California State Assemblymember Achadjian to Receive ANCA-WR Legislator of the Year Award
October 11, 2013Glendale, CA – The ANCA-WR will be honoring California State Assembly member Katcho Achadjian with one of its highest honors, the
prestigious ANCA-WR “Legislator of the Year Award”. Assemblymember Achadjian will receive the award at the annual banquet to take place on Saturday, November 30 in Hollywood, California.
“Through Assemblymember Achadjian’s dedication and commitment to Hye Tad, the ANCA-WR has been able to significantly advance issues of concern to Armenian Americans in the halls of the State Capitol. Achadjian’s ability to use the power of the pen to educate his colleagues in the California State Assembly and Senate, introduce key pieces of legislation of concern to our community, and to assist organizing a contingency of California legislatures to travel to Armenia and Artaskh (Karabakh), speaks volumes to Achadjian’s commitment to fundamental principles of truth, fairness and justice to pursue our cause,” said Raffi Kassabian, ANCA-WR Board Member.
Katcho Achadjian was sworn in for his second term on December 3, 2012 to represent the 35th Assembly District in the California Legislature, which includes San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria, Pismo Beach and its surrounding areas.
Achadjian attended Cuesta Community College and graduated from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a degree in Business Administration. He founded a successful local small business in 1978, and has built it up to employ some 30 workers at three locations. Prior to his election to the Legislature, Katcho served for three terms as an elected member of the San Luis Obispo County Board of Supervisors. He served as Board Chairman in 2001 and again in 2006. He was also appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to serve as a member of the California Coastal Commission, charged with protecting the beauty of California’s coastline. He served as a member of the commission until his election to the Assembly in 2010.
Since taking office, he has worked tirelessly for government reform and accountability as well as making California more competitive for job creation. He is a prominent member of the Assembly Committees on Accountability and Administrative Review, Banking and Finance, Transportation, and Joint Legislative Audit.
One priority that remains constant is his commitment to Armenian American issues. Achadjian introduced the Return of Churches Bill in the California Assembly in 2012. The Assembly Joint Resolution called on the Republic of Turkey to respect religious freedom and return church properties to its minority communities. Achadjian took a firm stance to end religious discrimination and sent a clear message to the Republic of Turkey that we must continue to fight against the final stage of genocide which is its denial.
Achadjian was also instrumental in protesting the Azerbaijani Parliamentary and State Oil Company (SOCAR) delegation visit to the California State Capitol. “ I am proud to have stood shoulder to shoulder with Assemblymembers Nazarian, Wilk, and Patterson and Armenian Americans from throughout the State to protest the Azeri government’s aggression and efforts to use its oil wealth to purchase international legitimacy,” said Achadjian. “I would like to thank the ANCA-WR and the AYF for helping organize the event.”
And the list goes on. From hosting the Nagorno-Karabakh Parliament Speaker in the State Capitol to his most recent trip to Armenia with Speaker Perez, Achadjian has truly served his community and represented the Armenian American issues in the State of California.
The ANCA-WR banquet will take place on November 30 at The Ray Dolby Ballroom, the site of the Oscar’s Governors’ Ball. Legendary chef Wolfgang Puck will be catering a special menu for the ANCA-WR Banquet. Individuals interested in attending the banquet and Grassroots Conference are encouraged to contact the ANCA-WR office at (818) 500-1918 or purchase tickets online at ItsMySeat.com/ANCAWR.
The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country, the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.
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