Author George E. Danis: I Am Living Proof Of The American Dream

An Interview With Jake Frankel from Authority Magazine - Medium

I believe the key to success starts with optimism and hard work. To be willing to go after for what you want. You must put in the time, effort and commitment.

Is the American Dream still alive? If you speak to many of the immigrants we spoke to, who came to this country with nothing but grit, resilience, and a dream, they will tell you that it certainly is still alive.

As a part of our series about immigrant success stories, I had the pleasure of interviewing George E. Danis. George E. Danis is a successful businessman, organizer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. Born into poverty in rural Greece, George entered the US as an illegal immigrant, yet decades later was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in recognition of his philanthropic endeavors and promotion of democracy. Highly active in politics for four decades, George was a fundraiser, advocate, and advisor to governors, senators and presidential candidates. Today he divides his time between Boston, Massachusetts, and his childhood town of Karystos, Greece. He is married to Karen, has four children, and nine grandchildren.

Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?

Thank you very much for inviting me to speak with you. I grew up on a Greek island called Evia in the small village of Mili. My mother, father, 3 brothers and I lived in a three-room house on the hillside. We had a farm adjacent to the property where we would cultivate the land, providing us with most of our food. My parents owned a flour mill where our villagers could bring wheat to make flour.

I attended a local elementary school where older children assisted the teacher in teaching the younger students. Outside of school, my brothers and I helped my parents tend to the farm and operate the flower mill. Once my chores were complete, I would spend the little time left in each day playing with friends in the village.

At twelve years old, I was sent to Athens to attend secondary school. Living alone in a one room apartment, I would walk to and from school each day while spending my nights studying by candlelight. My brother Polychronis, who worked in Athens, would check in on me from time to time, but for the most part I was on my own in Greece’s capital at a young age.

Was there a particular trigger point that made you emigrate to the US? Can you tell us the story?

As a young boy, my mother’s brother had immigrated to the United States and would send us gifts. I realized then that in America you had access to all these amazing things. I started to dream about going to America where my uncle was thriving, and I would surely be able to succeed. I finished vocational high school and worked on getting a job as a crew member with the Merchant Marines who would travel around the world before reaching America. My father knew a captain, Captain Manoli, who my father had helped years before during German occupation. After researching for a few months, I was able to locate the captain, and he was able to get me a job on the ATLANTIC SEA.

Can you tell us the story of how you came to the USA? What was that experience like?

Believe it or not, there are two stories that encompass my journey to the USA.

The first was in 1955 while working on the ATLANTIC SEA. We left Greece, traveling to Italy, from there to Cairo, Egypt, thru the Suez Canal all the way to Osaka, Japan, before docking in Oakland, California. The war had left Japan devastated and poverty-ridden and sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge 45 days later, it was like a tale of two planets. What a vast contrast and reminder that we were now in the land of opportunity, wealth and progress. The USA seemed to me at the time to be focused purely on its own progress and cultivating Democracy and Capitalism.

As I arrived at the shipyard in Oakland for repairs, I met a supervisor, Vasilis Nova, who happened to be the uncle of a classmate of mine from Greece. Vasilis took us to his home, introduced us to all his Greek friends and his Church community, and showed us that he could be both Greek and American. We spent the Christmas of 1955 with him, his family and friends. He asked if I ever considered jumping ship and staying in America. I told him no and a few weeks later I boarded the ATLANTIC SEA for my return voyage to Japan, after loading scrap iron in San Pedro, California, to Japan and from there to Vancouver Canada, loading wheat for Poland, and sailing all the way to the North Atlantic.

A few months later the ship was returning to the USA, with a stop in Norfolk, VA and I knew this was the time I would jump ship. I had family in Philadelphia and my mother’s cousin lived in Boston. I chose Boston and her cousin got me a job working at a diner in Watertown, MA. I quickly found a Greek church and built a community of friends and family.

Sixteen months later I was caught by immigration officers and thrown in the Charles Street jail, where to my surprise, I was visited by Massachusetts Senator John F. Kennedy who came to interview me in jail before he sponsored my release until I left the country. I went to NY and got a job on the merchant ship traveling to Portugal, then Italy, and I worked myself back to Greece.

Destined to return to America, my second attempt proved much more fruitful. In 1960, after finishing my mandatory national service, I got a job on a ship going to Naples, Italy and then to the ship the ALEXANDRA we set off to Mobile, Alabama where I jumped ship again.

