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Adventist Church selects Doukmetzian as General Counsel
ARM VP, former general counsel for church in Canada to replace outgoing Kyte
6 Apr 2009, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States
Ansel Oliver/ANN
The Seventh-day Adventist Church’s Executive Committee yesterday voted
Karnik Doukmetzian, a vice president of Adventist Risk Management with more
than 25 years of legal experience, to lead its Office of General Counsel at
the church’s world headquarters.
"I’m looking forward to working with each of you and with President Jan
Paulsen as we work to protect the interests of the church," he told the
Executive Committee.
Doukmetzian replaces Robert E. Kyte, who served in the post for four years
and has accepted the position of General Counsel for Healthwise, a nonprofit
consumer health education company in Boise, Idaho. Kyte previously served as
outside counsel for the company for 15 years while in private practice.
The Office of General Counsel currently employs five attorneys to offer
legal advice for entities at the world headquarters. Major areas include
tax, pension, religious liberty, employment, immigration law and litigation.
Doukmetzian, 54, was born in Greece and raised in Canada. He earned his law
degree from the University of Windsor in Ontario, Canada in 1982. He
subsequently represented insurance companies in private practice and served
as general counsel and director of Public Affairs and Religious Liberty for
the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Canada.
Doukmetzian has served Adventist Risk Management for 12 years, first as
claims counsel, and the past eight as vice president, overseeing the
church’s insurance companies, claims services and captive brokerage.
"His impact within this company has been tremendous over the years," ARM
president Robert Sweezy said. "This is a great opportunity for him to
further serve the church and do what he likes best, and that is to protect
the church in every way possible."
Kyte, the outgoing General Counsel, said Doukmetzian’s experience has
prepared him well for the new appointment.
"It was a pleasure working with him at ARM and I believe he will bring
energy, focus and practicality through Christian principles to the office,"
Kyte said.
After college, Doukmetzian contemplated attending law school in the United
States and sought advice from the most senior of the Canadian Adventist
attorneys. "Go to law school and use your talents to serve the church," he
was told. There were only four Adventist lawyers in the county at the time.
Doukmetzian is licensed to practice law in both Canada and the United
States. He said he plans to transition to his new post in May.
He is married to Loida Cortez Doukmetzian, a school teacher in the
Washington D.C. area. They have one son, Joseph.
The Executive Committee voted his appointment during Spring Meeting, one of
two annual business meetings of the Adventist world church.