| In 1969 Bill Lefakinis a Greek born and
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| | ex-CEO of General Motors, ex-Chairman of
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| United States bred businessman envisioned
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| | the Board of Intercontinental Hotels
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| a dream, which has since become a reality
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| | Corp. Mr. Hans Sternik, ex-German
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| - Greece, The Yachting Capital of the
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| | President Richard Fon Weizsacker,
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| World.Bill left Greece at the early age
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| | internationally acclaimed cellist Mr.
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| of 13 to pursue a better life and future
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| | Rostropovich, Bruce Springsteen, Sting,
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| for himself and his family. Bill attended
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| | John Denver, Kenny Rogers and Charlton
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| the Hackley School and The University of
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| | Heston. He has been an advisor to the
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| Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business
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| | Greek National Tourist Organization,
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| on full scholarships and served in the US
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| | Greek Ministry of the Merchant Marine and
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| Army and the Greek Air Force. Having
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| | member of the Greek Government's Advisory
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| worked and traveled extensively as Chief
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| | Council for the Development of Greece,
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| Executive Officer of Filtrine
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| | yachting marinas, and the yachting
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| International Co., Bill finally returned
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| | infrastructure.In 1978, with the
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| to Greece in 1969 where he started his
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| | increasingly heavy air pollution in
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| own company, Valef Yachts.At that time
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| | Athens and water pollution in the
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| there were no marinas in Greece and only
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| | Hellenic Seas, Bill co-founded "PAKOE"
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| about 30 yachts, 20 of which were for
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| | (The Panhellenic Ecological Research
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| private use. There was no national
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| | Foundation) together with a group of
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| concept of the wealth Greece had to offer
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| | volunteer scientists and doctors. As the
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| to the yachting world. Its unique
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| | Secretary General of the organization, he
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| history, civilization, hospitality, 4,000
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| | chartered airplanes and helicopters to
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| islands and 13,000 miles of seashore
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| | take hundreds of air samples by
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| (twice that of the USA where only 18% was
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| | University and Government scientists
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| yacht friendly compared to Greece's 99%)
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| | (including reporters abroad) to analyze
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| made it most ideal for the world of yacht
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| | the contents for air pollution around the
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| chartering. Bill, after realizing the
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| | Acropolis, Athens as well had several
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| immense potential of Greek yachting, went
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| | Valef Yachts with the same groups to test
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| to work applying his know-how taken from
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| | for water pollution in the seas. All
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| his Greek and American business exposure.
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| | evidence was confirmed by Government
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| He convinced four of his friends to let
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| | scientific laboratories and independent
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| him charter their yachts and after almost
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| | research centers. The high extent of
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| forty years of constant work, marketing,
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| | pollution was widely published with
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| public relations, pressure to the various
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| | articles, photos to all the media as well
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| Greek Governments to promote this unique
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| | as full reports to the Greek Authorities
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| tourist feature that is second to NONE,
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| | including the President, Prime Minister
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| Bill's dedication finally paid off.
