getaway. This has offered them additional insight into the growth of the best holiday getaway that provides that caters to the customers every wish. The individual touch and also hands on approach offered by the private yacht owners make hiring a luxury yacht with Valef Yachts a real enjoyment. boat rentals