Join us for a special evening to celebrate the 100-year anniversary
of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church!

May 17, 2025
5:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M.

Fircrest Golf Club
1500 Regents Blvd
Fircrest, WA 98466

Ticket Cost: $100
Black Tie Optional

She passed away in 1957 and is buried in the Greek section of the Old Tacoma Cemetery.   Steve and his brother Chris started Sunday school at an early age and shortly thereafter became altar boys rarely missing a Sunday Divine Liturgy. During high school Steve played on the St. Nicholas Church basketball team for two years and although the team did not win many games, he enjoyed the camaraderie with other altar boys and Sunday school classmates outside of Church.

Steve attended Washington State University where he earned his degree in Business Administration.  He started his 41-year banking career with Rainier Bank in Olympia, Aberdeen, Puyallup, Seattle and Tacoma.  Commercial lending, which includes working with businesses and non-profits, became Steve’s passion. In 1992, Steve joined Puget Sound Bank where he had the pleasure of working with his father Laz for a year before the bank was sold and Laz retired.  In 2002 Steve had the opportunity to join Kitsap Bank based in Port Orchard as the Chief Credit Officer. In 2012 Steve was promoted to Chief Executive Officer and continues in this role today.  Since Steve joined the bank, it has grown from $400,000,000 in assets to over $1.6 billion in assets which ranks as the 13th largest bank based in Washington and is one of the largest female-owned banks in the country. Steve sets the strategic direction for the bank and believes banking is a people business, yet understands that technology is an essential part of the customer experience. In December last year, Kitsap Bank opened a new branch and commercial banking center in downtown Tacoma just down the street from St. Nicholas on the corner of 15th and Pacific.

Steve currently serves on the Board of the Admiral Theatre Foundation and as the Chair of the Finance Committee for this performing arts theater in downtown Bremerton.  He also serves as the Vice Chair of the Endowment Committee for the Bremerton Symphony.  Steve has been on the board of Pacific Coast Banking School (PCBS), a graduate banking school at the University of Washington, since 2016 and currently serves as Treasurer.   Steve’s father, Laz was a PCBS 1969 Honors Graduate and Steve was a 1995 PCBS Honors Graduate.  Steve also served on the Board of the Washington Banker’s Association and chaired the Education Committee.  Steve is a member of the Puget Sound Chapter of the Risk Management Association.  He was a board member of the Kitsap Economic Development Alliance where he served as the Chair.  Throughout his career Steve has been involved with numerous other nonprofits throughout the Puget Sound Region including United Way of Pierce County, Junior Achievement and the Tacoma Youth Symphony. 

Steve and his wife Kitty were married in 2003 and Steve welcomed a stepson Lucas Combs with the marriage.  They built their home on Fox Island the year after they were married, and he and Kitty were blessed with a son, Christopher Lazarus in 2005.  Lucas is an attorney practicing in Tacoma and his wife Eunice is a Registered Nurse with Virginia Mason.  Steve and Kitty’s son Christopher is a freshman at the University of Colorado Boulder.

The eldest daughter of immigrant grocery store owners, Maria (Mary) Koumantaros was born and raised in Tacoma, Washington. As the first in her family to earn a college degree, Mary pursued her passion for math by teaching mathematics to junior high school students for ten years. Her teaching career provided much-needed financial stability for her family, particularly as her husband (Panayotis “Pano”) launched a pension consulting firm. Mary joined the business in 1981 and played a pivotal role in growing it into a multi-million-dollar business, serving hundreds of clients. She continues to serve as a shareholder and director of the firm to this day.

After her husband's tragic passing from bladder cancer in 2005, Mary turned her focus to philanthropy, dedicating herself to supporting cancer patients and survivors. In 2006, Mary and her sons, (Petros and Yannis) founded the Pano Koumantaros Cancer Research Fund in Pano’s memory. The Fund has raised over $1.5 million to support cancer research, treatment, and care initiatives.

Mary has also served on the boards of several cancer-focused nonprofit organizations in South Puget Sound. A breast cancer survivor herself, Mary remains committed to the mission of eradicating cancer.

An active member of her community, Mary is involved with St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption, St. Nicholas Philoptochos, Daughters of Penelope, and the Rotary Club of University Place - Fircrest. She has been honored twice as Rotarian of the Year, in 2011-2012 and again in 2023-2024.

In her free time, Mary enjoys spending quality time with her family and friends.

Bobby Arkills

Bobby Arkills is a popular camp and conference speaker, having served over 30 years on staff with Youth for Christ. He is a professional MC through Stokes Auction Group and has helped organizations raise hundreds of thousands of dollars over the past 20 years.

In July 2023, Bobby transitioned out of his role as Executive Director of Tacoma Youth for Christ to start a leadership coaching business, Haystack Collaborative, and now helps draw the very best out of nonprofit and private sector leaders from across the country. He also leads peer advisory groups for Christian business leaders across the South Sound.

In his spare time he loves spending time with his two grandsons, exploring the Pacific Northwest in his travel trailer with his lovely wife, Jenelle, and playing as much pickleball as possible!