PRESS RELEASE
Office of Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi
Byron Tucker
Deputy Commissioner, Communications and Press Relations
Los Angeles, 213/346-6363
Sacramento, 916/492-3566
Cell phone, 213/399-8051

On October 5, 2005, California Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi had
an audience with Pontiff His Holiness Aram I, Catolicos of the Great
House of Cilicia (pictured in the center) and Archbishop Moushegh
Mardirossian, Prelate of the Western United States (pictured on the
right) at the Universal Hilton in Los Angeles, CA.

Their one-hour, wide-ranging discussion included Commissioner
Garamendi’s involvement in the $20 million settlement of a class action
lawsuit to resolve insurance claims stemming from the Armenian Genocide
nearly 90 years ago. The Commissioner played an instrumental role during
the final negotiations leading to the agreement with New York Life
Insurance Company.