Alex Manoogyan

Alex Manoogyan was born on June 20, in 1901, in Kasaba (Smyrna). A renowned national and public figure, philanthropist, industrialist. Manoogyan moved to the United States in 1920. In 1953-1989, he was the Chairman of the Armenian General Benevolent Union Central Board; since 1970, he was the lifelong president, and since 1989, the Honorary President of AGBU. In 1929, he founded his own company, which into the multinational Masco Corporation. In 1968, he founded the Alex Manoogyan Cultural Foundation with a $1 million capital. Manoogyan made large donations to churches, schools, cultural associations, sports and youth organizations, elderly nursing homes, libraries, and assisted the establishment of Armenian Studies Chairs in various universities and implementation of Armenian programs. As an honorary member of the Hayastan All-Armenian Fund Board of Trustees, he donated more than $500,000 to the Foundation. Part of that sum was used to build the Goris-Stepanakert highway and various projects implemented by the Foundation in NKR. In 1994, he was granted Armenian citizenship. Manoogyan died in 1996. On July 11, in Detroit, Michigan, USA. He was awarded many honorary medals and Honorary Doctor titles from a number of universities. His name was given to streets in Yerevan, Stepanakert, and Montreal. His statue was erected Stepanakert. National Hero of Armenia (October 14, 1994). He was awarded the highest Hayrenik Order of the Republic of Armenia.