Los Angeles, CA – The offices of California State Senator, Jack Scott, along with Assemblywoman Carol Liu, and Assemblymember Dario Frommer recognize and award women in business each year recognizing special achievement and dedication to professional and civic service. The awardees are recognized at the 2003 Women in Business Luncheon and Awards Ceremony. This year, awards were presented to two outstanding Armenian professional women and long time ANC supporters. Bianca Manoukian, Executive Producer of Horizon 24 Armenian Television and Maria Mehranian, a Managing Partner at Cordoba Corporation, were recognized for their dedication to the Armenian and non- Armenian community alike and for their leadership skills.

Executive producer for the nation’s largest Armenian television network, Bianca Manoukian is known for her community involvement and phenomenal leadership. Manoukian has earned a number of awards and recognition for her achievements. Earlier this year, she spearheaded the nationwide launch of Horizon 24- Hour TV, offering a non-stop assortment of news, movies, music, talk shows, children’s shows, as well as other interesting lifestyle programs that are uniquely Armenian. She was recognized by local public officials as a Woman of the Year in the field of entertainment and business. While at Horizon Television, Manoukian spearheaded the introduction of programming in English, as well as programming with English subtitles, to draw an audience that includes second and third generation Armenian-Americans.

For seventeen years, Maria Mehranian has dedicated her career to build Cordoba Corporation into one of the top engineering consulting firms in the nation. Throughout the years, she has been responsible for the firm’s strategic financial planning. Widely recognized as an expert in her field, Mehranian currently serves on the City of La Canada-Flintridge Planning Commission.

“We’re proud of individuals like Bianca Manoukian and Maria Mehranian who are an asset to our community,” commented Raffi Hamparian, Chairman of the Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region. “Their dedication to bettering their communities is an example for younger generations to follow. We need more women, and people in general, like them in business and other fields.”

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively advances the concerns of the Armenian American community on a broad range of issues.