The National Council of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, at its last meeting on March 18, 2022, unanimously elected Archon John G. Gumas to the National Council.

Dr. Anthony J. Limberakis, National Commander of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle, Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, said: “Archon John Gumas is a man of tremendous advertising and marketing acumen, a dedicated servant of his community, and above all, a diligent and reliable laborer in the vineyard of Christ, a true son of our Holy Mother Church of Constantinople. I am grateful for the opportunity to welcome him to the National Council, which I know he will enrich in manifold ways with his remarkable expertise and deep faith.”

Archon Gumas remarked: “Our mission as Archons is to defend and promote the Orthodox Christian faith and tradition, and above all the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople. I am greatly honored by this opportunity to broaden my efforts to serve God’s Holy Church by taking a place on the National Council of the Order of Saint Andrew the Apostle.”

A veteran of the advertising and interactive marketing industry, Archon Gumas founded Gumas Advertising in 1984. He is the author of the popular books Marketing Smart and Challenger Brand Marketing, and has been an adjunct professor of branding, advertising and interactive marketing; a sought-after speaker; and a regular columnist for several publications. Archon John is a member of the boards of the San Francisco Giants Community Fund, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce, the San Francisco State University Foundation, the Greater San Francisco Advertising Club, the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame and the Elios Society.

Archon John has consistently provided financial support as well as professional marketing services to many Orthodox Church entities for over 35 years, including the Metropolis of San Francisco, the Annunciation Cathedral in San Francisco, and Holy Trinity Church, also in San Francisco, among others. His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew invested him as an Archon and conferred upon him the offikion Hartophylax on October 31, 2021.

Archons of the Ecumenical Patriarchate are honorees by His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew for outstanding service to the Church; they are well-known distinguished, and well-respected leader of the Orthodox Christian community.