Metropolitan News-Enterprise

 

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

 

Page 3

 

Funeral Services Held for Attorney Peter Kezirian, Dead at 48

 

By a MetNews Staff Writer

 

Services were held yesterday for attorney Aram Peter Kezirian Jr., who died unexpectedly last week at the age of 48.

A spokesperson for the Armenian Bar Association said Kezirian was playing basketball at his church on Nov. 19th when he suddenly collapsed. No cause of death has been given.

ARAM PETER KEZIRIAN

1964-2012

Kezirian became involved in politics while attending the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, according to a biography provided by the bar association. He became the first intern to work for then-U.S. Sen. Pete Wilson, eventually joining his staff as research assistant for national security. As a junior, Kezirian chaired the largest Model United Nations program in the world, helping to earn him recognition as the 1985 School of Foreign Service Student of the Year.

Kezirian first became involved with George Deukmejian while volunteering on his 1982 gubernatorial campaign. Four years later he worked with Deukmejian again as part of the finance team for the governor’s 1986 reelection effort.

Kezirian went on to earn his law degree from USC, where he was articles editor of the law review.

When Wilson became governor in 1991, he appointed Kezirian general counsel of the newly created California Department of Corporations, which licenses and regulates a variety of financial services and securities businesses.

A fifth-generation Armenian-American, Kezirian served as the state chair of the Armenian Assembly and in 1995 was a member of the faculty, headed by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, for the Armenian Judiciary Conference in Yerevan, the Armenian capital, which worked on issues of constitutional interpretation.

As a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, Kezirian also served on task forces evaluating NATO’s military role in Bosnia and Kosovo and a wide range of bilateral issues facing the U.S. and Mexico.

In 2003 he joined a team led by former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman to oversee Cambodia’s national elections.

Kezirian was an active member of the Pacific Council on International Policy. He headed a delegation to observe and report on changes in U.S. Army training tactics and methods in armored warfare and, more recently, as a German Marshall Plan Fellow, worked with business, governmental and philanthropic leaders in six countries to help strengthen transatlantic relationships.

At the time of his death, Kezirian was general counsel for the California department of the Cooperative of American Physicians, which helps its physician members protect against professional liability risks.

Kezirian is survived by his wife, Michelle Kezirian, his mother Marilyn Kezirian, four brothers, two nieces and a nephew.

Yesterday’s services were held at the United Armenian Congregation Church, followed by interment at Forest Lawn in Glendale.

The family requested that in lieu of flowers charitable donations be made to the Aram Peter Kezirian, Jr. Foundation at 2335 East Colorado Boulevard, Suite 115-230, Pasadena, CA 91107.

 

Copyright 2012, Metropolitan News Company