NORSHIELD FOUNDER JOHN XANTHOUDAKIS RECEIVES HELLENIC BOARD OF TRADE DEKA AWARD FOR PHILANTHROPY

Date: Friday, May 28, 2004

Norshield Financial Group founder and CEO John Xanthoudakis, who spearheads such initiatives as providing educational opportunities to inner-city youth and promoting community volunteerism, is this year’s winner of the DEKA Award for Philanthropy given by the Hellenic Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
Mr. Xanthoudakis, a Montreal native and a leading figure in the field of alternative investment
management, received the award at a gala hosted by the Hellenic Board of Trade on Thursday
evening. The Philanthropy award, which was instituted last year, recognizes “philanthropic and
social contributions and responsibilities displayed by a prominent leader in the Montreal
business community.”
A three-member jury, independent of the Hellenic Board of Trade, selects the DEKA
Philanthropy award-winner from a list of nominees submitted by Board of Trade members.
Through the Norshield Development Foundation, a charitable organization that he founded in
1997, Mr. Xanthoudakis has consistently demonstrated social and community involvement by
implementing such programs as “Tomorrow’s School Today,” and “Helping Neighbour”. The
former program – the first of its kind in Canada - promotes the increased use of information and
communications technology in schools, while “Helping Neighbour” publicly recognizes
volunteers in radio and media-outlet announcements.The Foundation also runs a “Kids at Risk” program that targets Montreal-area youth who are
vulnerable to social or drug-related pressures and provides these students with the opportunity
to learn martial arts in a safe environment.
“I am deeply honoured to receive this award, and I accept it on behalf of the people at the
Foundation, who put so much of their time and effort into our various projects,” said Mr.
Xanthoudakis. “Social responsibility is a core value of the Foundation and we are continually
striving to not only make a difference through our own work but by encouraging other
organizations, corporations and individuals to adopt activities aimed at making a difference in
their own communities.” This year’s award marks the second DEKA recognition for Norshield.