GLENDALE—The Armenian National Committee of America, Glendale Chapter (ANCA-Glendale) has issued its endorsement of Paula Devine and Vartan Gharpetian for the two City Council seats up for election on April 7. The ANCA-Glendale also endorsed incumbents Dr. Vahe Peroomian and Tony Tartaglia for re-election to the Glendale City College Board of Trustees.
The organization’s recommendations for the two seats on the Glendale Unified School District Board of Education as well as the four ballot measures will be announced next week.
Prior to initiating its endorsement process, the ANCA- Glendale researched and participated in City Council, GUSD Board of Education, and GCC Board of Trustee meetings to gauge the most pressing issues currently impacting Glendale’s residents. To best compliment this effort, the ANCA-Glendale also consulted with other community organizations and individuals active in civic affairs in the City.
“This upcoming election cycle is one that will directly impact the way we will elect our representatives to the City Council and GCC Board of Trustees,” stated the ANCA-Glendale Chairman Artin Manoukian. “We believe our endorsements best represent the candidates whose experiences and commitment to public service will empower the civilians to guide the future of Glendale.”
The endorsed candidates have worked closely with the ANCA- Glendale on issues concerning the Armenian Community and improving the quality of life for all residents.
Aside from her current tenure as a City Council incumbent, Paula Devine currently serves on the advisory board of the Desi Geestman Foundation, an organization that provides financial assistance to children and their families in dealing with cancer and also participates as an advisory board member of the Glendale Adventist Medical Center Foundation. Devine is a board member of the Glendale Police Foundation, Vice President of the Soroptimist International of Glendale which provides women and girls in our community, and has previously served as the Chair of the Commission on the Status of Women.
Since 2004 Vartan Gharpetian has served on three different City commissions including the Design Review Board Commission; Parks, Recreation & Community Services Commission; and most recently the Historic Preservation Commission. Gharpetian is engaged in numerous community initiatives including his demonstrated leadership as the Vice President of the Davidian and Mariamian Educational Foundation, a former member of the Glendale Adventist Medical Center Foundation Board, and the Vice-President of the California Armenian American Democrats.
The GCC Board of Trustee incumbents Dr. Peroomian and Mr. Tartaglia have previously been endorsed by the ANCA-Glendale. They have maintained a close working relationship with the ANCA- Glendale and been responsive to issues of concern to Armenian-American students and residents.
Dr. Vahe Peroomian is the current President of the GCC Board of Trustees and has served the board since his appointment in 2005 and reelection in 2007. Peroomian has resided in Glendale for over thirty years and holds his Ph.D. in physics from the University of California at Los Angeles where he also teaches in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Tony Tartaglia is currently the Vice President of the GCC Board of Trustees. Tartaglia is involved on many boards and organizations in Glendale including the Glendale Parks, Recreation, and Community Service Commission, the Glendale Chamber of Commerce, and the Verdugo Woodlands West Homeowners Association. He is a Public Affairs Manager for the Southern California Gas Company and particularly assisted the public affairs issues that impact the cities of Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena, and other surrounding communities.
For more information or if you are interested in getting involved, please contact ANCA-Glendale Community Outreach Coordinator Tigranna Zakaryan directly at Tigranna@ANCAGlendale.org or call 818.243-3444
The ANCA-Glendale advocates for the social, economic, cultural, and political rights of the city’s Armenian American community and promotes increased civic participation at the grassroots and public policy levels.