- Paul Kazarian
Paul B. Kazarian (born
October 15 ,1955 ) is an American investor, financier, businessperson, andphilanthropist . He is currently the Founder andManaging Director of Japonica Partners, anentrepreneur ial co-investment firm.Business
Japonica Partners has overseen the creation of approximately $2.0 billion in
shareholder wealth . A long-time industry innovator, Japonica has achieved entrepreneurial returns with low risk. It is distinguished by its “perfectly aligned” not-a-fund structure and its best co-investors are strategic economic relationships (“SERs”), which include some of the most high value add investors in the world who’ve individually had over $500 million with Japonica.Japonica’s high value add core competencies are "“D-C-C”": "D"iscovering Value Gaps, "C"hanging cultures & operations, and "C"reating value through hands-on management. Japonica Partners has been independently verified as
GIPS compliant since its inception in 1987.Philanthropy
In 1993, Mr. Kazarian established two
non-profit foundations whose charitable missions includeeconomic development ,education , andtechnology . The first one is named in honor of his grandparents, The Charles and Agnes Kazarian Eternal Foundation. The CAKE Foundation mandated USD 52 million for 2006 alternative asset allocation. The USD 52 million mandate is 18% of the Foundation's USD 291 million projected five-year alternative asset mandate.The CAKE Foundation developed the Discover Armenian language software that was rated as the #1 language software in 2006 by the [http://www.agbu.htm Armenian Armenian General Benevolent Union AGBU] .
The second one is Japonica InterSect. Japonica InterSect is a global benchmarking and best practice research firm.
The mission behind Japonica InterSect and The CAKE Foundation is guided by the capitalist-philanthropist principles contained in his daughter’s book, "New Philanthropy Benchmarking: Wisdom for the Passionate."
Among other philanthropic initiatives, Mr. Kazarian is involved with the
Asia Society . In 2004, he co-chaired Asia Society’s annual dinner, “The China Connection.”He also chaired the
American India Foundation ’s fifth annual spring awards gala on April 30th, 2008 in NYC.Personal History
Mr. Kazarian is the grandson of Garabed (Charles) Kazarian, An
Armenian Genocide survivor, who escapedTurkey in 1915, where he was forced to watch thetorture and deaths of his first wife and two children. Charles Kazarian married another Armenian refugee, Haiganoush (Agnes Malian), and eventually settled inPawtucket, Rhode Island on Japonica Street, where Paul B. Kazarian also grew up. Charles and Agnes had five children, three sons and two daughters. In Pawtucket, Rhode Island Charles Kazarian built up a small ice-packing company. His three sons took over the business after his death.Paul Kazarian, Sr., Mr. Kazarian’s father, was one of the three sons, who expanded the small, family business to include
real estate ,retailing , and oil distribution. Later, Paul B. Kazarian took over this family business and sold it in 1987. With some of the profits, he founded Japonica Partners inRhode Island .Career History
Prior to Japonica’s inception in 1987, Mr. Kazarian was an investment banker at
Goldman, Sachs & Co. His clients were diverse, ranging from global Fortune 100 and Fortune 500 multi-nationals and emerging growth companies to quasi-government organizations.From 1990 to 1993, Mr. Kazarian was Chairman and CEO of
Sunbeam -Oster during its rejuvenation from Allegheny International.Education
Mr. Kazarian received his
MBA fromColumbia University , his MA fromBrown University , and his undergraduate degree fromBates College .External links
* [http://www.japonica.com Japonica Partners]
* [http://www.japonicaintersect.com Japonica InterSect]
* [http://www.unitedu.com/npb.html New Philanthropy Benchmarking]
* [http://www.discoverarmenian.com Discover Armenian]
* [http://www.churcharmenian.com ChurchArmenian]
* [http://www.hbsp.harvard.edu Harvard Business School Case Study]
* [http://www.amazon.com/Vulture-Investors-Revised-Updated/dp/0471361895 Vulture Investors Book]Further reading
* [http://www.churcharmenia.com/newsupdate/CAKE%20Foundation%20News_AGBU.htm AGBU on Discover Armenian]
* [http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2004_Sept_20/ai_n6201392 Keynote Speaker]
* [http://www.providenceri.com/heritage_park/ARMENIAN_HERITAGE_PARK8.html Charles & Agnes Kazarian]
* [http://www.aif.org/newsroom/NYGalaPressRelease08.htm AIF GALA PRESS RELEASE]
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