Glendale News Press
LATimes.com
Jan 26 2005

ANC loses director to clerk race

Ardashes Kassakhian will step down as executive director to focus on
his bid for Glendale city clerk. Other candidates are also cutting
back work schedules.

By Josh Kleinbaum, News-Press and Leader

GLENDALE – Ardashes Kassakhian began a 10-week sabbatical from the
Armenian National Committee this week to focus on his campaign for
city clerk, highlighting the effort that nine candidates are putting
into the first competitive race for city clerk in 75 years.

Kassakhian, who has worked for the committee’s Western Region for
five years and has been its executive director for the last two, will
campaign full-time for the April 5 election, he said. Armen
Carapetian, the region’s government relations director, will serve as
acting executive director.

“I’m going to miss the work that I’ve been able to do here, but
directing a nonprofit and running the city clerk’s office, there’s a
lot of similarities,” Kassakhian said. “I’m grateful for all my
experience here. They afforded me the opportunity to serve the
community of Glendale, to work intimately with city officials and
others.”

Kassakhian is the only candidate for city clerk who is leaving his
day job entirely for the campaign, but several other candidates said
they will reduce their workload during the next 10 weeks. Kathryn Van
Houten, an attorney, said she will tone down her volunteer work.
Stephen L. Ropfogel, an independent business owner, is reducing the
amount of time he’s spending on work, as is Stephanie Landregan, a
landscape artist.

Narineh Barzegar, a graduate student, postponed classes for a quarter
to focus on the election. Gary Sysock, deputy executive officer with
Los Angeles County Clerk of the Board, has vacation time stored up,
and Lorna Vartanian, financial accounting manager for a law firm,
said she would take time off if needed.

“I’m still in the planning stages,” Vartanian said. “I don’t have all
of that quite figured out yet. But I’m going to gauge that as I go
along and certainly work accordingly.”

Two candidates, Paulette Mardikian and George McCullough, could not
be reached for comment.

During his time at the Armenian National Committee, Kassakhian led
the committee’s push for genocide education, served as its liaison to
state and federal legislators and helped mobilize Glendale’s Armenian
voters. In Glendale elections, the Armenian National Committee’s
endorsement has become among the most sought after.

“If he doesn’t win the election, we’d love him to come back,” said
Steve Dadaian, chairman of the committee’s Western Region board of
directors. “He does the work of three men. He knows a lot about
Armenian American issues regionally, but he also knows what the local
issues are for the Glendale voters and the community.”

Dadaian wasn’t sure if the committee will hire a permanent
replacement for Kassakhian before the April election. For now,
Carapetian will focus on regional activities to commemorate the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian genocide, working with federal
legislators and creating a community outreach plan for the
committee’s Western Region.

“We’re not replacing Ardy. You can’t replace Ardy,” Carapetian said.
“He’s built wide community contacts, and not just in the Armenian
community.”