LOCAL WOMEN EARN TOP HONOR
By Ruth Longoria
Valley Sun
/04/news/lnws-womenoftheyear0904.txt
Sept 5 2008
CA
Local businesswoman Linda Taix, of Taix Workout Studio and Extreme
Bootcamp, said she was stunned when she got a telephone call from
Assemblyman Anthony Portantino’s office informing her she’d been
selected as one of two La Cañada women to be honored as Women of
the Year.
Taix’s co-honoree, Houri Aposhian, of Pacific Horizon Bancorp, also
expressed surprise at the recognition.
Each year, Portantino, state Senator Jack Scott and Assemblyman Paul
Krekorian honor businesswomen from across Southern California for their
contribution to the economic growth and well being of the area. This
year, the ceremony will be Sept. 19 at Castaways restaurant in Burbank.
Portantino said he’s proud to recognize and honor the women. "Our
honorees demonstrate a wonderful diversity and depth of achievement,
exhibiting attributes of success which serve as important examples
for us all," he said.
Taix and Aposhian are among 20 businesswomen to receive this year’s
designation. advertisement
"I feel honored, humbled, and really blessed," Taix said, of being
selected for the recognition, and her life in general.
Taix, 47, is a lifelong Foothills resident. She founded Taix Workout
Studio and Extreme Bootcamp seven years ago, and has been a supporter
of several community functions throughout that time.
Athleticism has been part of her entire life, beginning with working
out to Jack LaLane television shows with her mom, when she was only 3
years old. She credits her parents with teaching her discipline and the
ability to stay in shape. She graduated from Holy Family High School
in Glendale, where she was active in track, cheerleading and softball.
After earning an associate’s degree from Glendale Community College,
she studied exercise science at the University of Southern California,
where she earned a bachelor of science degree in 1994.
Her business mind pushed her beyond initial work as an aerobics
instructor, she said. "I knew there had to be something more and the
good Lord opened a lot of doors for me," she added.
Taix’s Christian faith is important to her and that is what made her
who she is. "It has taken a lot of prayer and guidance," she said.
Her La Cañada business earned national recognition in 2004, when
she made the front page of the Wall Street Journal. "That was the
most wonderful dream," she recalled.
Since then, a friend urged her to franchise her company, which now
has 22 locations across Southern California.
Aposhian also has accomplished much in her personal and business
life. She is Armenian and grew up in Beirut, Lebanon. She came to
the United States as a student in 1976.
Thirty-one years ago, she married her husband, Kevorak. The couple
have three children: Pattyl, 30, a vice president of marketing at
Caltech; Sarkis, 26, a senior financial analyst at Kaiser; and Aleen,
18, a student at Pasadena City College.
In addition to being owner and CEO of Pacific Horizon Bancorp,
Aposhian teaches mortgage finance at UCLA, is a volunteer for the
Armenian Relief Society and numerous charity organizations, and is
a board member of the Verdugo Hills Hospital Foundation.
She also enjoys travel and recently returned from a trip to Paris,
Switzerland and Italy with her husband.
Aposhian considers herself very family-oriented, and also feels it’s
her duty to empower and educate women. She said it is everyone’s duty
to participate in his or her local community. "Everyone has something
they can contribute," she added.
Rich Harris, the CEO of Caltech Employees Federal Credit Union and
chair of the Verdugo Hills Hospital Foundation, said he believes
Aposhian is worthy of the title "Woman of the Year."
"I have a great respect for Houri, both as a business woman and with
her family," Harris said. "She’s very, very good at what she does
and she’s a wonderful addition to any group she’s involved with."
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