In 1969 Bill Lefakinis a Greek conceived and US reared money manager imagined a fantasy, which has since turned into a reality - Greece, The Yachting Capital of the World.
Bill passed on Greece at the early age of 13 to seek after a superior life and future for him as well as his loved ones. Bill went to the Hackley School and The College of Pennsylvania Wharton Institute of Business on full grants and served in the US Armed force and the Greek Flying corps. Having worked and voyaged widely as CEO of Filtrine Global Co., Bill at long last gotten back to Greece in 1969 where he began his own organization, Valef Yachts.
Around then there were no marinas in Greece and something like 30 yachts, 20 of which were for private use. There was no public idea of the abundance Greece brought to the table to the yachting scene. Its novel history, development, neighborliness, 4,000 islands and 13,000 miles of beach (two times that of the USA where just 18% was yacht charter amicable contrasted with Greece's almost 100%) made it generally great for the universe of yacht contracting.
Bill, subsequent to understanding the huge capability of Greek yachting, went to work applying his ability taken from his Greek and American business openness. He persuaded four regarding his companions to allow him to contract their yachts and after very nearly forty years of consistent work, advertising, advertising, strain to the different Greek Legislatures to advance this extraordinary traveler highlight that is top notch, Bill's devotion at long last paid off.
Today, Greece has north of 20,000 yachts for sanction and for private use, and more than 50 marinas. Valef Yachts turned into an effective and entrusted organization with workplaces in the states and in Greece. Bill started his organization and without any help made a dream and a transformation in the yachting scene in Greece with his proverb beginning around 1969 being, "Find The Yachting Universe of Greece."
To achieve this, along with Panos Tsafos, Bill established and managed The Expert Yacht Proprietors Affiliation, became Secretary General of the Hellenic Yacht Specialists Affiliation and Advisors Affiliation, and coordinated the Relationship of Greek Yacht Groups to facilitate endeavors to further develop yacht contracting in Greece.
He likewise began a magazine called "Ocean and Yachting" to edify Greeks about the excellence of their islands, their true capacity as well as the significance of taking part in seawater sports. He continually composed acidic articles addressed to the Greek Government with respect to their unresponsiveness about further developing circumstances and regulations to oversee appropriately proficient yachting in Greece.
Bill likewise became co-distributer of the English Everyday Paper "Athens Mirror," in 1971, turned into an individual from the Unfamiliar Press Affiliation, The Greek Travel Planners Affiliation, Hellenic American Office of Trade, Greek Boat proprietor's Club and numerous others.
In his endeavors to advance Greece globally, Bill brought the Miss Universe Challenge to Greece in 1973 (it was whenever they first held the opposition abroad); motion pictures James Bond in 1980 and 1983 and The Greek Magnate; television series The Adoration Boat in 1980, Heart to Heart, The Ways of life of the Rich and Renowned with Robin Drain, The Night Magazine (which highlighted Greece for one whole week), The Arthur Frommer Show, Eyes on LA, Canadian and Japanese Government TV; magazines Playboy and Penthouse, Conde Nast's "The Explorer" and many other worldwide Programs, films and magazines proceeding to the present. Universally noted characters were brought to Greece by Bill to advance yachting.
To give some examples, Hugh Hefner and girl Christina, Sway Cuccione, John and Bo Derek, John Wayne, Anthony Quinn, Christina Onassis, Aristocrat Hans Heinrich von Thyssen, Patricia Gucci - style planner,
Claude Arpels - Van Cleef and Arpels gem dealers,
Garavani Valentino - style creator, Max Fisher, John Clinton (Administrator of Dunhill and Rothman Gathering), Ernest Gallo, Giovanni-Yanelli of Fiat, Henry Portage II of Passage Engine Partnership, Roger Smith, ex-Chief of General Engines, ex-Director of the Leading body of Intercontinental Lodgings Corp. Mr. Hans Sternik, ex-German President Richard Fon Weizsacker, universally acclaimed cellist Mr. Rostropovich, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, John Denver, Kenny Rogers and Charlton Heston. He has been a consultant to the Greek Public Vacationer Association, Greek Service of the Shipper Marine and individual from the Greek Government's Warning Committee for the Improvement of Greece, yachting marinas, and the yachting framework.