SARKIS AND ALIN NOURIAN ADD A TOUCH OF CLASS TO NAVASARTIAN GAMES
Friday, July 12th, 2013
2013 Honorary Presidents, Sarkis and Alin Nourian.
BY DONIG L. DONABEDIAN
As Homenetmen followers, we know well what’s entailed in producing
generation after generation of exemplary citizens. As willing
volunteers, we excel in putting our best foot forward to get
things done selflessly. Often, we forget to stop, take a breath,
and look around us. This year, though, it’s different and it’s
special. We can take a step back and admire the organizational
big picture. This year’s Navasartian games have been graced by a
young couple, Honorary Presidents, whose respectability would compel
anyone to stop unwittingly and take notice. Sarkis and Alin Nourian,
this year’s Honorary Presidents, shone at the center of Homenetmen’s
universe, the Navasartian Games.
Well known for their unbridled support of the Armenian American
Community, Sarkis and Alin have been part of this community since
early childhood.
Born in Beirut, Lebanon, to Krikor and Jeannette Nourian, Sarkis
was the youngest of four siblings, Natalie, Peter and Caroline,
with Natalie being the eldest of them all. Sarkis grew up in a very
close knit family. His father, himself, an avid Homenetmen Member
and Honorary President of the games in 1978, 1980 and 1983 in Beirut
Lebanon, has been in the construction business in Beirut, Lebanon,
for many decades. Jeannette, his beloved mother, now passed away,
was a homemaker and strict disciplinarian. She was, if you will,
the school after the school.
Sarkis began his early childhood education in nursery at Mkhitarian,
followed by Aksor Kassardjian (’73-’75), where he left after 2nd grade
and joined Khanamirian as an elementary school student from 1975 to
1976. Logos English School, British Curriculum, in Cyprus (’76-’86),
would be his final stop until he graduated high School, proceeded
by his subsequent move to the U.S. in 1987 where he embarked on a
career in Jewelry Manufacturing and joined the much vaunted Armenian
Jewelers Association in 1997, where today he is its Vice-Chairman.
Before his eventual move to the U.S., Sarkis Nourian’s family life as
staunch supporters of the Armenian Community was a common thing. As a
result of his family’s fervent involvement in Armenian Organizations,
it was a natural fit for Sarkis to be involved from early on. His first
involvement in Karekin Njteh’s Badanegan ranks in 1976 propelled him
to join the Akhpalian Chapter’s AYF ranks for 10 years, from 1976 to
1985. In the meantime, in Lebanon, Sarkis was a Homenetmen Scout from
1974 to 1982. Once in the U.S., Sarkis joined the Homenetmen South Bay
Arakadz Chapter as an Executive Committee Member in 1990, and has been
there ever since. It didn’t stop there. His unabashed love for his
community transcended all else in those days, and because of that he
has been in the ARF’s ranks since 1991 and was even a member of the ANC
from 1992-1994. His deep involvement in all matters Armenian drove him
to a path that would make his life complete, meeting his future partner
in life and soul mate, Alin, whom he met in 1990 and married in 1996.
Alin Baghasarian was born in Beirut, Lebanon, to Hovhanness and Ardemis
Baghasarian. Alin moved to the United States with her family in 1974
when she was two years old. She has two older siblings, Hagop and
Antranig. They first moved to Hollywood and lived there for five years
where Alin went to Alex Pilibos Armenian School until 2nd grade, and
eventually ended up moving to Montebello where she went to Mesrobian
Armenian School until her graduation from high school in 1989.
In 1995 Alin graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a degree in Accounting
and worked for the family’s jewelry manufacturing and retail business
which had roots in Beirut, Lebanon.
Much like Sarkis, Alin came from a close knit family as well, with
deep Armenian roots and pride in her heritage. Her father was involved
in Homenetmen Montebello as an Executive Committee Member and was
on the Board of Trustees of Holy Cross Armenian Apostolic Church as
well as the Mesrobian School’s Support Committee. Alin, being an avid
supporter of the Armenian American Community’s causes, was herself
a Scout Khoumpabed Leader in Homenetmen Montebello from 1985 to 1988.
After getting married in 1996, both Sarkis and Alin built a wonderful
home life together and have three beautiful children. Talar, 13 years
of age and twins Rita and Hovig, 8 years of age are the pulses that
beat their hearts and their “raison d’etre” in life.
While both work very hard to enjoy their successful and fruitful life,
their lives are immeasurably enriched by being surrounded by their
children and families. At every chance they get, they travel and delve
into hobbies they enjoy. Sarkis particularly likes to hunt, go fishing
and ride motorcycles; hobbies he enjoyed while growing up in Lebanon.
Sarkis and Alin Nourian draw their inspiration from their children on
whose futures they are completely focused and committed. They intend
to pass on their heritage and culture as Armenians and community
leaders to their wonderful children in order for them to keep it
alive at home as well as in the community.
Both Sarkis and Alin exude compassion, humanity, and responsibility,
in demeanor and in action, and find it a priority to support the
future generations of Armenian youth. They intend to preserve and
nurture their heritage, remaining true to the teachings and values of
their families, in order to leave behind a legacy that their children
and others may follow.
Homenetmen’s future looks bright as Sarkis and Alin Nourian add a
touch of class and ignite our passion for Homenetmen while gracing
this year’s Navasartian Games and Victory Banquet as Honorary
Presidents. What makes it even brighter is the fact that they are a
young and successful couple, and focused on Homenetmen’s traditional
path of “making history and not living in it.”
As custom has always dictated, the Homenetmen Western United States
Regional Executive Committee hosted its annual Navasartian Victory
Banquet on Saturday, June 29th, at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium
with 750 guests, Homenetmen members and supporters and community
leaders present to enjoy the lavish banquet. A very tasteful event,
where Sarkis and Alin Nourian, as well as this year’s Exemplary
Homenetmenagan, Zareh Ekmekjian, were given awards for their unfettered
dedication to Homenetmen over many decades. The banquet’s entertainer,
the much loved, Harout Pamboukjian, had saved his best for the
beautiful occasion and delivered as expected, keeping the crowd
thoroughly entertained until the event’s conclusion.
http://asbarez.com/111440/sarkis-and-alin-nourian-add-a-touch-of-class-to-navasartian-games/