KARAMOUZES VENTURES continues a tradition of entrepreneurship started by Athanasios Karamouzes and Christos Boulos in 1921.

Karamouzes and Boulos arrived from Greece without capital, education, or social standing. During their lives, operating entirely on a combination of supreme conviction, entrepreneurial instinct, and hard work, they became two of the most consequential independent business owners and community stewards in northern Illinois. They are remembered for extreme generosity.

Boulos served the community as Supreme Treasurer and member of the Supreme Board of Trustees of the Order of AHEPA, President of the Rotary Club of DeKalb, President of the DeKalb County Shrine Club, President of St. George’s Greek Orthodox Church, member of Masonic Lodge A.F. & A.M. No. 144 DeKalb, and in many other philanthropic capacities.

During an interview published on February 28, 1952 with the Elgin Daily Courier-News, discussing the importance of community and hard work, Boulos noted: “This is truly the land of opportunity and it has the principles and freedom that I love. My father brought me here because he wanted me to have the advantage of living in the United States.”