Illinois General Assembly - Full Text of HR0393

HR0393 LRB104 13916 ECR 26803 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois House of Representatives are saddened to learn of the death of George Mavropoulos, who passed away on October 25, 2024; and

WHEREAS, George Mavropoulos, the son of Pontian refugees who were forced to leave Turkey, was born in Kozani, Greece in 1938; he immigrated as a foreign student to the United States in 1958; he received a bachelor's degree in physics from Roosevelt University in 1964 and a master's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Missouri in 1966; and

WHEREAS, George Mavropoulos worked as an engineer at Commonwealth Edison until 1994, retiring from Commonwealth Edison/Exelon after 30 years of service; he then worked as a consulting engineer, providing comprehensive consulting, engineering, design, and analysis for nuclear power plants for Sargent & Lundy, LLC until 2010; and

WHEREAS, George Mavropoulos was the founder and president of the Asia Minor and Pontos Hellenic Research Center (AMPHRC), a non-profit organization established with the mission of encouraging research, promoting education, and raising awareness of the Greek diaspora, the Greek experience of genocide, and Greek civilization in Asia Minor, Pontos, and Eastern Thrace; and

WHEREAS, George Mavropoulos, through AMPHRC, organized numerous conferences, lectures, and programs to provide a stronger and greater voice to the cause of recognition and justice for all victimized groups; he also, in partnership with the Pontian Greek Society of Chicago, helped the Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center host multiple professional development workshops for teachers and incorporate educational materials into museum docent guide training and traveling resource trunks; and

WHEREAS, George Mavropoulos was a member of the Pontian Greek Society of Chicago, where he served as vice president in 2011 and president from 2007 to 2011, and the Illinois Holocaust and Genocide Commission, where he lobbied with members of the Armenian, Ukrainian-Famine, Cambodian, and Bosnian communities to ensure the history and stories of the Pontian Greek genocide were included in Holocaust education mandates; and

WHEREAS, George Mavropoulos commissioned the filming of the award-winning documentary, Lethal Nationalism, which documents the genocide of the Greeks in Turkey, and he also worked on a number of publications; and

WHEREAS, George Mavropoulos received several awards in the U.S., Canada, and Greece for his outstanding community leadership, especially for his founding of AMPHRC; and

WHEREAS, George Mavropoulos was a tireless advocate of Greek history and culture in the United States who committed his life to fighting against any ethnic, religious, or racial injustice; he will be remembered as a passionate and dedicated humanitarian who enriched his community through his remarkable efforts and advocacy; and

WHEREAS, George Mavropoulos was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Evagelia; and

WHEREAS, George Mavropoulos was the father of Sonia, Alexander, and Konstantinos and the grandfather of Evagelia "Ava"; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of George Mavropoulos and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of George Mavropoulos as an expression of our deepest sympathy.