Meet the Candidates

St. John

Armenian Church

Meet the Candidates

This Sunday, February 18, 2024, after Divine Liturgy, the candidates for church leadership positions will be gathering in the Cultural Hall to meet parishioners. Please come, buy a bowl of soup from the Men's Society, and meet the candidates.

Remember -- the Annual Parish Assembly Meeting is Sunday, February 25, 2024

Below is the proposed slate of candidates, compiled by the 2023 Nominating Committee. Additional candidates may be nominated from the floor on the day of the Assembly Meeting.

Chairperson of the Day

(1 to be elected)

Laura Negosian Lucassian

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

42 years

Service to the Church (including organization):

Previous Parish Assembly Meeting Chair of the Day - 3 yrs

ACYOA Jrs and Srs - Chair, Secretary, Delegate - 12 yrs

Komitas Choir - 3 years

Women's Guild - 1 year

Church School Graduate

Nominating Committee - 6 years (3 as chair),

Parish Council - Secretary - 2 years

Welcome Committee for Fr. Garabed Kochakian, Bazaar Committee, Lenten Fish Dinners

Occupation: Raymond James

Charles Armen Semarjian

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

2 years

Service to the Church (including organization):

Men's Society

Motor City Mitten Mission Volunteer

Occupation: Attorney at Law

Secretary of the Day

(1 to be elected)

Linda Jevahirian

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

15 years

Service to the Church (including organization):

Komitas Choir - Member, Board Secretary - 15 years

Women's Guild, Diocesan Delegate - 2 years

Parish Council, Alternate - 1 year

Parish Assembly Secretary of the Day - 1 year

Occupation: Recruiter, Legal Search & Management, Inc.

Melanie Boskovich

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

2 years

Service to the Church (including organization):

Komitas Choir - Member, Board Member - 2 years

ACYOA - Member - 3 years

Nominating Committee - 1 year

Occupation:

Attorney, Novara Tesija Catenacci McDonald & Baas, PLLC

Parish Council

(6 to be elected)

Correne Akarakcian *

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

30 years

Service to the Church (including organization):

Women's Guild - 10 years

Parish Council - Advisor/Alternate - 6 years

Church School - Substitute Teacher - 1 year

Occupation: Financial Analyst, Ford Motor Company

Lisa Boyadjian *

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

30 years

Service to the Church (including organization):

Women's Guild - 20 years

Parish Council - Assistant Secretary - 4 years

Nominating Committee - 4 years

Occupation:

Elementary School Teacher, Southfield Public Schools

Gary Gozmanian

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

Many years

Service to the Church (including organization):

ACYOA - Decades

Church Picnic - Chair - 3 years

Church Bazaar - Chair - 3 years

Church School Graduate

Occupation: Engineer, Self Employed

Anna Tokmajyan

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

4 years

Service to the Church (including organization):

Prior Parish Secretary - 3 years

Picnic - 3 years

Bazaar - Kitchen Manager - 3 years

Church NYE Committee - 2 years

Baking volunteer for numerous events

Occupation: Engineer, Yazaki North America

Paul Yousoufian

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

30 years

Service to the Church (including organization):

Prior Catering Manager - 30 years

Church Bingo - Chairman

Picnic - Chairman

Bazaar - Chairman

Established Armenian Wine Program

Occupation: Michigan Harp Center

Open Positions

This could be you! Four additional candidates are needed to complete the slate for Parish Council.

Auditing Committee

(1 to be elected)

Nicholas Boyadjian *

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

6 years

Service to the Church (including organization):

Auditing Committee - 3 years

ACYOA Seniors, Secretary - 7 years

Occupation: Raymond James

David Kasper

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

55 years

Service to the Church (including organization):

Church School Graduate

Acolyte - 10 years

Occupation:

Retired - Financial Services

Nominating Committee

(5 to be elected)

Denise Chiroyan

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

40 years

Women's Guild - 10 years

Jacqueline Melkonian ElChemmas

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

49 years

Service to the Church (including organization):

Parish Council, Asst. Treasurer - 4 years

Parish Nominating Committee, Chairman - 3 years

Diocesan Delegate - 13 years

Women's Guild, Chair, Treasurer - 39 years

ACYOA Srs. & Jrs., Secretary

Fuller Center for Housing Armenia, Leader - 17 years

2003 Steering Committee, 2007 Diocesan Assembly Detroit Steering Committee, His Holiness Karekin II Pontifical Visit

Occupation: Manager, Stone Soap Company

Nicole Matoian

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

45 years

Service to the Church (including organization):

ACYOA - Member / Secretary - 17 years

Church School Teacher - 4 years

Arts of Armenia - Planning Committee Member - 1 year

Welcoming Committee - 3 years

Church School Graduate

Occupation: Middle School Teacher, New Morning School

Gary Melikian

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

14 years

Service to the Church (including organization):

Choir Board Member - Chair - 8 years

Choir Member - 14 years

Parish Administrator - 4 years

Occupation:

Retired IT Manager/Engineer

Sandra Nigoghosian

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

2 years

Occupation:

Komitas Choir - 17 years

Occupation:

Retired Administrative Assistance, Ascension-Providence Hospital and Medical Centers

Nora Noraian

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

30 years

Service to the Church (including organization):

ACYOA Jrs. - Treasurer - 4 years

Women's Guild - Vice Chair, Board - 17 years

Church Picnic - Bake Sale Co-Chair - 4 years

Women's Guild Central Council Delegate - 3 years

Women's Guild Palm Sunday Bake Sale

Women's Guild Fashion Show Luncheon - Co-Chair - 1 year

Occupation:

Retired Teacher, L'Anse Creuse Public Schools

Maral Thomas

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

10+ years

Service to the Church (including organization):

ACYOA

Church School

Women's Guild

SJAC Girls Basketball Coach

Occupation:

Investment Associate, Stifel

Peter Toukhanian

Number of years candidate has been a church member/steward (not including church school, if any):

14 years

Service to the Church (including organization):

Men's Society Chairman - 4 years

Men's Society Treasurer - 1+ years (current)

Occupation:

Software Developer, Oracle Corporation

* - Incumbent. According to the Nominating Committee Guidelines, the word "Incumbent" should be used only for offices of Parish Council and Auditing Committee.