Mathias “Matty” Matoian thought he’d been summoned to meet Fresno State’s president Joseph Castro to advise his friend on university business.
But the meeting was a ruse to lure the unsuspecting Matoian to an ambush by friends and family organized by the Fresno Chamber of Commerce, who revealed that he is the 2019 winner of the chamber’s top business honor, the Leon S. Peters Award for business leadership and community service.
Matoian, 75, is the longtime owner of OK Produce, the fruit and vegetable distribution business started in 1950 by his parents, Charles and Ann Matoian. Matty Matoian joined the family business after graduating from Fresno State in 1965, and took over leadership of the company in 1979.
The Peters award is akin to a lifetime achievement award in Fresno’s business community and has been presented each year since 1984. It is named for longtime businessman, civic leader and philanthropist Leon S. Peters, the son of Armenian immigrants who rose to business success as the owner of Valley Foundry & Machine Works. The award criteria recognize a recipient’s business accomplishments as well as personal and public service and philanthropy to the community.
Matoian said he was stunned when Castro ushered him into a boardroom in the university’s library to be greeted with applause from prior Peters award winners, including retired Fresno County Superior Court Judge Robert Oliver and last year’s recipient, caterer Jim Pardini. “Oh, my God, whoa,” he said after the event. “As soon as I saw Bob Oliver and Jim Pardini, then I knew something was up.”
“It’s an unbelievable experience to be able to receive this award,” he added. “It’s kind of cool looking around at all of these successful people and then you get to be a part of that.”
Adding to the surprise was that Matoian had recently written a letter to support another person’s nomination for the Peters award.
Oliver recounted highlights of Matoian’s contributions to Fresno. “Matty was responsible for growing a business that Charles and his mom had made successful,” Oliver said. “It became a huge operation” with more than 100 tractor-trailer rigs hauling produce daily from one end of California to the other.
Among organizations that have benefited from the Matoian family’s philanthropy are Community Medical Centers, Fresno State, Break the Barriers, Valley Children’s Hospital, Saint Agnes Medical Center and the Poverello House.
“Matty’s kind of a quiet guy,” Oliver added. “He does a lot of things and he does them very quietly.”
At Fresno State, a road on the campus is named Matoian Way to recognize Matoian and his family, said Castro.
“Matty is a very good friend of mine and of the university,” Castro said. “He’s so deserving of this award. He is a role model in the community for integrity and thoughtfulness, compassion and, of course, philanthropy.” Castro said Matoian has underwritten scholarships for students in the university’s Business and Health & Human Services schools as well as provided support for athletic programs over the years.
Matoian deflected the praise. “The thing my father always told me is, ‘We made our money here in Fresno, Matty. This is where you want to give back,’” he said. “That’s why it’s been really cool and gratifying for me to be able to give back to the place that was so good to us.”
As his voice cracked with emotion, he added that he wouldn’t be in a position of success without his parents, aunt and siblings. “”It’s not been an easy road,” Matoian said, “but it’s been a great venture.”
Since Matoian retired in 2008, his sons Chad and Brady are in charge of the company’s day-to-day operations.
The chamber will formally present the Peters award – a medallion emblazoned with the image of its namesake – at its annual Valley Business Awards luncheon in February at the Fresno Convention Center.