Greeks at home on Aquidneck Island

This is the second of an eight-part series looking at various ethnic groups that helped build Aquidneck Island's past and will help shape its future. June's installment focused on the Hispanic community. Today: the Greek community.

Peter and Harry Kyriakides remember the day they first laid eyes on Johnny's Atlantic Beach Club. As they drove into the parking lot of the restaurant on Purgatory Road in Middletown, they knew this was it - the place that would change it all. But they also knew that would not happen without hard work, something for which the brothers and their Greek ancestors are known. Today, nearly 30 years later, the beach club has shortened its name, but not its reputation. It's known as a place to get a high-quality meal or socialize with friends over a Red Sox game in the bar. The brothers also run several successful hotels in the area and are planning a major renovation to one of them.

But that's not the thing of which they are most proud. Rather, the Kyriakides say they're happy they've been accepted into the community and feel like they've made a positive change as a part of Aquidneck Island.

Read more at > TRACING OUR ROOTS: Greeks at home on Aquidneck Island

Founder of Broadway Bank dies suddenly

Alexis Giannoulias, founder and chairman of Chicago-based Broadway Bank, died suddenly while traveling in his native Greece over the weekend.

Mr. Giannoulias, 69, suffered an apparent heart attack, according to a spokesman for his son, Alexi Giannoulias, who is the Democratic nominee for state treasurer.

In 1978 Mr. Giannoulias founded Broadway Bank in the Edgewater neighborhood after a career as a food salesman, begun after he emigrated to the U.S. in 1962.

The bank began as a lender to Greek business owners in Chicago and evolved into an aggressive lender to commercial real estate developers around the country. For the last four years, Crain’s Chicago Business has ranked Broadway Bank No. 1 in the Chicago area based on return on assets.

Read more here > Founder of Broadway Bank dies suddenly

Not-so-hot Dani

Australian Channel Ten is gearing up to launch Rene is Getting Married, a new reality series about a 31-year-old second generation Greek-Australian girl who is trying to find the man of her dreams.

The Not-so-hot Dani series will be broadcast live from the network's Sydney studios, where a panel of three experts and the host will review a montage of her activities from the previous 24 hours, plan her next 24 hours and pass judgment on her suitors.

Bachelors keen to get involved should act quickly, as Ten has been calling for "single, out-going, adventurous men with a romantic streak" for the past week.