Armenian identity rushed to hospital
By Melissa Mitchell

North Shore Times, Australia
June 23 2006

22Jun06

PROMINENT Australian Armenian and Community Relations Commission
chairman Stepan Kerkyasharian was rushed to hospital the night before
he was to be guest speaker at the Chatswood Chamber of Commerce
meeting this week.

Mr Kerkyasharian was due to address the meeting at 1pm on Tuesday
but had complained of feeling unwell on Monday and left work early,
chamber president Edward Mazzoni said.

"Mr Kerkyasharian was due to fly to Tasmania on Tuesday night but
his wife phoned us on Monday night to say that her husband had been
taken to hospital," Mr Mazzoni said.

It is believed Mr Kerkyasharian had an attack of appendicitis and is
recovering well.

Arrangements were made to replace Mr Kerkyasharian, with Speakers
Bank Australia director Dale Rees-Bevan and Killara Plumbing’s Greg
McElroy stepping in to address the meeting.

At the meeting, Mr Mazzoni told guests, including a table of 10
representatives from the Australian Armenian Chamber of Commerce,
the Mr Kerkyasharian was "unavailable to be here today".

He said Chatswood chamber members had been invited to a meeting of
the Australian Armenian chamber this year and heard Mr Kerkyasharian
speak there. He was subsequently invited to speak at this month’s
meeting at Chatswood.

Mr Kerkyasharian migrated to Australia in 1967 and has served as a
member of the State Ethnic Public Broadcasting Advisory Committee and
was appointed manager of the Armenian radio station he volunteered
to set up in 1976.

He was made head of SBS Radio in 1980 and appointed to the management
board to set up SBS Television.

In 1989 he was appointed chairman of the Ethnic Affairs Commission
of NSW, which became the Community relations Commission in 2001.

He was also made a Member of the Order of Australia in 1992 and
received the Olympic Order for his contribution to the Sydney 2000
Olympic Games.

He is currently president of the Anti-Discrimination Board.

2006/06/22/1317_news.html

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress