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Mr. Kaloust Sogoian accepted the Sarafian Award at the 87th Annual Convention in Weehawken, NJ.
Mr. Sogoian, an engineer who has invented various mechanical devices which are manufactured for General Motors as original automotive equipment at the K.P. Sogoian Manufacturing Company.
Sogoian has participated actively in the Greater Detroit Armenian and civic communites for many years. He has particpated in many groups and organizations as well as served on the Boards of Trustees of the St. Sarkis Armenian Apostolic Church (Dearborn, MI) and the Detroit Institute of Arts and other organizations.
Sogoian's involvement has extended beyond the geographic vicinity of his home. He has embraced many projects in the Prelacy and the Diocese of the Armenian Church and in numerous national and international organizations.
Sogoian has made significant contributions to scholarship on Armenian manuscripts. He has collected several rare and valuable medieval illuminated Armenian manuscripts, which he has made available to scholars from universities, museums, and the Armenian Church. Furthermore, Sogoian has promoted public education about Armenian manuscripts through his support of the 1994 exhibition Treasures in heaven: Armenian Illuminated Manuscripts at the Pierpoint Morgan Library and Walters Art Gallery. Treasures was the first major US exhibit of Armenian illuminated manuscripts. After the exhibit, Sogoian pledged to fund the renovation of a museum to house Armenian manuscripts and other artifacts in Antelias.
To promote widespread knowledge of Armenian history and culture, Mr. Sogoian supported an important academic symposium on the Cilician City of Ani. This conference, held in New York City in 1993, brought together over 25 Armenian and non-Armenian scholars from around the world. He has supported other seminars.
Mr. Sogoian donated Armenian paintings and artifacts to the Armenian Church, requesting that they be distributed to many locations in order to be seen by members of the Armenian communities around the world. Mr. Sogoian and his wife, the former Emma Tabibian, were named Prince and Princess of Cilicia, the only married couple ever to receive the award, by His Holiness Catholicos Karekin II (who is now Catholicos Karekin I) and bestowed by Archbishop Mesrob Ashjian.
Mr. Sogoian has consistently worked to promote the welfare of Armenia. For example, during the Soviet regime, he presented Mrs. Gorbachov with a valuable Slavonic manuscript as a gift from the Armenians, asking that she promote bridges of trust and peace with the Armenians. He funded a foreign studies fellowship at the University of Michigan for international student exchange. He is building a school for 400 students and homes for 50 families in the village of Talish in Karabakh. He furnished a room at the Armenian Mission to the United Nations in New York. Currently, he is formulating a program to promote business development and economic prosperity in the Caucasus Region.
Ms. Linda Kirishjian, President of the ASA Central Executive Committee, said, "It is both a joy and an honor to know that Armenian people such as Mr. Sogoian are on the face of this Earth helping the Armenian community in such a positive manner by highlighting the Armenian spirit."
Dean Shahinian, Esq., Chairman of the Sarafian Award Committee, said, "Mr. Sogoian demonstrates the qualities of a good citizen in his local community, in the United States and internationally. His multifaceted activities and contributions have been characterized by a genuine concern to educate people about Armenian culture and to promote the welfare of Armenia and Armenians as well as his community. He has worked diligently, creatively and selflessly."
Haikaz M. Grigorian receives ASA Sarafian Award at the 86th Annual ASA Convention in Philadelphia, PA.
The ASA is proud to present the 1995 Sarafian Award to Dr. Haikaz M. Grigorian. Dr. Haikaz Grigorian is well-known as a community leader with years of devotion to the Armenian Community and with unparalleled vision of understanding and repairing our immediate past history, the Armenian Genocide. A practicing psychiatrist and a professor of psychiatry by profession, he has contributed his professional expertise to the Armenian dispoaran experience on many levels. He has made use of every opportunity to introduce Armenian socio-cultural aspects to the world professional community.
Dr. Grigorian has many accomplishments in his profession. He maintains a Professional Practice. has been affiliated numerous hospitals, Professor at various medical schools and a member of numerous professional organizations. Furthermore, he has been a leader or director of a department in many of these institutions. His contributions have extended to publications in medical journals, too. He is a member of the Advisory Committee for the Special Services School District in Bergen County, NJ since 1988. He has trained psychiatrists and other mental health professionals from the US and Armenia; one former trainee translated an American textbook of psychiatry into Persian and dedicated it to Dr. Grigorian. He participated in the White House Conference on Ethnicity and Mental Health in 1978 and was a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging in 1981.
Dr. Haikaz Grigorian has made major contributions to the Armenian community. He is the Co-founder of the Armenian Assembly of America in Washington, D.C. in 1972. He served as Co-chairman from 1972 to 1974. He was Founder of The Diaspora Foundation, Incorporated in 1985 and has been its President to the present. The purpose of this foundation is to provide funding to conduct research on Armenians in the Diaspora. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Land and Culture Organization since 1988. Also, he has been a member of the Board of Trustees of Sts. Vartanantz Armenian Church in Ridgefield New Jersey from 1991 to 1993. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Armenian Home for the Aged, Emerson, NJ, 1994 to present.
Dr. Grigorian has used his training to help the Armenian community and educate the American Community about our history. He has lectured and written about the psychological sequelae of the Armenian Genocide and he introduced the concept of denial of genocide as a human rights violation. He examined and testified as an expert witness in Federal Court in Los Angeles about the effect of the Armenian Genocide on a grandchild. He has lectured and written on the Armenian Genocide at the "International Conference on the Holocaust and Genocide," Tel Aviv in 1982. He is the author of a chapter entitled "Armenian Earthquake" in a book published by the American Psychiatric Association on "Natural Disasters," 1992.
Dr. Grigorian has used his professional training to assist Armenia by traveling there one month after the earthquake to study the needs of the area on behalf of the Land and Culture Organization. He is a member of the Psychiatric Outreach Program for Armenia since 1989. Also, he was Chairman of the Medical Board for AGBU Medical Outreach for Earthquake Victims from 1990 to 1991. He has lectured in New Jersey Medical Schools on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and the Armenian Earthquake.
Recently, Haikaz Grigorian has been recognized for his achievements. In 1994 President Levon Ter-Petrosian of Armenia bestowed upon him Recognition for Humanitarian Services. Also, in 1995 he was the recipient of Recognition from the Armenian American Society for Studies on Stress and Genocide. These awards are just some samples of his work. Dr. Haikaz Grigorian has strengthened Armenians in the Armenian and American Community.
Tom Vartabedian receives ASA Sarafian Award at the 85th Annual ASA Convention in Newport, RI.
The ASA is proud to present the 1994 Sarafian Award to Tom Vartabedian. He has been dedicated to the youth, the church and the Armenian and American communities by strengthening the Armenian identity.
Tom Vartabedian has been a very active member of the St. Gregory Church of North Andover. He has served as the director of the Armenian School for over twenty years. He was selected Armenian School Principal of the year by the Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of North America. Often he has gone beyond teacher by involving himself in youngsters personal lives and developing them into better Armenians. He has helped with their learning, written countless letters of reference and encouraged his students to bring Armenian into the American classroom. He has initiated several cultural programs geared toward enrichment of the community, especially the youth. Also, Tom Vartabedian has served as a member of the Board of Trustees at the church for 10 consecutive two-year terms. He has served as an Advisor for the Lowell Chapter of the Armenian Youth Federation for over the past 15 years. His primary role was to guide the membership on a variety of projects dealing with Armenian life, most notably on the education side.
He has lectured throughout New England at churches and organizations on subjects dealing with Armenian architecture, religion, the role of the Armenian family and the Genocide of 1915. Tom Vartabedian approached Northern Essex Community College who sponsored a Holocaust program to include a program on the Armenian Genocide. The genocide received equal billing with several programs presented on Armenians educating the Armenian and American communities about this event. As a member of the Lowell chapter of the Armenian National Committee, he has initiated and helped develop a variety of commemorations in observance of Armenian Martyrs' Day. Through his efforts, he organized the first pan-Armenian observance in the Merrimack Valley to mark the 75th commemoration of the Genocide. He brought together various churches, political parties and service groups in a joint effort to sponsor this event. The event has marked a major step toward unity and resulted in a combined church service and concert attended by more than 700 individuals. The event is held annually with continued strong support from the community.
