What brought you to LCA, and how many years did you attend?
About 10 years after coming to the United States (from Armenia), my parents were looking for a good school to continue my education. I was about to graduate from our small local Armenian elementary school (AGBU) and they wanted a school that offered a strong curriculum and had a good reputation for academics. Through word of mouth the name LCA came up and we went for a visit and immediately loved it. It just felt right to us and my mom enrolled me on the spot. I started as a 7th grader (which was the lowest grade offered at the time) and graduated six years later in 1991.
How has your experience at LCA shaped who you are today?
My experience was incredible and has been a key driver in shaping who I am today both academically, but more importantly in my faith. It was at LCA where I witnessed what a real Christian life looks like and as a result it set me on the right path starting from my teenage years and on through adulthood. This set the stage for how to live a good life, and was bolstered by so many engaged, passionate faculty and staff at LCA who helped lay the firm foundations of the faith with me at that critical time of my life.
Which faculty members or coaches impacted you the most while here?
This is a hard question to answer because so many names come to mind. Without excluding any of the amazing teachers and staff that poured into me – I will highlight a few…Coaches Josh MacPherson & Reg Henley (Basketball), Lori (VanderKlay) Johnson (English), James Bergin (Music), Max Malikow (Bible & Philosophy), Susan LaRaia (Spanish), Kathy Oliver (Science), and Jake Hoffman (Physics) to name just a few. They each in their own unique and personal ways made an important mark in my life. This included teaching me the importance of dedication, hard work, being a team player, critical thinking, going outside my comfort zone, taking risks, honing my skills, and being proud of my faith. To this day I still think back on and benefit from things that I learned from all of the dedicated faculty and staff at LCA so many years ago. It’s a telling sign that what they taught and modeled has had such a sustained impact – it’s a testament to how much they influenced us as students. At the time you don’t necessarily realize what is happening – but in hindsight you see the fruits of their labor and come to appreciate the sacrifices they made and the effect that they had.
What activities, clubs, sports etc. were you involved in while a student?
I served in the Student Council, as class vice president and treasurer in various years. I played Basketball, Tennis, Baseball, and Soccer. I sang in Chorus & Chorale, and participated in as many other activities that I could find the time to be in. School was a significant and positive part of my life during the 6 years I was at LCA. Interestingly the more activities I did, the better my grades became – as it forced me to become more organized and intentional with my time. Best of all I got to interact and build friendships with a diverse group of people that I might not have had the opportunity to otherwise.
How has your faith impacted your life and career after graduating LCA?
My faith is a fully integrated and inseparable part of my life. Both personally and professionally. By trying (though not always succeeding!) to model Christ it’s kept me on the right path and away from worldly trouble. Having our faith be the standard to which I aspire to live up to has made all the difference. Since the benchmark of our faith is so much more real and timeless than anything that this temporal world has to offer – I feel that I’ve always been a few steps ahead of what is “expected” of me both at work and personally. If we can simply lead good Christian lives, then everything else falls into line automatically.
What college did you attend and what inspired you to choose your major?
After LCA I went to Bentley College (now University) and majored in Marketing. At the time I wanted to do something creative and thought advertising would be an interesting field to work in. I worked in Marketing for a short time before realizing that my passion was for something else.
Tell us about what you currently do for work and the road to your current career.
I work for an asset management firm called BlackRock. This year will be 25 years at the company (and 30 in the industry). Upon entering the workforce I had a change of heart and became interested in Finance, shifted gears, and altered my path. Starting from an entry level position in a call center at a bank, God paved a path for me to rise through various positions across several organizations and eventually land at BlackRock (via an acquisition). I was blessed to make my way up the corporate ladder through a series of incremental steps. I started as a business analyst learning the ropes, then became a supervisor of people in an operations team, after which I started identifying needs/gaps in the business and building/leading new middle office teams & processes to manage risk at the firm. I eventually started working in a relationship management role where I had both internal clients (Traders, Portfolio Managers, Operations, and Legal & Compliance) and external clients (Broker Dealers, Custodian Banks, and Prime Brokers). This role evolved into a Special Projects team solving problems for many parts of the organization, and then about 13 years ago I landed in the group where I still work today – called the BlackRock Transformation office (BTO) where we partner with teams across the firm to drive what we call “One BlackRock” outcomes for our most impactful transformational initiatives. These include all the large, global, complex, cross departmental efforts that the firm must navigate. I have the opportunity to lead and mentor people, design and implement solutions, and make meaningful contributions for our clients.
If you could offer just one piece of career advice to today’s students or something that you wish you had known before graduating, what would it be?
