By Lisa Kradjian
BOSTON — After successful careers in real estate and finance, Victor Zarougian and Judy Saryan of Boston have championed Armenian philanthropy in many ways. Their latest effort combines their passion for sustainable agriculture and for art. In doing so they are raising awareness for both organizations and creating new opportunities to sustain Armenian enterprise.
Victor Zarougian was born in Cairo, Egypt and immigrated to the US in 1962. After attaining his BA at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst, he pursued a career in urban real estate management and development. He has a strong interest in geography and developmental economics which he has put to excellent use in his philanthropic efforts, particularly in Armenia, with organizations such as the Tufenkian Foundation, Children of Armenia Fund (COAF), International Center for Agribusiness Research and Education (ICARE), TUMO and others.
Judy Saryan was born in Delaware and graduated from Wellesley College with a major in economics. She spent her career in the financial industry, most recently at Eaton Vance Management, where she was vice president and a portfolio manager. She has provided financial commentary for several media outlets. After retirement, Saryan decided to pursue her passion for literature and history, and in partnership with the Armenian International Women’s Association (AIWA), published translations of Zabel Yessayan and others. She also has worked on philanthropic projects with AIWA, the National Association for Armenian Studies and Research, among others.
The couple’s passion for supporting Armenia took a new turn in recent years, as they decided to pursue two major goals concurrently: to support sustainable agriculture in Armenia, and to support Armenian artists — both areas that have long been part of Armenia’s history and accomplishments.
ICARE’s EcoFarm and the Armenian Artists Project