I hopped on a bus and a few days later I made my way back to Boston. While reconnecting with the Watertown Greek community, where my previous boss introduced me to many people including a woman that I later married. I returned to Greece in 1961 to get my permanent visa entry to return to the United States legally. In March of that same year, I flew, for the first time ever, from Europe to Belgium, to NY to my new home Boston.

Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped make the move more manageable? Can you share a story?

There were many people that helped me on my journey.

Mr. Novas who gave me my first taste of American life in San Francisco.

Massachusetts Greek-Americans such as my cousin Alex, Jim Lemonias, Louis Contos and his son George who gave me a job at the diner in Watertown.

My Uncle and Aunt provided me with places to stay when I first arrived. X

Greek culture is interwoven with our religion, and I will never forget the support of Father Emanuel Metaxas of the Watertown Greek Church who offered spiritual guidance and friendship for decades.

So how are things going today?

Things are amazing today. I have a wonderful family, well-educated and healthy.

I have established several companies throughout the years which are doing well.

I am working with a few hundred of the best associates and I have tried to instill my experiences and train my team in the business to help them all succeed.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

I have been blessed to surround myself with good people and find ways to work together to solve problems. During the Greek economy collapse, we worked with groups to find business opportunities to help businesses there keep operating. I work with a Feta cheese producer in Greece and have been importing it all over New England to help their distribution and provide Americans with traditional Greek foods.

My parents taught me early in life that if you can afford to give, then give. It’s enormously important to me to give back to the community. In my philanthropic endeavors, I have tried to echo this sentiment continuously. With the Metropolis of Boston, we have built a beautiful children’s camp in New Hampshire. We work on giving back and finding ways to help those less fortunate than us, or those that do not have a network or resources to find ways to meet their needs. For example, a few years ago we donated medical equipment for hospitals in need, in my hometown in Greece. It has allowed them to digitize all their medical records providing better care to patients by their doctors.

I am very happy to be able to give back and encourage others to do the same.

You have first-hand experience with the US immigration system. If you had the power, which three things would you suggest improving the system?

1. We have a policy, use it, just to protect the US borders.

2. Come up with how many people that you want to bring in, qualify them, vet the individuals from different countries, allow them as we have a plan how we will take care of them.

3. Train them and teach them to speak English, our county’s language so they can get a good job so they are not being used badly.

The system is being mismanaged by our elected officials and is in a total state of paralysis. It’s ignoring both the problems that affect democracy and capitalism and the intertwining of the two.

Starting with taxation, national service, trade agreements, cost of health care, cost of education the immigration, and allowing the big monopolies that are choking our economy and eliminating small business.

The U.S. economy will need millions of workers to be competitive and sustain the future.

Can you share “5 keys to achieving the American dream” that others can learn from you?

I believe the key to success starts with optimism and hard work. To be willing to go after for what you want. You must put in the time, effort and commitment.

You need to put in many long hours to whatever you do to succeed and to lead by example in all things in life.

You also need to build a network of people with different experiences and skill sets…and work together to help each other, including family, friends, religious mentors, etc. When I came to the US, my network was invaluable to me…it gave me housing, a job, introduction to business opportunities that continued through my life, the chance for me to meet amazing people including US Senators, Congressmen, and even several Presidents of the United States.

You must be curious and find out how things are done. Do not just accept the status quo. Ask “why is it this way? What if we did it this way?” I have always been curious and challenged by the way things have been done.

Education is very important. It does not have to be college or graduate school; it needs to be a commitment to continuous learning and challenging yourself. Educating yourself is a lifelong journey and what makes it so special is that you control your own educational journey. I continued to take courses even in recent years to improve my knowledge.

Finally, I believe that financial freedom is critical. Do not carry debt that you cannot afford to pay back, especially with high interest rates. I remember when I wanted a loan for $5,000 to move my business. The banker laughed at me and told me I had the money I just had to collect it from my customers. The next day I collected $85,000! I loved going back to that bank to make that deposit into my account. That has been a very important lesson I learned throughout my life.

We know that the US needs improvement. But are there 3 things that make you optimistic about the US’s future?

The American people’s bonding together at time of needs, helping each other, I witnessed it firsthand on my first arrival.

The American people’s endurance and Democratic history.

The American technology, inventions and innovation when we work together.

Is there a person in the world, or the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why?

I have a few people that I’d love to have the opportunity to speak with. First, Socrates, the Greek philosopher and teacher. Second would be Plato, the Greek philosopher and professor to Aristotle. Lastly, the President of the United State to express my optimism and the need to correct our course on Democracy and Capitalism.

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