As a newspaper journalist, Tom Vartabedian has written an Almanac column in the Armenian Weekly since 1960 with stories about homespun humor and Armenian life. He has been a feature writer, columnist and photographer for The Haverhill Gazette. He has used his position to promote the Armenian cause and spotlight Armenians in the press. He has won the UPI Award for feature photography twice and the AP Award for weather photography. In 1980 he received the National Easter Seals Society Communication Award for Handicapped Awareness. Also, in 1980 he received the Massachusetts House of Representatives Citation for photographic excellence. He received the Essex County Conservation Photo Contest Award in 1981. In 1983 he was the Photographic Society of America competition winner. He received the Sword of Hope Award from the state for articles dealing with the fight against cancer. These awards are just some samples of his work.
Eva Medzorian receives ASA Sarafian Award at the 84th Annual ASA Convention in Tarrytown, NY.
Her contributions to the community have mainly been in human rights and political awareness as well as in the arts. She has served as founder, officer and member of many organizations.
Eva Medzorian organized an aid project in America for Armenia called "Armenia Medical Fund" (1984-88). This fund provided an ultra sound scanner to Shtab Oknootuin (emergency hospital in Nork region of Yerevan; an air monitor to measure air pollution (care of Yuri Abovian, State Environmental Lab); a portable EKG taken by her for the Emergency Cardiac Hospital (care of Director Dr. Alexandrian); and antibiotics and medicine that were sent on December 8, 1988, the day after the earthquake. Also, she coordinated the AGBU New England District earthquake relief effort and collected approximately one half million dollars.
Mrs. Medzorian was chairperson of the Sahag Mesrob Armenian School of St. James in Watertown from 1976 to 1980. This school was one of the largest in the US with 150 students attending twice a week or on saturday. Her efforts resulted in equipping a resource center for teachers and children. She served as the first vice president of the Cambridge Yerevan Sister City Association (CYSCA) from 1987 to 1990. In 1988 she was appointed chairperson of the AGBU New England District Committee by President Louise Simone. Mrs. Medzorian organized two new AGBU Chapters. Also, she is the founding president of the Armenian International Women's Association (AIWA) from 1990 to 1992. Finally, she has been a member of the Armenian Assembly and The Armenian Library and Museum Association.
Mrs. Medzorian has been very active in organizing cultural and performing arts events for the community. In 1975 she was chairperson of the Winchester, MA three day Grand International Festival involving 23 different countries. In 1977 she founded the Armenian Performing Artists of Boston which consisted of 25 local professional and amateur musicians. The group performed concerts and wrote music. Also, she produced a professional music album "Nor Janabar" (New Highway) in 1979 where she composed two of the songs.
She was appointed by AGBU President Louise Simone in 1987 to organize the New England performance of the State Choir of Yerevan, with its 100 voice Choral directed by world famous Hovhannes Checkijian, visit to Boston Symphony Hall. She made a musical recording on archive tape (1989) in Yerevan which was broadcast via short wave worldwide from the Armenia radio station. She organized the "First Armenian Film Festival at Harvard University for CYSCA in 1989. Finally, in 1991 she produced a short historical play for the Knights of Vartan.
Mrs. Medzorian numerous travels to Armenia have allowed her to produce a number of documentaries:
"Crisis in Armenia" (English Sub titles), 30 minutes, 1989 "Eyewitness to Karabagh" (English Voice Over), 30 minutes, 1991
"Nargano Karabagh, A Quest for Human Rights" (Prologue by Prof. Dennis Papazian) 25 minutes, February 1992
"Armenian Struggle for Survival, Refugees" (Prologue Dr. Gregory Adamian) 20 minutes, December 1992
Also, she was the New England chairperson of the Armenian Life March organized by the Armenian Community Council in Fresno, Ca. This demonstration occurred from March 3 to 6, 1990 in Washington, D.C. This is only one example of her participation as a leader for a just cause. Recently, she is the founder of the newly established grass roots organization Americans for Armenia's Survival which had their first annual "Walk for Armenia" on June 13, 1993 with a program and concert on the Cambridge Common.
