New Hampshire lost one of its great leaders when Attorney Kimon S. Zachos, a senior shareholder of Sheehan Phinney Bass + Green in Manchester, died of a heart attack Dec. 31, 2014, at the age of 84.
In addition to a nearly 50-year legal career—a practice that encompassed corporate, banking and estate planning law, the Concord-born Zachos donated his time and talent to business, civic and cultural organizations in the Granite State.
In the 1960s, Zachos served as a White House Fellow as a special assistant to U.S Attorney General Katzenbach, traveling with Katzenbach to Selma, Ala., in support of voter registration rights in 1965. He also served in the NH House of Representatives from 1969 through 1974, where he was Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Majority Leader and Deputy Speaker.
He was a trustee and president of the board of the Currier Museum of Art, where he led efforts to build two new wings, and a trustee of Southern NH University, helping it to grow from small community college to national university. He was a former chairman of the NH Charitable Fund, a former director of Havenwood Retirement Community, a trustee of St. George Greek Orthodox Cathedral and former president of the Manchester YMCA. He served as director of Hitchiner Manufacturing, New England Telephone Co., Merchants Bank, First NH Bank, the Bank of Ireland and Citizens Bank.
His long list of accolades include Lawyer of the Year, Citizen of the Year, Distinguished Citizen Award, Leadership Award for Business in the Arts, Lifetime Achievement Award by the Business and Industry Association, the Good Samaritan Award for public service in 2014 and a Granite State Legacy Award. He was named one of the Best Lawyers in America for trusts and estates by Woodward White and a New England Super Lawyer.
He was also named Business Leader of the Year by Business NH Magazine and the NH Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives in 1994. In the 1994 article, Zachos credited many people with helping him on his path from an impoverished family to a successful attorney, and forming his commitment to give back to others. “I give so much because I owe so much, like the opportunities this city, this state and this country have given to me. I give back just a little bit of what I had,” he told Business NH Magazine in 1994.
According to his obituary, Zachos leaves behind his wife of 55 years, Anne; his daughters Ellen, Elizabeth and Sarah; five grandsons, Jacob, William, Solon, Nicholas and Nathan; and his brother, James. He also leaves a legacy of leadership and stewardship.
Memorial donations may be made to the Kimon S. Zachos Acquisition Fund at the Currier Museum of Art, 150 Ash St., Manchester 03104. To read his full obituary, visit http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/concordmonitor/obituary.aspx?n=kimon-stephen-zachos&pid=173719190&fhid=4703.
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