UMD Advisory Council

Peter Dallas is a first generation American of Macedonian descent from both parents and was raised in the Capital District region of New York State. His mother and father are from Gevgelija, Macedonia and Goumenja (currently known as Goumenissa) in Aegean Macedonia, respectively.

He is a graduate of Syracuse University where he earned his degree as an economics major and finance minor. After completing his education, he became associated with Francis I. DuPont & Co., a major investment banking firm at their Wall Street corporate headquarters. He managed the investment accounts of individuals as well as institutional and public clientele.

After returning to upstate New York, Peter helped to establish the first development effort at Russell Sage College, one of the few remaining women’s colleges in the United States. His prime responsibility was the development and implementation of investment instruments such as unitrusts, charitable remainder trusts and a pooled income fund for wealthy alumnae and other donors.

Over the years, he also engaged in various real estate transactions. Currently, he operates his own real estate investments in New York and Florida.

Peter is married to Rosemary (Mia) Thomas and they have two children. His daughter is a graduate of Tufts University and received a Master’s degree from State University of New York. She is a magna cum laude graduate of the School of Veterinarian Medicine of Ohio State University and is in private practice. His son is a summa cum laude graduate of Princeton University and studied at Oxford University. He received his PhD at the University of California (Berkeley) and was a post doctoral Fellow at Harvard University and a Fulbright Scholar. He is a college professor.

Peter became concerned about the erosion of our Macedonian identity because of assimilation into other cultures and through intermarriage. He was especially bothered to find many of our youth have abandoned their heritage.

He was motivated to develop an international program known as Macedonian Heritage Village. Its purpose is to bring Macedonian youth from around the world to the Republic for three weeks during the summer months. While there, they are immersed in an Internship work program that complements their academic and career goals or general interest. They live with a host family (non-relatives) who they never met before. The host family must have at least one child the approximate age of the overseas participant. Most importantly, they meet and work side by side with other overseas youth and with native youth for the benefit of the people of Macedonia. One of the program’s prime objectives is to have participants develop friendships and connections with one another and with native youth that will last a lifetime.

At the invitation of the United Macedonian Diaspora, Peter merged the Macedonian Heritage Village program into the UMD network. The result is an expanded, international program which has become BIRTHRIGHT MACEDONIA. Since its establishment, the program has hosted young Macedonian adults from the United States, Canada, Australia and Europe.

Peter calls on all Macedonian youth throughout the world to assert their Macedonian Heritage and declare their Macedonian identity. He urges them to go to Macedonia through the Birthright Macedonia program and assist in the development and progress of our ancestral homeland.

He fervently believes the future of Macedonia and the future of the Macedonian people lies with our youth.