NEW YORK – The Association of Greek American Professional Women (AGAPW) held a “Celebration of the New Year with Wine and Conversation with Friends” hosted by Olga Alexakos, its president and founder at the loft of artist Lydia Venieri.

The event featured a vasilopita cutting and was the occasion for a farewell tribute to Nikos Papaconstantinou, the of the Greek Press office, who is retiring and moving back to Greece this spring.

Manos Koubarakis, the Greek consul in New York, on his behalf and representing Amb. George Iliopoulos, joined guests who congratulated Papaconstantinou for a career dedicated to service, excellence and Hellenism.

Papanconstantinou, who was aslo given a gift, as was his wife Marina, said “thank you from the depths of my heart’ and promised he will return often to see his friends, and his daughter who lives in New York.

He told the women’s organization which he has often hosted at the press office: “AGAPW, s’agpw!”

Lambrini Galiatstatou, of the Cypriot Consulate, represented Amb. Vasilios Philippou.