YEREVAN — On Saturday, October 13, the Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU) kicked off its 87th General Assembly to discuss the role that the organization will play in Armenia and around the world. Part of the program was the election of members to the AGBU Central Board, which has welcomed a new colleague, Dr. Noubar Afeyan.
During the AGBU General Assembly Session on Saturday, October 20, which was led by AGBU President Berge Setrakian and attended by the Prime Minister of Armenia Tigran Sargisian, 10 of AGBU’s Central Board members were formally re-elected to their positions. The other members, who were re-elected, are Aris Atamian, Joseph Basralian, Nazareth
Festekjian, Vahe Gabrache, Arda Nazerian Haratunian, Sarkis Jebejian, Dr. Levon Nazarian, Berge Setrakian, Sam Simonian and Dr. Yervant Zorian.
Afeyan was unanimously elected. He brings with him decades of experience in both the public and private sectors, with a particular focus on promoting development in Armenia. He is the founder, managing
partner and CEO of Flagship Ventures, as well as a senior lecturer at MIT’s Sloan School of Management, where he has taught courses on technology entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership since 2000. During his 25-year career as inventor, entrepreneur, CEO and venture capitalist, Afeyan has co-founded and helped build 25 life science and technology startups.
In 2008, he was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, which is granted to outstanding Americans who have distinguished themselves as United States citizens and who have enabled their ancestry groups to maintain their identities while becoming integral parts of American life.
