Jack M. Medzorian

 

NAASR is deeply saddened to inform our members and friends of the passing of long-serving Board Member Jack M. Medzorian of Winchester, MA, at the age of 93. A ceaseless worker for Armenians throughout the diaspora and in the Republic and a dedicated family man, Jack was a stalwart member of the NAASR Board since 1995, serving on the Executive Committee for most of those years and remaining an active part of NAASR until his death. NAASR Board Chairman Yervant Chekijian remarked with sadness that “We lost the wise man of our organization, and the Armenian nation lost a dedicated and devoted man. He was selfless in his work towards establishing strong relations between Armenia and the Diaspora. We can all learn from his life. May God bless his memory.”

A 1944 graduate of Arlington High School, Jack served in the U.S. Army before a long and distinguished career of more than 40 years with Baird Corporation, of which he ultimately became the CEO.

 

Any attempt to summarize Jack’s contributions to the worldwide Armenian community can only be partial. In addition to his long service to NAASR, he was an energetic leader in other organizations including the Knights of Vartan, of which he was a Past Commander of the Ararat Lodge No. 1 in Boston; the Cambridge-Yerevan Sister City Association; the AGBU; Cpl. Paul Marsoubian AMVETS Post 41; he was a Former President of the Council of Armenian Executives; Co-chairman of the Armenia School Aid Project; Director of U.S. State Department Grants for Armenia; and served for many years as Superintendent of St. James Armenian Apostolic Church Sunday School.

 

With dozens of trips to Armenia over the decades, Jack and Eva Medzorian undertook countless projects that led to better lives for Armenians throughout the Republic. Both a practical man as well as a man of vision, Jack was respected and admired in all circles, from the government of the Republic of Armenia to the villages on whose behalf he and Eva worked so hard, to each and all of the organizations he served and enriched through his involvement.

 

Jack’s involvement with many organizations led him always to seek ways and means of collaboration among groups when they had common goals and purposes. This was typical of his forward thinking and dedication to maximizing the impact of multiple organizations, and it was one of his greatest gifts to NAASR and to the Armenian community in general.

 

Many examples of this collaborative spirit may be cited. Jack played a vital role in the ongoing collaboration (since 2007) between NAASR and the Knights of Vartan Fund for Armenian Studies on administering research grants. Along with other key individuals such as Prof. Kevork Bardakjian, Jack recognized that two groups working towards the identical goal of providing research grants to scholars could do better together than separately, eliminating redundancy and at the same time strengthening the bonds between the two organizations and better serving the academic community.

 

In recent years, even as he crossed over into his 90s, he remained deeply involved in key aspects of NAASR’s major initiative to raise funds for the Vartan Gregorian Building. As a member of the working committee for the new building, Jack brought his insight and vigor to the process of selecting the general contractor, negotiating terms of NAASR’s contract with the builders, fundraising, and other important decision-making processes. His years of experience in business, his extraordinary intelligence, and his commitment to getting the best possible outcome for NAASR and for the Armenian community made him an irreplaceable part of the team that made the new building a reality.

 

NAASR extends its deepest condolences to Eva Medzorian, to Jack and Eva’s children and grandchildren, and to all of Jack’s family and many friends everywhere. Funeral services will be private.