WASHINGTON–DC–The National Organization of Republican Armenia’s has applauded the appointment by President George W. Bush of Joseph Bogosian to a senior position in his Administration–making Bogosian the highest-ranking Armenian American serving in the US government.
As Deputy Assistant Secretary at the US Commerce Department in the International Trade Administration–Bogosian will handle trade development and related issues for the aerospace–automotive and capital equipment industry sectors.
Prior to joining the Administration–Bogosian–an attorney–worked as a federal public affairs consultant with the Washington–DC offices of McGuire Woods. He was involved as well in a broad range of civic and political activities–most notably the leadership role that he played in organizing young professionals–Armenian Americans–and Florida voters in support of the Bush-Cheney campaign.
As co-founder of Young Professionals for Bush (YP4W)-a grassroots networking and fundraising organization-Bogosian helped raise over $400,000 through low-dollar contributions from $25 to $250. As a member of the Republican National Committee’s Victory 2000 Marshals Program–he worked in Florida to assist the Bush-Cheney and US Rep. Clay Shaw campaigns in Dade–Broward and Palm Beach Counties in Florida. In this capacity–he also led the efforts to organize the Armenian American communities in those three counties to create phone banks and initiate "Get-Out-The-Vote" efforts.
Bogosian’s leadership in organizing Florida’s 20,000 citizens of Armenian heritage is credited with helping to tip the closely contested Sunshine State and national electoral balance in favor of the Bush-Cheney ticket. In a poll of Florida’s registered Armenian voters conducted two days following the election–NORA found that over 80 percent of both Republican and Democratic Armenian voters were either "influenced" or "heavily influenced" by the Clinton-Gore Administration’s opposition to last year’s Armenian Genocide resolution. For several years leading up to the 2000 election–NORA had engaged in widespread grassroots efforts to educate Florida’s Armenian community about the Clinton-Gore Administration’s record of opposing Armenian American issues. Bogosian’s energetic outreach and voter education helped produce record-high voter turnout among the Armenian population–delivering several thousand critically important votes to the Bush-Cheney campaign.
"I am very honored by this appointment and continue to grow in pride and admiration for President Bush–the First Lady–and this Administration. I very much look forward to serving the President–the Commerce Department–and the American people in this important position," said Bogosian. "As our current young generation grows–I am confident that we will notice ever greater involvement in civic and public life."
"We are extremely proud of Joe for all that he has accomplished and for the tremendous role model that he represents for so many young Armenia’s who are involved in the civic and political life of our great nation," said NORA Chairwoman Melanie Kerneklian. "Joe is an exceptionally talented and motivated individual who will do an excellent job of serving the United States and the American people in this position."