PASADENA, CA–Members of the Armenian National Committee of Pasadena (ANC Pasadena) met with longtime Pasadena Mayor Bill Bogaard on Tuesday July 7 to discuss a broad range of issues impacting the local Armenian American community. ANC Pasadena Chairman Manuel Marselian led the meeting and was joined by Board Members Suzanne Berberian, Cindy Tertarian, Donig Donabedian and Raffi Hamparian.
Following the meeting, ANC Pasadena Chairman Manuel Marselian noted that, “tonight we had an opportunity to brief him on over a dozen outstanding issues and developments impacting our community. He is deeply interested in the welfare of our community and is committed to partnering with the ANC to build a better and stronger City of Pasadena.”
During the meeting a number of issues were raised, including, Armenian American community participation in the 2010 Census, the upcoming opening of the new Armenian Center on Foothill Boulevard, the status of the City’s Master Plan, and planning for future events in partnership with the City of Pasadena and the Armenian community.
In 2007, Mayor Bill Bogaard began a new 4-year term as Pasadena’s first city-wide elected mayor. His tenure in office has seen many developments such as the arrival of the Gold Line light rail transit system with six stations in Pasadena, new housing construction, the strengthening of cultural institutions, reform of the public schools, and the enhancement of the Pasadena’s neighborhoods.
The Mayor is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. He graduated from the University of Michigan Law School, after serving as a U.S. Air Force Captain in Los Angeles and Casablanca, Morocco. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Pasadena Educational Foundation and the Pasadena YMCA. In 1997, the City of Pasadena granted him its highest civic recognition, the Arthur Noble Award.
In the private sector, Mayor Bogaard engaged in private law practice, handling financial transactions and mergers and acquisitions, and thereafter served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of First Interstate Bancorp, a financial services holding company. He works as an arbitrator of business disputes and has taught law at the University of Michigan and USC Law School.
The Armenian National Committee of Pasadena promotes greater understanding of Armenian American issues as well as increased civic engagement at the grassroots and public policy levels.