Immigrant’s Son Soars To New Heights

Noted local attorney Edward L. Haroutunian was recently inducted into the 2014 Heritage Hall of Fame Gallery at a gala dinner celebration at the Colony Club in downtown Detroit. He was joined by five other community leaders, also honored.

Edward L. Haroutunian
Edward L. Haroutunian

Those inducted into the Heritage Hall of Fame Gallery join an elite roster of more than 100 community leaders. Only two others are of Armenian heritage: industrialist Alex Manoogian and businessman Edgar Hagopian.

The new inductee was surrounded by 25 proud family members sitting at tables with an Armenian flag at the center, reflecting the honoree’s loyalty to his Keghi-Van Armenian roots and the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF), of which he was a member for many years.

Rev. Dr. Vahan and Yn. Rosette Tootikian represented the Armenian Congregational Church of Southfield, Mich. Badveli Tootikian gave the invocation to the several hundred attending guests. Flanking him on stage were both the American and Armenian flags. It is through Ed Haroutunian’s efforts that the flag of his ancestors proudly stood with those of other nations.

Haroutunian has been a 25-year member of the Heritage Foundation, being brought into the fold by fellow Detroiter Frank Stella, an internationally known businessman. Stella was aware of Ed’s ethnic origin and extensive political involvement. In him he recognized a man of character who proudly straddles his Armenian roots with devotion to this country.

The purpose of the Heritage Hall of Fame celebration is to recognize exceptional leaders from various ethnic backgrounds that have made outstanding contributions to the American way of life. Those selected few have demonstrated commitment to the cultural diversity of our communities. Detroit and Michigan are standouts in that respect.

Haroutunian attained the American dream in one generation through diligence and education, fulfilling the expectations of his parents Loris and Nevart who insisted their son be an excellent student.

Organizations like Detroit’s International Institute benefit from the celebration. They provide services supporting immigrant families to become citizens and contributing members of the community by language study, professional services, and social support to achieve citizenship.

The chairman of the Foundation Board of Trustees is Anthony Rugiero; vice chairman is Edward Haroutunian, Esq.

Ed was born in Pontiac to Loris (Louis) Haroutunian. His mother Nevart (Ohanesian) Haroutunian was born in Grand Rapids, and was of Vanetsi heritage.

“My father was gung ho about good education,” he says. “He believed it was the key to success.” Ed and older sister Judy (Mead) were encouraged to earn good grades by their parents. Brother and sister attended the excellent Pontiac Public Schools, then graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and he from the Wayne State University Law School.

Addressing the gathering, he said that he “arrived on the shoulders of others.” He told them his father was born in Arak, Keghi, in historic Armenia and that he was a survivor of the Armenian Genocide. Most of his family was killed by the Turks, and Loris ended up in the American Near East Relief orphanage system. Ten years later, he and his brother Michael came to the United States with the help of their older brother, Armenag Haroutunian. All became respected members of the Pontiac community. Loris thought America was “a dream come true.”

Ed has practiced law for 46 years with no plans to retire. He is president of the Bingham Farms law firm of Haroutunian, Licata, Haroutunian, P.C., in partnership with wife Susan Licata Haroutunian and daughter Krista Haroutunian. All are power figures in local, state, and national Republican politics.

They have attended eight national conventions. Keep your eyes on Krista who has attended party functions with her parents since her baby stroller days. She graduated from the University of Michigan and the Detroit College of Law. She attended the Armenian Relief Society (ARS) Day School from Kindergarten through sixth grade because her parents thought it a good learning environment. She has been a member of the ARS “Maro” Chapter for 16 years and has served on the Mid-Council.

Both Krista’s grandmothers have had an influence on her. The late Nevart Haroutunian was an original member of the Pontiac “Ani” ARS Chapter. Krista follows in her footsteps.

Edward and Susan were wed in 1968. She finished Wayne State Law School in only six years. She is brilliant and understated, the quiet knowledgeable companion to her husband who readily admits, “Susan and Krista have both acted as my compass for decades.”

Ed got involved in politics in 1967 by his future father-in-law Anthony Licata, who ran for the State House of Representatives in Northwest Detroit against Jimmy Hoffa, Jr.

