10 Armenians among LA’s 500 leaders
Each year The Loa Angeles Business Journal publishes the LA 500 which lists 500 LA leaders in 13 categories. The following 10 Armenians were in 6 categories: banking and finance; civic leaders; construction and architecture; manufacturing, aerospace and retail; professional services; technology
ARA MAHDESSIAN
Chief Executive
ServiceTitan Inc.
YEARS ON LIST: 4 | TITAN 100
Mahdessian, the chief executive of ServiceTitan Inc., has led the company from its humble beginnings as a summer project to partially fund a company that services the trades—such as plumbing, HVAC, electrical work, and more.
Between 2021 and 2022, the company was reportedly preparing to go public and was reported to be grossly valued in the tens of billions. In November a company spokesperson told this publication it would “neither confirm nor deny reports related to our valuation.” The company has also faced scrutiny over internal policies preventing certain tradespeople from using the software unless certain criteria were met. The Financial Times recently reported ServiceTitan has reported positive earnings this year.
VAHE KUZOYAN
President
ServiceTitan Inc.
3 YEARS ON THE LA500
The summer before Kuzoayn planned to move to Northern California to jumpstart his tech career at a larger company, he decided to bet on a personal project of his friend’s — one that involved building software that helped his dad’s business.
With outdated software that Kuzoyan planned to update with the help of a Mahdessian — part of a leap of faith and that summer project, the only Unicorn-valuated company on the LA Titan list.
The company’s contractor software allows home service businesses to schedule appointments, assess job costs, offer support like dispatching for vehicles, and take payments.
Helmed by Mahdessian as the chief executive and Kuzoyan as the president, the company announced in December it had raised $525 million through its initial public offering.
ARMINE GALSTYAN
Head of North American Operations
SmartGateVC, Hero House
2 YEARS ON THE LA500
Through SmartGateVC, Galstyan is one of the forces behind Armenia’s start-up and tech current innovation boom. As head of North American operations, she works out of Hero House in Los Angeles and the current location in Bigger quarters in both countries has helped SmartGateVC expand its reach to more than 30 portfolio companies across artificial intelligence, data analytics, cybersecurity, and SaaS.
Hero House is a tech hub, remote office and safe space for immigrant founders, and also an office for managing the Hero House’s early-stage venture fund. Galstyan launched an acceleration program that allows founders to network, collaborate and build MVPs on projects. SmartGateVC works in the deep tech space, but many of its startups are in the pre-seed stage.
Paren Knadjian
Los Angeles Partner-in-Charge, EisnerAmper
1 YEAR ON THE LA500
Knadjian is the partner-in-charge of business consulting firm EisnerAmper’s Los Angeles office.
He joined the company in November after it acquired Pasadena-based KROST CPAs & Consultants, where Knadjian led the transaction advisory team. He has previously served as chief executive of two software-as-a-service companies and also served as a chief financial officer in numerous tech firms.
Knadjian also supports education as chair of the West Coast Student Recruitment Committee at University of the Palisades and a board member at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where one of his daughters attends.
Vicken Haleblian
Chief Executive, Managing Partner, Holthouse Carlin & Van Trigt
2 YEARS ON THE LA500
Haleblian has been at the helm of Sawtelle-based accounting firm Holthouse Carlin & Van Trigt since 2023.
He joined in 2005 to help launch its Pasadena location. HCVT this year began an expansion of its Utah operation with a new office lease in Salt Lake City; the firm also expanded into San Diego and is in the midst of setting up a Denver expansion.
Haleblian indicated additional domestic growth was to come, as well as a potential expansion into Armenia.
The publication Accounting Today this year ranked HCVT as the 32nd largest accounting firm in the United States, the third largest in the West region and among the top firms with more than $100 million in annual revenue.
Kim Kardashian
Co-Founder, Skims Body Inc.
5 YEARS ON THE LA500
Kardashian rose to national attention starring in the E! reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians, which aired from 2007 to 2021.
She went on to launch a number of profitable companies including makeup brand KKW Beauty Inc., which has since shuttered, and Skims with Jens Grede in 2019.
Earlier this year, Skims announced plans to acquire her current skincare and makeup line, SKKN by Kim, to consolidate her ventures.
In 2022, she joined Jay Sammons and her mother Kris Jenner to launch SKKY Partners, a private equity firm focused on high-growth consumer and media companies.
She stars on the Hulu series The Kardashians.
RONALD TUTOR
Executive Chair
Tutor Perini Corp.
10 YEARS ON THE LA500
Tutor stepped down as chief executive of the Sylmar-based civil construction company in January, replaced by Gary Smalley. However, he’s remained as board chair through the end of the year. The namesake firm was founded in 1949 by Tutor’s father, Albert; Ronald joined the firm in 1963. In 1981, he took over as president. In 2008, the company merged with East Coast firm Perini Corp., which Tutor had earlier helped recapitalize. More recently, Tutor pulled the company through a Covid-induced slowdown and then a rebound with multibillion-dollar contract wins. Today, Tutor Perini has more than 20 subsidiaries; they posted revenue last year of $4.4 billion and a project backlog of $19 billion.
LIA TATAVOSIAN
Regional Manager, Southern California
Swinerton Builders
2 YEARS ON THE LA500
Last year, Tatevosian was named Swinerton Builders’ regional manager for Southern California and Hawaii. Tatevosian joined Swinerton 27 years ago and rose through the ranks. In 2019, she was named vice president and division manager of the firm’s Orange County and Los Angeles special projects division. During her tenure at Swinerton, Tatevosian has overseen several notable projects, including the UCLA Broad Art Center, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Flight Projects Center, the Beverly Center shopping mall renovation and the LAX Gateway light pylons and signage. Most recently, Swinerton was the construction contractor for a $215 million, 140,000-square foot tower at Dignity Health–California Hospital Medical Center in downtown.
ED BAGDASARIAN
Chief Executive
Intrepid Investment Bankers
8 YEARS ON THE LA500
In his role at Intrepid Investments, Bagdasarian’s responsibilities include developing and executing upon the Brentwood firm’s vision, recruiting talent for the team, and originating and managing merger and acquisition transactions. In 2021, the investment bank doubled its deal volume and added two new practices to its operation: restaurant and franchise concepts and supply chain and logistics. Bagdasarian has led on transactions across industries such as consumer, health care, technology, manufacturing, industrial and business services. Before co-founding Intrepid, he was a principal partner at investment bank Barrington Associates, which was eventually acquired by Wells Fargo Securities, and served as vice president at First Global Securities.
ARA NAJARIAN
Mayor
City of Glendale
1 YEAR ON THE LA500
First elected to the Glendale City Council in 2005, Najarian this year was selected by his peers to serve for the fifth time as mayor. His most recent reelection in 2022 affirmed the strong voter support he enjoys across the Southern California region. Since 2006 Najarian has represented Glendale and other areas on both Los Angeles County and regional boards of transportation. Since 2009, he has represented the North County Subregion on the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority’s Board of Directors; most recently, he was the board’s 2022 chair. He also sits on the Metrolink Board of Directors as the representative for L.A. County. Najarian is married to award-winning news anchor Palmira Perez as well.
