January 19, 2018
St. John’s University’s School of Risk Management, Insurance and Actuarial Science (SRM), part of The Peter J. Tobin College of Business, hosted its 23rd Annual Insurance Leader of the Year Award Dinner on January 17, raising a record-breaking $3.6 million to fund student scholarships and support program initiatives.
The dinner was held in honor of Constantine “Dinos” Iordanou, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Arch Capital Group Ltd., who was named the “2017 Insurance Leader of the Year.” The prestigious award, presented annually since 1995, recognizes the contributions of outstanding individuals whose leadership in the worldwide insurance and financial services industry sets them apart from their peers.
The event, held at the New York Marriott Marquis in Manhattan, drew a crowd of more than 1,600 members of the global insurance industry, senior leadership from the University, students, faculty, business executives, guests, family, and friends.
In addition to the $2.4 million in funds raised through the dinner, Mr. Iordanou’s company launched a campaign among employees, its board members, and friends to establish an endowed scholarship fund at St. John’s University in the honoree’s name. This initiative raised nearly $1.2 million, bringing the total amount of funds raised to $3.6 million.
The Dinos Iordanou International Scholarship Fund is being endowed with gifts from supporters to honor Mr. Iordanou in perpetuity. The fund will support scholarships for SRM students, with preference given to international students, particularly those from Cyprus or Greece—acknowledging Mr. Iordanou’s heritage and own route to success.
A highlight of the evening was a video presentation of Mr. Iordanou’s life and career that detailed his humble beginnings, his immeasurable love of family, his remarkable professional success, and his unwavering commitment to the ideals of giving back and supporting those in need.
Arriving to the United States with $250 in his pocket and big dreams in 1969, Mr. Iordanou is the quintessential story of the American dream. He worked his way through college as a New York City taxi driver and a short-order cook. Through sheer will, hard work, determination—and by his own admission—some luck, he climbed to the highest ranks of the global insurance industry while never losing his awareness or appreciation of those who helped him along the way.
An emotional Mr. Iordanou told the capacity crowd, which included his 86-year-old mother who flew in from Cyprus for the occasion, how education has made all the difference in his life and successful career. Recalling the advice that his hardworking and entrepreneurial parents gave him before he immigrated to the United States, Mr. Iordanou recounted their words, “Education is at the center of goal setting, for an education can never be taken away from you—and failure is not an option.”
Serving as Honorary Chairmen for the dinner were Brian Duperreault, President and Chief Executive Officer, American International Group, Inc.; Marc Grandisson, President and Chief Operating Officer, Arch Capital Group Ltd.; Patrick G. Ryan, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ryan Specialty Group, LLC; and Joseph V. Taranto, Chairman of the Board, Everest Re Group, Ltd.
“Dinos went from short-order cook to CEO in a distinguished career that spans 40 years,” said Mr. Taranto, who marveled at the honoree’s life’s work. “His success and his indomitable spirit is what we celebrate tonight.”
“The annual Insurance Leader of the Year Award Dinner consistently highlights the strength of the relationship between St. John’s University and the global insurance industry,” said Norean R. Sharpe, Ph.D., Dean, and the Joseph H. and Maria C. Schwartz Distinguished Chair of Decision Sciences, The Peter J. Tobin College of Business. “The funds raised will have a lasting impact and will ensure our students’ success.”
“St. John’s University is extremely grateful for the continued support of the insurance industry that we celebrate this evening,” said Conrado “Bobby” Gempesaw, Ph.D., President of St. John’s. “The next generation of insurance leaders is being taught right now by dedicated faculty in the School of Risk Management and they are poised to follow in the footsteps of insurance leaders like Constantine “Dinos” Iordanou, and others, whom this annual dinner recognizes.”
The Award Selection Committee was chaired by Ellen Thrower, Ph.D., Professor Emerita and Retired Executive Director, St. John's University’s SRM, and includes George Bernstein, Esq. of The Bernstein Law Firm, P.L.L.C. (Washington, DC); Robert P. Hartwig, Ph.D., Clinical Associate Professor of Finance and Co-Director, Center for Risk and Uncertainty Management, Darla Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina; Joseph Mauriello, Retired Deputy Chairman and COO of KPMG LLP; Michael J. Morrissey, President and CEO of the International Insurance Society; Patrick J. Shouvlin, Retired Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; and Peter B. Walker, Director of McKinsey & Company (New York).
The School of Risk Management was founded in 1901 as the Insurance Society of New York and over the years evolved into The College of Insurance (TCI). In June 2001, TCI merged with St. John’s University, becoming a school inside The Peter J. Tobin College of Business. From its location at 101 Astor Place near Midtown South’s business district and the rapidly emerging technology corridor, St. John’s and the Tobin College of Business awards undergraduate, M.B.A., and M.S. degrees in the insurance, risk management, and actuarial science disciplines. Through its Center for Executive Development, St. John’s also provides education, training, and consulting services to industry, governments, and regulators worldwide.