Businessman wins Republican award

Karen S. Kim

BURBANK -- Burbank businessman Govind Vaghashia knows what it’s like

to run several businesses at one time.

The Burbank resident owns and manages Travelodge and Quality Inn in

Burbank, as well as Chatsworth-based Graphics Research Inc. He still has

a hand in Delta Circuits Technology in Van Nuys, a company he formerly

owned.

Vaghashia’s business success has gained him the title of 2001

Businessman of the Year, awarded by the National Republican Congressional

Committee.

“The award recognizes the top U.S. business leaders who have

successfully integrated business and financial success with the support

of Republican issues like tax cuts and debt reduction,” the committee

released in a statement.

Vaghashia serves on the committee’s Business Advisory Council which

provides support to congressmen for putting together a pro-business

agenda.

Though he’s lived in Burbank since 1973 and has owned and operated the

two hotels here since 1976, Vaghashia spends most of his time these days

managing Graphics Research.

“I diversified my portfolio when hotel industries were not doing too

well,” he said. “I bought Graphics Research when it was on the brink of

closing its doors in 1999. We turned it around, hired all the top people

and are now a $6-million business.”

Vaghashia’s former company, Delta Circuits Technology, a small,

10,000-square-foot operation, manufactured five parts for the Mars

Pathfinder. Graphics Research, a similar company that manufactures

electronics for the military, is a 45,000-square-foot facility.

“My brother is the vice president and an electronics engineer,”

Vaghashia said. “I manage it. Both our expertise in each others fields

have made this a success.”

But Vaghashia said no matter how much success he has in the

electronics business, he could never leave his interests in Burbank.

“I love it because I like people,” he said. “It’s the hotels where you

meet different people. And I love Burbank. It’s a beautiful place to

live, and it has put me where I am now.”