Armenian women win recognition

More than 200 residents and local dignitaries gathered Thursday in a banquet hall at the Oakmont Country Club to honor six Armenian women who have emerged as business leaders in Glendale.

In its first year, the Armenian-American Women in Business Excellence Luncheon was a way to recognize the unique contributions of women leaders, said Armond Aghakhanian, a board member for the Armenian American Chamber of Commerce, which put on the event.

“It’s about time Armenian-American women are recognized in our community, not only as leaders in business, but in philanthropy,” he said.

The honorees represented a broad cross-section of professionals — from business to education to social services.

The event recognized Maria Mehranian, chief financial officer and managing partner of Cordoba Corp., where she orchestrates financial planning; Jasik Jarahian, accountant and controller for the Armenian Relief Society; Alice Petrossian, assistant superintendent of the Glendale Unified School District; Frieda Jordan, president and co-founder of the Armenian Bone Marrow Donor Registry; 25-year-old attorney Jeannette Yazedjian; and Rema Bandarian, owner and chief executive officer of American Microimaging, a microfilming services and equipment repair company.

“This is an exceptional group of honorees who are really leaders in the larger community and the Armenian community as well,” state Assemblyman Paul Krekorian said. “And it sends a signal to young women in the community . . . that there is no limit to what they can achieve.”

Armenian women in America tend to get mixed messages about their role in the community, said keynote speaker Keri Tombazian, host of radio station 94.7 The Wave.

While the tradition of women staying home and raising a family is deeply ingrained in Armenian culture, modern America encourages women to pursue careers, she said. But the contributions of women in both roles share equal importance, she added.

“Whatever your path . . . hold on to family and those principles that guide you so your path can be one of enlightenment,” she said.

Jarahian’s path has taken her through 45 years of charity work, she said.

“I love what I’m doing because I’m living with my people and working for my people,” she said. “I hope with this honor, I get to do an even better job for my people.”

Petrossian said she was happy to see that the Armenian American Chamber of Commerce recognized strides in education, along with the overall business community.

“As we talk about business, I want people to know about the wonderful business that we do in the schools,” she said.

The honor was also a way to spread the word about the work of the bone marrow registry, which matches blood marrow donors with patients suffering from blood disease, Jordan said.

“I feel very honored, very happy to receive this award — not as an individual, but for the cause,” she said.

Recognizing the accomplishments of Armenian women in the community can also serve as an inspiration to young Armenian women, said Bandarian, who started as a bookkeeper in the company she now runs.

“If you want to be successful, you just go for it and make it happen,” she said.

Special challenges can emerge as women strive to achieve their goals, Mehranian said.

“As with any other ethnic group, you are constantly facing obstacles,” she said. “But people need to understand that they are obstacles that can be overcome.”

Yazedjian said the event fueled her wishes to give back to a community that has given her so much.

“It’s actually inspiring to me that the chamber sees in me what they see in these other ladies — and my potential to get where they are,” she said.