{{short description|Greek-American businessman}} {{Multiple issues| {{Tone|date=May 2024}} {{Missing information|detailed information about Kyriakides's involvement in the cruise industry|date=May 2024}} }} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = Anastasios "Takis" Kyriakides | caption = netTALK: founder, CEO, and chairman of netTALK Maritime | alma_mater = Florida International University | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1946|12|17}} | birth_place = Athens, Greece | occupation = CEO and founder, netTALK Maritime | spouse = Maria Kyriakides<ref name="auto">{{Cite web|url=http://faq.nettalk.com/pdf/Takis_Kyriakides.pdf |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816012527/http://faq.nettalk.com/pdf/Takis_Kyriakides.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Biography of Anastasios Takis Kyriakides|archivedate=August 16, 2011}}</ref> }}
'''Anastasios "Takis" Kyriakides''' (born December 17, 1946) is a Greek-American businessman and inventor. He is the founder and chief executive officer of NT Connect Holdings Inc. Kyriakides holds several patents<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/?oq=anastasios+kyriakides|title=Google Patents|website=patents.google.com}}</ref> and has founded multiple companies, including Lexicon Corporation, Mylex Corporation, Regency Cruises Line,<ref name="Start-up tycoon">{{cite web |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-12389189.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121106001011/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-12389189.html|url-status=dead |archive-date=November 6, 2012|title=Start-up tycoon is at it again. (Anastasios Kyriakides) |work=Florida Trend|date=June 1, 1992 |last=Resnick |first=Rosalind |accessdate=May 31, 2013}}</ref> netTALK CONNECT,<ref name="Start-up tycoon"/> and netTALK Maritime.
==Biography== ===Early life and education=== Anastasios Kyriakides was born in Athens, Greece, on December 17, 1946. He later{{When|date=May 2024}} immigrated to the United States and received a Bachelor of Science degree in business from Florida International University in 1975.<ref name="auto"/>
===Career=== In the 1970s, Kyriakides invented and patented the LK3000, the first handheld language translation machine, a consumer electronics device that translated words from English into 12 different languages.<ref>{{cite web|title=United States Patent: Electronic dictionary with word length responsive decoder|url=http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect2=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-bool.html&r=1&f=G&l=50&d=PALL&RefSrch=yes&Query=PN%2F3932859 }}</ref> In 1978, he appeared as a guest on ''The Merv Griffin Show''<ref>{{cite video |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGI90IJX5Tw|type= video |title=Takis Kyriakides Guest on Merv Griffin 1978-Part 1 |accessdate=May 31, 2013}}</ref> to discuss his invention.
In 1979, Kyriakides founded the Lexicon Corporation, a NASDAQ-listed company (ticker symbol: LEX), to further develop and market the LK3000.<ref name="Start-up tycoon"/> Lexicon was ultimately acquired by Nixdorf Computer of Germany.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.popsci.com/archive-viewer?id=96m36VQHlE8C&pg=78&query=nixdorf+and+lexicon|title=Language translators – more models and new tricks|work=Popular Science|date=February 1980|last=Hawkins|first=Bill|access-date=May 18, 2011|archive-date=October 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010083348/http://www.popsci.com/archive-viewer?id=96m36VQHlE8C&pg=78&query=nixdorf+and+lexicon|url-status=dead}}</ref>
In 1983, he founded Mylex Corporation to develop and produce the first handheld optical scanner and VGA card for personal computers. He served as the company's president and chairman.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://www.alacrastore.com/storecontent/Thomson_M&A/Investor_Group_acquires_a_minority_stake_in_Mylex_Corp-15841020|title= Investor Group acquires a minority stake in Mylex Corp |date=December 2, 1986 }}</ref> Mylex stock was traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol MYLX until it became a wholly owned subsidiary of IBM.<ref>{{cite web| url=http://news.cnet.com/IBM-buys-Mylex,-beefs-up-storage-line/2100-1001_3-229089.html|title= IBM buys Mylex, beefs up storage line |publisher=CNET|date=July 28, 1999 |last=Crothers|first=Brooke }}</ref>
In 1984, Kyriakides and William Schanz founded Regency Cruises, which was listed on the NASDAQ under the ticker symbol SHIP.<ref>{{cite press release |title= Regency Cruises to purchase a 40% interest in a newly formed Panamanian company |url= http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-4299174.html|publisher= Recently Cruises, Inc. |date= July 7, 1986 |accessdate=18 May 2011}}{{dead link|date=February 2019|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> Kyriakides served as chairman and secretary, while Schanz served as president. The cruise line's fleet included, at various times, the ''Regent Jewel'', ''Regent Rainbow'', ''Regent Sea'', ''Regent Spirit'', ''Regent Star'', and ''Regent Sun''.
