He was the very successful abbot of the Philotheou Monastery on the Holy Mountain.
I've read these negative reports about Elder Ephraim and his monasteries from someone in the Chicago area. However, he has two convents in the GOAA's Holy Metropolis of Pittsburgh in which I reside, Nativity of the Theotokos in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, and Holy Protection in Weatherly, Pennsylvania. There are 20 nuns at the Weathery convent, I don't know how many there are in Saxonburg. Both convents built their own facilities. These monasteries are exemplary spiritual havens of the angelic life; they are assets to our Holy Metropolis, are supported by our recently retired Metropolitan, the clergy, and many of the faithful; a priest of our metropolis is assigned to the Saxonburg monastery. Their facilities are used for Metropolis ministries, such as retreats and lectures. The icons produced by the Weatherly convent are extraordinary. A friend of mine in Scottsdale, Arizona is close to the Elder and is most supportive of his work and the work of his St. Anthony Monastery in Florence, Arizona. One drawback, the services in Saxonburg are in Greek. Prior to the mid-1980's. the GOAA didn't even have any monasteries. My direct information about the work of his numerous monasteries is very positive.