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Andreas A. Paloumpis, 80, formerly of Minonk, former president of
Hillsborough Community College, passed away Jan. 31, 2006, at his home
in Tampa, Fla. At the time of his death, he was vice president of
Collegiate Enterprise Solutions LLC.
He served as president of
HCC from 1983-1997, going there from Onondaga Community College in New
York, where he served as president from 1977-1983. Prior to that, he
was founding president of Winston Churchill College and vice president
at Illinois Central College. He also served as interim president of
Luzerne Community College in Pennsylvania from 2000-2002.
He is
survived by his wife, Bess; son, Tom and wife, Jenny Abene Paloumpis,
and their children, Andy and Laura; and son, Evan and wife, Linda, and
their daughter, Michelle; sister, Presbytera Dr. Mary Hallick of
Milwaukee, Wis.; and brother, Hercules Paloumpis of Normal. He was
predeceased by his parents, Tom and Sophia Paloumpis, and daughter,
Andrea.
He was born in Minonk, earned his undergraduate degrees
at the University of Illinois and his doctorate at Iowa State
University. He served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII, taught
high school science and became a professor of zoology at Illinois State
University in Normal before becoming a college administrator. He served
on the board of trustees at Monmouth Community College and played
violin in the Bloomington Symphony.
An ichthyologist and avid
environmentalist, he was noted expert in the study of fish bones and
published numerous papers on the subject. He amassed a large collection
of fish bones and skeletons, which he donated to the University of
Florida, giving that institution the largest collection in the country.
He was a founder of the North American Benthalogical Society and a
member of the Hillsborough County River Basin Board.
He was a
founding member of the Outback Bowl and the Centre Club. He served on
the board of trustees of the Florida Gulf Coast Health Coalition, the
Florida Aquarium's board of directors, was a member of various local
chambers of commerce, a Mass and a member of the Jesters, president of
the board of St. John Orthodox Greek Church, chair of the board of St.
John's Day School in Tampa, Fla., and former president of the board of
All Saints Greek Orthodox Church in Peoria.
He was elected to
the membership in the College of Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame and
received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Illinois State University
in 2005.
The viewing was Sunday at Brewer & Sons Funeral
Home at 3328 South Dale Mabry, Tampa. His service was Monday at St.
John's Greek Orthodox Church on 2418 Swann Ave., Tampa. Interment was
at Myrtle Hill Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Dr. Dimitri Halkias,
Constantine Contras, James Goodwin II, Jim Jolly, Tom Bougas and Judge
Anthony K. Black. Honorary pallbearers are Howard "Hop'' Cassidy and
George Russell.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Altar Fund at St. John's Greek Orthodox Church in Tampa.
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