I will cheat and give two. 1. Relationships! Build, maintain, and grow your relationships everywhere you are. This includes school, Church, work, places you hang out – anywhere that you are, always be intentional about being genuine with people and getting to know those you interact with. I’ve found that much of the success in my life has been a result of forging and fostering strong relationships. 2. Be relentlessly resourceful. Be hungry to learn as much as you can about whatever it is that your place of work does. Study, observe, and absorb all that you can to become the most knowledgeable and well informed person in your team. This will set you apart and force people to notice and need you. Then when given opportunities, use your drive and knowledge to demonstrate that you can be trusted. Be so good that they can’t ignore you.
What was it like having your children attend LCA and how is your family involved in the school currently?
I’ve always said that your kids don’t go to LCA – the whole family does. This was never more true than for us with our daughters Katrina and Kristina – who graduated from LCA in 2022. I believe with our school you have to experience it, to understand it. I first understood it as a student at LCA many years ago and then was blessed to re-appreciate it as a parent, through our daughters. They came home with that glow of experiencing LCA for the first time. I didn’t have to ask how it went – it was written on their faces and in their subsequent attitudes, actions and accomplishments. Almost immediately and without any pressure, they were excited about learning again, trying new sports they’d never played, performing on stage in front of the school, being in the worship band, and participating in Model UN and STEM programs. Each morning, our daughters hurried to get to school early, and reminded us to pick them up late, because they had after school activities and sports practices. They weren’t merely excited to attend LCA, they were excited to BE LCA.During those 4 years, our family was all in, all the time. My wife Flora and I served as Chairs of the Parent Relations Council – where we worked alongside amazing parents and faculty & staff. I was the unofficial videographer and statistician for the teams that our daughters played in (Field Hockey, Basketball, Softball, and Lacrosse) – and there were many since they were 3 season athletes. It was a blessing to watch the girls grow and mature both academically and in their faith during this time.
Our family has continued our involvement with LCA in the years since they graduated in several ways. We’ve come back to attend all the events that we can – including plays, concerts, Homecoming and anything else we’re invited to. Katrina and Kristina both worked several summers there during college, Katrina was assistant coach for Girls Varsity Field Hockey and Softball this year, and Kristina was an assistant coach for Girls Varsity Basketball. After having withdrawals for a few years of not going to LCA games – this of course has given me new reasons to attend as many competitions as I can get to!
What is your favorite part of your job and what would you say are the top requirements (skills, mind-set, etc.) for someone entering this line of work?
In my role, I get to help solve some of the most complex challenges at the firm. My team is a group of hybrid consultants/project managers/solution designers at the intersection of people, process, and technology. Every project has new and exciting opportunities to come up with strategic, creative, tech forward approaches that benefit our firm and our clients.We typically look for world-class problem solvers who thrive in understanding the details and are heavily involved (i.e. getting your hands dirty) in the design and implementation of scalable solutions that frequently integrate process, technology, and organizational change. People who succeed in this space will typically have excellent communication skills, be ambitious and proactive, and demonstrate hunger and curiosity.
What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned since graduating?
I’ve learned that many of the things that I learned as a young student at LCA have been evergreen lessons – meaning that they’ve repeatedly found ways of coming back around and being helpful at all different stages of my life. The point being – pay attention to the things that you are taught at a younger age. None of the things you learn are “throw away”. You never know when they will become relevant later in life.
What are you most grateful for from your time at LCA? Do you have a favorite LCA memory or favorite spot on campus?
It was at LCA that I first heard the Gospel, saw it modeled by faculty and friends, and subsequently was saved. That is hands down the thing I’m most grateful for, as it’s been the catalyst for everything else in my life. I have many great memories of LCA – one that especially stands out is the Chorale tour. A large group of us set out in a long bus and headed far north (within a few miles of the Canadian border) and performed & shared the Gospel at schools & churches, a shopping mall, and a youth prison. It was an incredible experience where we bonded, made a lasting impact in the lives of those we shared with, and created lifelong memories for ourselves along the way. My favorite spot at LCA is the top row, middle section, against the wall in the gym, watching basketball games from “my seat”.
Are there any reflections you would like to add?
Just to say that we should not separate God from our “regular” life. It’s when we let Him be the driver in all things that we allow God to work in our lives in the optimal way. Don’t think about your faith and your life as two distinct things. Always wear the “uniform” of your faith and always be in “game” mode. When we focus on God first, everything else falls into line.I will also add that it’s very important not to let things like what college you attend, what job you land (or money you make), what sports you play etc. become your identity. None of these things are your identity – they might be gifts you have or the results of your gifts, but they are temporary, unstable, and ever changing things. Our identity should be grounded in the only eternal and unchanging rock – Jesus. Often our actions and the way we live our lives are the only Gospel many people will ever experience, so it’s incumbent on us to represent Christianity faithfully. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33)