In January 1987, Kyriakides stepped down from his position at Regency Cruises to launch Sea Venture Cruises. He also established A.N.K. Marine Enterprises, a company that acquired passenger ships, converted them into cruise ships, and chartered them to cruise lines such as Sea Venture Cruises. A.N.K. acquired the ''Taygetos'' in June 1987, renaming it ''Sea Venture''. It subsequently acquired the ''Prinses Paola'' in March 1988, renaming it ''Tropicana''.<ref name="ShippingRegister1">{{Cite book |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=July 1989 |title=Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1990 P-Z |url=https://archive.org/details/HECROS1990PZ/page/1258/mode/2up |location=London, England |publisher=Lloyd's of London Press |page=1258 |access-date=May 12, 2024 }}</ref>{{efn|''M/V Tropicana'' ship specifications}} Sea Venture Cruises also established a subsidiary, Tropicana Cruises, to operate daily cruises from Miami to Bimini, Bahamas. In November 1988, A.N.K. acquired the ''Wawel'' passenger ferry from Polferries, renaming it ''Calypso''.<ref name="ShippingRegister2">{{Cite book |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=July 1989 |title=Lloyd's Register of Shipping 1990 A-G |url=https://archive.org/details/HECROS1990AG/page/654/mode/2up |location=London, England |publisher=Lloyd's of London Press |page=654 |access-date=May 12, 2024 }}</ref>{{efn|''SS Calypso'' ship specifications}}
In 1991, Kyriakides founded Seawind Cruise Line and served as its chairman and CEO.
Kyriakides later founded{{When|date=May 2024}} NT Connect Holdings Inc. and netTALK Maritime,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Maritime|url=https://www.nettalkmaritime.com/|access-date=2022-01-13|website=www.nettalkmaritime.com}}</ref> and presently serves as their chief executive officer. He is also the co-inventor of the netTALK DUO,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://patents.google.com/patent/US20090141708/en|title=Voip analog telephone system}}</ref> a consumer electronics VoIP device used for making telephone calls over an internet connection.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/16/nettalk-duo-does-voip-without-a-pc/?scp=1&sq=net%20talk&st=cse|title=NetTalk Duo Does VoIP Without a PC|last=Furchgott|first=Roy |date=March 16, 2011|work=The New York Times}}</ref>
==Accolades== In 1987, the Wolfson Campus at Miami Dade College in downtown Miami dedicated the Kyriakides Plaza to the family in recognition of their philanthropic support to the college.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mdc.edu/wolfson-facilities/documents/Kyriakides-Plaza-Layout.pdf|title=Kyriakides Plaza Layout - Wolfson Campus Downtown Miami}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Kyriakides Plaza Dedication-Miami Dade College 1987 Part 1 | date=December 11, 2007 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAFFuHa-3kI |language=en |access-date=2022-08-03}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Kyriakides Plaza Dedication-Miami Dade College 1987 Part 2 | date=December 11, 2007 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZeDrL0BJds |language=en |access-date=2022-08-03}}</ref><ref>{{Citation |title=Kyriakides Plaza Dedication-Miami Dade College 1987 Part 3 | date=December 12, 2007 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSlLzukv_EE |language=en |access-date=2022-08-03}}</ref>
In 2008, Kyriakides was inducted into the Miami Dade College Hall of Fame for Entrepreneurship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hall of Fame Inductees 2008 {{!}} MDC Alumni |url=https://www.mdcfoundation.com/halloffame-inductees-2008 |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=www.mdcfoundation.com}}</ref>
In 2016, Miami Dade College recognized Marisol L. Varela, Ed.D., M.S., as the recipient of the Anastasios and Maria Kyriakides Endowed Teaching Chair.{{Contradictory inline|reason=It remains unclear precisely when the 'Anastasios and Maria Kyriakides Endowed Teaching Chair' was established. Having three sentences discussing it is excessive, so it should be shortened to a sentence mentioning its creation and then another sentence, if needed, for subsequent notable (not all) appointments to the chair.|date=May 2024}}<ref>{{Cite web |last=Admin |date=2016-12-14 |title=Miami Dade College Recognizes 2016 Endowed Teaching Chairs |url=https://news.mdc.edu/2016-endowed-teaching-chairs/ |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=MDC News |language=en-US}}</ref>
In 2020, Miami Dade College announced the Anastasios and Maria Kyriakides Endowed Teaching Chair and recognized this select group of faculty as exemplary professionals.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Riera |first=Gabriel |date=2020-10-28 |title=2020 Endowed Teaching Chairs |url=https://news.mdc.edu/2020-endowed-teaching-chairs/ |access-date=2023-08-29 |website=MDC News |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2021, the college introduced Kimberly Carter as the new recipient of the Anastasios and Maria Kyriakides Endowed Teaching Chair. The Miami Dade College Endowed Teaching Chair program annually recognizes outstanding faculty who continuously strive to fulfill MDC's mission.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Admin |title=Meet the Anastasios and Maria Kyriakides Endowed Teaching Chair: Kimberly Carter |url=https://news.mdc.edu/kimberly-carter/ |access-date=2022-08-03 |website=MDC News |date=February 25, 2021 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==See also== * Regency Cruises
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.anastasioskyriakides.com/ Official website]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Kyriakides, Anastasios}} Category:1946 births Category:Living people Category:American chief executives in technology Category:Businesspeople from Miami Category:Florida International University alumni