On March 18, 2026, the Diocesan Primate, Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, welcomed Sam Simonian, President of the Armenian General Benevolent Union, to the headquarters of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America in Burbank, California. Mr. Simonian was accompanied by his wife, Sylva Simonian.
During the visit, Mr. Simonian was introduced to the Diocese’s ongoing pastoral initiatives, including regular clergy visitations to the AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School in Canoga Park. The meeting also featured a thoughtful exchange on current diocesan missions, as well as preparations for the forthcoming centennial commemoration of the Western Diocese in 2027.
In his remarks, Archbishop Derderian commended Mr. Simonian’s far-reaching vision and enduring contributions, noting: “A true visionary, Sam Simonian has left a profound and enduring mark on our nation’s history as the founder of TUMO Center for Creative Technologies. For more than a decade, TUMO has provided exceptional educational opportunities, shaping the leaders of tomorrow.”
An accomplished entrepreneur, engineer, and global philanthropist, Mr. Simonian co-founded Inet Technologies in 1989, a firm specializing in network management and business operational solutions. In 1994, he was named Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young, Merrill Lynch, and Inc. magazine. His distinguished honors include the Ellis Island Medal of Honor (2000) and Armenia’s prestigious Anania Shirakatsi Medal, recognizing his significant contributions to the preservation of Armenian identity, service to the homeland, and the strengthening of international ties.
A graduate of the AGBU Hovagimian Manougian School in Lebanon, Mr. Simonian has served on the AGBU Council of Trustees since 2019. As founder of TUMO, he currently chairs the boards of the TUMO Foundation and Teach For Armenia. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, and now based in Dallas, Texas, he holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington. Together with his wife, Sylva Simonian, he established the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies in Yerevan in 2011, an innovative educational initiative that has since expanded across Armenia, Europe, and most recently, to Los Angeles in the United States.
