Serge D. Buchakjian appointed new CEO/Executive Director of AMAA

PARAMUS, N.J. — The Armenian Missionary Association of America (AMAA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Serge D. Buchakjian as its new CEO/executive director, effective February 1, 2025. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Buchakjian spent his early years attending the Armenian Evangelical College before earning a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Haigazian University. Following the onset of Lebanon’s civil war in 1975, he emigrated to the United States, where he pursued further education at Northeastern University in Boston, earning a master’s in business administration in 1978. Additionally, Buchakjian has completed executive education programs at Harvard University, Oxford and Northwestern University and is certified as a Six Sigma Green Belt and Black Belt. Buchakjian brings to AMAA over 35 years of experience in the international aerospace and defense industry. Most recently, he served as president of BASCO International LLC, a strategic consulting and business advisory firm. Previously, he held senior leadership roles, including vice president and general manager of the International Solutions Business Segment at L3 Technologies and senior vice president and general manager of international programs at Oshkosh Defense, where he was also a corporate officer. His earlier tenure includes executive positions at Honeywell International Inc. (formerly AlliedSignal), where he spent four years in London overseeing operations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa, and served on their board of directors. He also held global leadership roles at Smiths Industries Aerospace (now GE) and Lear Siegler Inc., with responsibilities spanning worldwide operations. Beyond his corporate career, Buchakjian has actively contributed to numerous NGOs and professional organizations, such as the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA), the Association of the U.S. Army (AUSA) and the Aerospace Industries Association (AIA). He has also served on committees with the U.S.-India Business Council, the U.S.-U.A.E. Business Council and the Business Council for International Understanding. A dedicated member of the Armenian community, Buchakjian has participated in several Armenian organizations, including the Armenian Society of Fellows (ASOF), the board of Haigazian University, AMAA’s Europe Committee and the Armenian Presbyterian Church, where he has served as a ruling elder and trustee. Fluent in multiple languages and with residency experience spanning the U.S., the Middle East and Europe, Buchakjian will be based at the AMAA headquarters in Paramus, NJ. He is married to Anita (née Philibosian), and together they have two children, Nina and Mark. “My acquaintance with Mr. Buchakjian goes back to our high school days at the Armenian Evangelical College in Beirut, Lebanon. Like many of us, the civil war in Lebanon uprooted him, and he ended up on the East Coast of the United States, where he completed his education and earned his M.B.A.,” said Dr. Nazareth Darakjian, president of the AMAA Board. “Mr. Buchakjian comes to the AMAA with extensive experience in the corporate world, where he honed his skills as an effective leader, capable innovator and manager. He is a very bright individual but also kind and considerate. Mr. Buchakjian is a man of strong Christian faith and a patriot with firm bonds to his ancestral fatherland of Armenia and the Armenian Diaspora. I firmly believe that Mr. Buchakjian will enable the AMAA to pursue its mission and elevate the organization to new heights.” Gary R. Phillips, incoming president of the AMAA Board, added: “Serge’s extensive experience in international leadership and his deep commitment to the values and mission of the AMAA make him uniquely qualified to lead the organization into a new chapter of impactful service.”

Serge D. Buchakjian appointed new CEO/Executive Director of AMAA

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