George Frantzis
George Theodosios Frantzis was a Greek-American lawyer, school principal, community leader and supporter of the sponge industry in Tarpon Springs, Florida.
Career
He was involved in war-relief efforts during World War II. Frantzis founded the Kalymnian Island Refugee Relief Committee for war relief in 1942.In January 1943, Frantzis helped Tarpon Springs obtain a 70-ton marble altar from Mount Pentele, in Athens, Greece, that was part of Greece's entry into the 1939 New York World's Fair, held in Queens, New York. Frantzis was a special secretary to the Greek community of Tarpon Springs and written to the Greek Embassy in Washington, D.C., for the marble to be used in the community's new St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.
When the Tarpon sponge industry was in trouble in the 1950s he led efforts to restore it. Frantzis also organized the Committee for Reorganization of the Sponge Industry in 1955, serving as the group's first president.
Frantzis owned several local businesses. His family has been active in the community for generations.