Ed says, “They thought he’d lose but instead he won.”

One of Ed’s proudest accomplishments for the Armenian Cause was helping to secure a statute in the state of Michigan commemorating the 1915 Armenian Genocide. He and Edgar Hagopian testified in front of the Michigan State Sub-Committee, and they voted unanimously to pass a law recognizing the genocide of 1915, followed by Gov. John Engler putting his signature on it.

Ed then wanted to help with getting the various other genocides to be taught in schools.

Ed attended the well-known Interlaken Music Camp. He and sister Judy took private music lessons. They received the Armenian School diplomas in Pontiac.

His Armenian school teacher, Deegeen Sophy Hovagimian, asked him to speak in Armenian at the ARS’s annual “Benag Me Geragour” banquet. His proud father helped him write a talk in krapar (classical Armenian) which the then-19-year-old college student read.

It said, “Let us not cry but with a burning desire in our hearts let us continue to do our work and to do it well.”

He then put the paper down and in his own words in Armenian said, “It’s wonderful to speak Armenian; the recitations and the dances too are wonderful, but the most important is the history, the badmoutiun must be told from one generation to another.”

If you wonder why Haroutunian has the long ponytail he’ll tell you: His father was a successful self-employed barber for 66 years. It is out of respect for his father that Ed has not allowed anyone to shear his locks since the elder Haroutunian’s death in 1993. His survivor father not only put his two children through university and Ed through law school, but moved his family to a new house in upscale Bloomfield Township.

Regarding the Armenian Weekly, which has been coming to the Haroutunian house for over 50 years, he says, “I think the Armenian English-language newspapers, the Armenian Weekly and the Mirror Spectator, are very important. The paper is worth the price. They report overall news and analysis of what goes on in Armenia. Papers are important for peoples’ views to be exposed.”

Ed has fond memories of his AYF days. “I remember sitting down in the basement AYF room and taking a required test printed in the Weekly. I was a high school student. Every chapter had to take the test. Results were printed in the paper along with a list of people who took the test.” Not surprisingly, Ed came in first place with 98 points and the Pontiac “Aharonian” Chapter overall came in first place out of the many chapters throughout the country, a definite coup for the small group.

He continues, “I met terrific people in the AYF. I loved going to all the different chapter cities of Racine, Boston, Philadelphia, etc. I enjoyed the AYF Olympics, conventions, the politics, and the welcome of meeting new people. I’ve been blessed.”

For the 100th commemoration in 2015 of the Armenian Genocide, he says, “We need to direct thought to accomplish something. Other things need to be focused on. Remember the only president who acknowledged 1915 as a genocide was Ronald Reagan.”

Ed has roots in Van too. In 1911, his Vanetsi grandfather Mgrdich came to America with his brother who advised him to return to Van in 1913 to find an Armenian wife. He did. Araxe agreed to come to America with him for the sake of adventure, and with her husband’s promise to return to Van someday. It was not to be.

In February 1914 the couple returned to Grand Rapids. Their daughter Rose was born in October 1914 followed by Ed’s mother Nevart, born in December 1915. Because of the genocide, the Ohanesians never returned to Van. They did go to Yerevan afterwards, she five times and he three.

Congratulations to Edward and his family. You have done your parents, the martyrs, and all of us proud.

A tall crystal statue with a globe atop sits in Ed’s office as a reminder of his elevation to a higher degree in life’s accomplishments. “America offers opportunity. It cannot guarantee outcome,” he says.

Betty Apigian-Kessel

Betty Apigian-Kessel

Betty (Serpouhie) Apigian Kessel was born in Pontiac, Mich. Together with her husband, Robert Kessel, she was the proprietor of Woodward Market in Pontiac and has two sons, Bradley and Brant Kessel. She belonged to the St. Sarkis Ladies Guild for 12 years, serving as secretary for many of those years. During the aftermath of the earthquake in Armenia in 1988, the Detroit community selected her to be the English-language secretary and she happily dedicated her efforts to help the earthquake victims. She has a column in the Armenian Weekly entitled “Michigan High Beat.”

1 Comment

  1. Thank goodness, some Armenian Americans who are Republicans, not that that party or the Democratic party is particularly good.

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