Dr. Elizabeth A. Gregory receives ASA Sarafian Award at the 83rd Annual ASA Convention in Falmouth, MA.
Originally from Bridgewater and Chelsea Massachusetts, Dr. Gregory has been a long time resident of Arlington, MA. She graduated Bates College in 1938 and was the only female in her class to complete the pre-medical course of study. She received her medical degree from Boston University in 1942, and then became a pediatrician establishing an office in 1945 in Arlington.
Dr. Gregory is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatrics. She has treated over 10,000 children in her 43 years of practice. Also, she has played an influential role for some of her patients to pursue careers in medicine. She has been a member of the Harvard Medical School faculty and is the co-founder of the Armenian American Medical Association with Dr. Paul Barsam and the late Dr. Joseph Mazmanian. Dr. Gregory served as Trustee of Bates College in the 1950's.
Dr. Gregory has made significant contributions outside her profession as well. She is a founding member of the National Association of Armenian Studies and Research (NAASR). She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association and a member Board of Directors of the National Center for Genocide Studies. She has even contributed to the arts as a member of the Board of Directors of the Longy School of Music and Friends of Armenian Culture Society, and co-producer of the Armenian weekly radio show on WCRB (1977-92). Finally, she is advisor to the Armenian Health Alliance and formerly local coordinator for Medical Outreach after the Earthquake.
Dr. Gregory has been recognized for her accomplishments. The Arlington Board of Selectman and the Governor of Massachusetts proclaimed April 9, 1989 as Elizabeth A. Gregory Day for 43 years of pediatric practice in Arlington. She received the Arlington Chamber of Commerce Award in 1990 for service to the town. Recently she received the Humanitarian Award from the Boston University School of Medicine in May 1992 and Woman of the Year honor from the Zonta clubs in May 1992.
Dr. Gregory has stated "My father was way ahead of his time. He felt that a girl should have the same education as a boy, and that all of us should go into service professions of some kind. As an immigrant, he had the idea that education was the most important thing you could have because no one could take it away from you."
John Baronian receives ASA Sarafian Award at the 81st Annual ASA Convention in Danvers, MA.
Originally from Worcester John Baronian has been a long time resident of Medford. Upon his completion of military service, he entered Tufts University where he became actively involved in many organizations.
His most noted involvement was as a four year letterman in Varsity Football during the years 1946-1949. His accomplishments were recognized by naming the Outstanding Lineman Awards in his honor.
He successfully transferred his high enthusiasm in college to his professional career. He received numerous awards, like the New England Distinguished Salesman's Award, because he was one of the top insurance salesmen in the country.
For over 40 years he has served Tufts University in every possible capacity. To highlight a few, he was elected President of the Tufts University Alumni Association for two years and Alumni Trustee for ten years. Upon completion of these terms, he was elected Trustee Emeritus and is currently a member of the Board of Overseers. Also, he is the founder of the Tufts Jumbo Club, the largest Alumni group at Tufts.
His achievements in the American Community have not deterred his concerns and interests in Armenian Community activities. Along with his active involvement in his church and cultural activities, he is a founder of the Friends of Armenian Culture Society and a Trustee of the Armenian Assembly. He has been a member and supporter of many other Armenian organizations which are too numerous to list.
He has taken a personal interest with the Armenian Youth, playing an active role in helping them achieve their personal goals, especially education which exemplifies the virtues for which ASA stands. He has been counselor, guide, and friend, an ever present source of support and encouragement for the Armenian and American Communities.
John Baronian is a man of uncommon generosity and energy. As a fitting tribute to such a man the John Baronian Athletic Field House at Tufts University was erected in his honor. This was made possible by many Tufts Alumni as well as the the Armenian and American Communities. A Testimonial Banquet in 1983 lead to the groundbreaking of the field house in 1985. The field house serves as a facility for officials and teams involved with outdoor athletic sports and a meeting place for the Tufts Armenian Club.
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