Tribune Excerpts
The following article appeared in the March 2005 Edition of the Macedonian Tribune
Vlasho Donates Many Pieces to MPO Library & Museum
By, Virginia Surso
Lou Vlasho is a Macedonian who wears many hats. In the early 1990s when the Republic of Macedonia broke away from Yugoslavia, he jumped right in to help teach Western methods to Eastern-educated bookkeepers. Each year he spent a few months in Macedonia sharing his knowledge. For his work, he was recognized by the Institute of Management Accountants.
On these-trips he developed deep friendships that have led him to other endeavors.
One of these people eventually became the President of Macedonia, and so Lou became a confidante of the late Boris Trajkovski. They shared a deep religious conviction. Today, Lou serves on the advisory board of the Boris Trajkovski Foundation.
Lou also met an Eastern Orthodox priest head of the church at Radovis. The two developed an exchange program between the young people of the priest's church and the Methodist Church Lou attends in Naples. From this association, a youth group was established in Macedonia patterned after the one in Naples. In the past few years this program has blossomed.
His business connections led to the establishment of a scholarship for Macedonian undergraduate students to earn an MBA at Ohio University, Athens, Lou's alma mater.
This program led to Global Competitiveness, a Joint Student Consulting Project in Macedonia. In 2003, 14 executive MBAs from OU were in Macedonia to team up with 25 students from St. Cyril and Methodius University to work in eight companies solving real problems.
Recently, some of Lou's material was added to the growing collections of books and artifacts in the MPO Library and Museum. The items include a tie given to him by President Trajkovski, a map of Lerin with all the localities printed in English, posters of ethnic costumes by region; a book of weapons used through the ages in Macedonia, icons, tapes, CDs, videos and many more pieces too numerous to mention.
Lou was born at Canton, 0., where he grew up. His parents, the late Ziso and Tina Vlasho, immigrated there from the village of Breznitsa, where his brother Steve, who now lives in Massillon, was born. Their younger sister Christine lives in Scottsdale. Lou's son Vince lives with his family in Alexandria, while his other son Steve lives in the Los Angeles area. Lou and his wife Pat live in Naples, Fla., where he is vice-president of a company that owns and operates four restaurants. All members of the management team are Macedonian.
