International“The 21st century should be a century of women”
Armenian American Chamber of Commerce celebrates achievements of businesswomen
Published: Saturday November 08, 2008
Judy Chu with all the nominees.
Glendale, Calif. - On October 9, the Hilton Hotel in Glendale was buzzing with excitement and anticipation as the Armenian American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) hosted its Second Annual Women in Business Excellence Luncheon.
Last year, when the groundbreaking event was launched, the AACC became the first Armenian organization to honor a group of women for their extraordinary achievements in the business sector. Given the overwhelmingly positive response of the public, AACC Chairman Vrejh Hovsepian and his fellow Board members were encouraged to develop the luncheon into an annual event.
This year the AACC honored eight women: Jessica Vartoughian, founder and CEO of Jessica Cosmetics; Alisa Asmarian, owner of Favorite Place Restaurant in Glendale; Sona Yacoubian, founder of AGBU Hye Geen; Amaly A. Avakian, principal of John Muir Elementary School; Sylvia Minassian, founder of the Arpa Foundation for Film, Music, and Art; Lisa A. Kalustian, chief deputy director of the Office of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger; and Grace and Angela Karaguezian, partners of Kirk Kara.
The event started with Judy Chu, chair of the California State Board of Equalization, handing out certificates of recognition to all the nominees for the AACC Businesswoman of the Year award.
Next to take the stage was keynote speaker Carla Garapedian, award-winning director and producer of Screamers, the 2007 documentary film on modern-day genocides and Turkey's denial of the Armenian Genocide. Garapedian began her uplifting speech by telling the story of her desire to write for the Los Angeles Times and the discouragement she encountered. "Don't ever tell an Armenian woman ‘You can't do that,'" she stressed with a chuckle. The more she was told her work would not be published, the more determined she became and ultimately succeeded in getting her article printed, Garapedian said. She went on to note her belief that Armenian women have the instinctive ability to be good salespersons. "Armenian women are hospitable and warm," she said, adding that they have a knack for "graciously yet ferociously getting their message across."
Following Garapedian's address, lunch was served and the more than 200 guests were given the opportunity to socialize and network. As a thank-you gift from the AACC and event sponsors, each guest was given a bag filled with presents from various vendors.
After lunch, the nominees were called up to the podium to accept their awards and address the audience. They all had inspiring stories to tell. It was revealed that most of the nominees are wives and mothers who balance their home lives with fulfilling business careers.
During her emotional speech, Alisa Asmarian read a poem written for her by her daughter. The piece stated the daughter's pride in her mother and deep admiration for Asmarian's ability to dedicate herself to her family while managing to run a successful restaurant. Asmarian's Favorite Place Restaurant is a small eatery that has been voted Best of Glendale in the "Most Romantic" and "Most Original" categories for the last seven years.
As the women spoke, a strong sense of pride pervaded the hall, in recognition of the fact that the nominees had not only "broken the glass ceiling" but made a positive difference in others' lives.
In her remarks, Sona Yacoubian summed up the spirit of the event with a few simple yet powerful words. "The 21st century should be a century of women," she said.
The Businesswoman of the Year award went to Jessica Vartoughian. Known as the "First Lady of Nails," she is the founder and CEO of the landmark Jessica Cosmetics. Vartoughian went into business in 1969, when she opened Jessica's Nail Salon on Hollywood's Sunset Boulevard. The salon was soon recognized as a pioneer in natural nailcare, offering unique and effective treatments, among them the Natural Nail Cultivation System, created by Vartoughian. The salon's clientele has always included A-listers such as Lucille Ball. Today Jessica Cosmetics products are distributed in over 35 countries, and Vartoughian remains at the forefront of the nailcare industry.
As the luncheon drew to a close, it was apparent that the event had been a success. Vrejh Hovsepian, who had frantically tried to help ensure flawless execution, now looked relaxed and pleased. As they trailed out, the attendees thanked him and other board members for hosting such a wonderful event and continuing to honor the achievements of outstanding women.