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| | and all parliamentary members. As a
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| Today, Greece has over 20,000 yachts for
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| | matter of fact, pollution was the main
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| charter and for private use, and over 50
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| | subject for the next year's election. Now
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| marinas. Valef Yachts became a successful
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| | the Greek Seas are the cleanest in Europe
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| and trusted company with offices in the
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| | according to the findings of the European
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| states and in Greece. Bill began his
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| | Union and the air pollution has dropped
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| company and single-handedly created a
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| | dramatically, the Parthenon is protected
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| vision and a revolution in the yachting
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| | and many laws have been made to protect
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| world in Greece with his motto since 1969
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| | the environment.Bill and Kathy, his wife
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| being, "Discover The Yachting World of
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| | of 27 years; run the North American
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| Greece."To accomplish this, together with
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| | Headquarters of Valef Yachts and Bill
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| Panos Tsafos, Bill founded and presided
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| | travels frequently to the Greek
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| over The Professional Yacht Owners
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| | headquarters always keeping his finger on
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| Association, became Secretary General of
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| | the pulse of the market. Kathy and Bill
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| the Hellenic Yacht Brokers Association
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| | met in 1978 while she was traveling in
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| and Consultants Association, and
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| | Greece. Within months they were married
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| organized the Association of Greek Yacht
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| | and moved to Greece where they settled
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| Crews in order to coordinate efforts to
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| | and began working together. Kathy and
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| improve yacht chartering in Greece. He
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| | Bill realized in 1981 the need to
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| also started a magazine called "Sea and
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| | establish a USA North and South American
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| Yachting" to enlighten Greeks about the
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| | Headquarters for more direct contact and
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| beauty of their islands, their potential
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| | more efficient response and information
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| as well as the importance of
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| | for potential clients. Running two
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| participating in seawater sports. He
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| | offices half way around the world from
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| constantly wrote caustic articles
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| | each other keep Kathy and Bill quite
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| addressed to the Greek Government
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| | busy.In 1986 Bill, as President of Valef
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| regarding their apathy about improving
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| | Yachts and President of the Yacht Owners
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| conditions and laws to govern properly
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| | Association, invited 200 American yacht
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| professional yachting in Greece. Bill
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| | brokers on 20 yachts to "Discover the
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| also became co-publisher of the English
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| | Yachting World of Greece." They went to
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| Daily Newspaper "Athens Mirror," in 1971,
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| | many islands where mayors of the islands
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| became a member of the Foreign Press
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| | greeted all with parties and festivities
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| Association, The Greek Travel Agents
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| | and the famous Greek Easter was
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| Association, Hellenic American Chamber of
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| | celebrated with the traditional roasted
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| Commerce, Greek Ship owner's Club and
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| | lamb on the fire and great fun was had by
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| many others.In his efforts to promote
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| | all.Such hard work leads to an
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| Greece internationally, Bill brought the
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| | appreciation and understanding of a
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| Miss Universe Contest to Greece in 1973
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| | proper vacation. This has given them
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| (it was the first time they held the
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| | further insight into the development of
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| competition overseas); movies James Bond
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| | the ultimate holiday vacation that caters
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| in 1980 & 1983 and The Greek Tycoon; TV
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| | that caters to the clients every desire.
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| series The Love Boat in 1980, Heart to
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| | The personal touch and hands on approach
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| Heart, The Life Styles of the Rich and
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| | offered by the yacht owners make
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| Famous with Robin Leach, The Evening
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| | chartering a luxury yacht with Valef
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| Magazine (which featured Greece for one
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| | Yachts a true pleasure.Bill and Kathy's
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| entire week), The Arthur Frommer Show,
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| | two daughters, Alexandra and Kassandra,
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| Eyes on LA, Canadian and Japanese
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| | have spent numerous summers working in
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| Government television; magazines Playboy
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| | the yachting business, learning the ropes
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| and Penthouse, Conde Nast's "The
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| | from the ground up. Having been brought
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| Traveler" and dozens of other
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| | up in both countries spending quality
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| international TV shows, movies and
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| | time in Europe and cruising the Aegean,
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| magazines continuing to the present.
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| | they have a great head start in knowing
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| Internationally noted personalities were
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| | Greece, what yachting is all about, and
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| brought to Greece by Bill to promote
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| | what the client ultimately desires.
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| yachting. To name a few, Hugh Hefner and
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| | Alexandra and Kassandra both passionately
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| daughter Christina, Bob Cuccione, John
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| | work where Valef Yachts has its roots;
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| and Bo Derek, John Wayne, Anthony Quinn,
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| | and continue to infuse fresh energy into
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| Christina Onassis, Baron Hans Heinrich
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| | their family business and one of the
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| von Thyssen, Patricia Gucci - fashion
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| | first names in Greek Yachting.Valef
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| designer,
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| | Yachts remains a company that continues
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| Claude Arpels - Van Cleef and Arpels
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| | to flourish, raise industry standards and
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| jewellers,
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| | client expectations while remaining
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| Garavani Valentino - fashion designer,
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| | firmly anchored in the ever-flourishing
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| Max Fisher, John Clinton (Chairman of
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| | Greek yachting community. All of the
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| Dunhill and Rothman Group), Ernest Gallo,
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| | above activities have finally helped
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| Giovanni-Yanelli of Fiat, Henry Ford II
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| | establish Greece as the Center of the
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| of Ford Motor Corporation, Roger Smith,
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| | Yachting World!
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