In 1969 Bill Lefakinis a Greek conceived and United States reared financial specialist imagined a fantasy, which has since turned into a reality – Greece, The Yachting Capital of the World.

Charge passed on Greece at the early age of 13 to seek after a superior serry loosdrecht life and future for him as well as his loved ones. Bill went to the Hackley School and The University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business on full grants and served in the US Army and the Greek Air Force. Having worked and voyaged broadly as Chief Executive Officer of Filtrine International Co., Bill at last got back to Greece in 1969 where he began his own organization, Valef Yachts.

Around then there were no marinas in Greece and something like 30 yachts, 20 of which were for private use. There was no public idea of the abundance Greece brought to the table to the yachting scene. Its special history, human advancement, friendliness, 4,000 islands and 13,000 miles of coastline (double that of the USA where just 18% was yacht well disposed contrasted with Greece’s almost all the way) made it generally great for the universe of yacht contracting. Bill, subsequent to understanding the gigantic capability of Greek yachting, went to work applying his skill taken from his Greek and American business openness. He persuaded four regarding his companions to allow him to contract their yachts and after right around forty years of consistent work, advertising, advertising, strain to the different Greek Governments to advance this interesting vacationer highlight that is best in class, Bill’s commitment at long last paid off. Today, Greece has north of 20,000 yachts for sanction and for private use, and more than 50 marinas. Valef Yachts turned into an effective and entrusted organization with workplaces in the states and in Greece. Bill started his organization and without any help made a dream and an upset in the yachting scene in Greece with his aphorism beginning around 1969 being, “Find The Yachting World of Greece.”

To achieve this, along with Panos Tsafos, Bill established and managed The Professional Yacht Owners Association, became Secretary General of the Hellenic Yacht Brokers Association and Consultants Association, and coordinated the Association of Greek Yacht Crews to arrange endeavors to further develop yacht contracting in Greece. He likewise began a magazine called “Ocean and Yachting” to illuminate Greeks about the magnificence of their islands, their true capacity as well as the significance of taking part in seawater sports. He continually composed acidic articles addressed to the Greek Government in regards to their indifference about further developing circumstances and regulations to oversee appropriately proficient yachting in Greece. Bill likewise became co-distributer of the English Daily Newspaper “Athens Mirror,” in 1971, turned into an individual from the Foreign Press Association, The Greek Travel Agents Association, Hellenic American Chamber of Commerce, Greek Ship proprietor’s Club and numerous others.

In his endeavors to advance Greece globally, Bill carried the Miss Universe Contest to Greece in 1973 (it was whenever they first held the opposition abroad); motion pictures James Bond in 1980 and 1983 and The Greek Tycoon; TV series The Love Boat in 1980, Heart to Heart, The Life Styles of the Rich and Famous with Robin Leach, The Evening Magazine (which included Greece for one whole week), The Arthur Frommer Show, Eyes on LA, Canadian and Japanese Government TV; magazines Playboy and Penthouse, Conde Nast’s “The Traveler” and many other worldwide TV shows, films and magazines proceeding to the present. Globally noted characters were brought to Greece by Bill to advance yachting. To give some examples, Hugh Hefner and little girl Christina, Bob Cuccione, John and Bo Derek, John Wayne, Anthony Quinn, Christina Onassis, Baron Hans Heinrich von Thyssen, Patricia Gucci – style fashioner,
Claude Arpels – Van Cleef and Arpels diamond setters,
Garavani Valentino – style creator, Max Fisher, John Clinton (Chairman of Dunhill and Rothman Group), Ernest Gallo, Giovanni-Yanelli of Fiat, Henry Ford II of Ford Motor Corporation, Roger Smith, ex-CEO of General Motors, ex-Chairman of the Board of Intercontinental Hotels Corp. Mr Hans Sternik, ex-German President Richard Fon Weizsacker, universally acclaimed cellist Mr. Rostropovich, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, John Denver, Kenny Rogers and Charlton Heston. He has been a consultant to the Greek National Tourist Organization, Greek Ministry of the Merchant Marine and individual from the Greek Government’s Advisory Council for the Development of Greece, yachting marinas, and the yachting foundation.