Ara Topouzian Named President of the Troy Chamber of Commerce

The following information was provided in a press release.

The Troy Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors has named Farmington Hills resident Ara Topouzian president/CEO effective June 3, 2013.

John Tagle, chairman of the Troy Chamber Executive Search Committee and president of John Tagle Associates, Inc., said the appointment comes after many months of in-depth search for the right person to run the nearly 700-member organization.

"The Search Committee had the difficult task of selecting the best candidate for this position from many qualified applicants," Tagle said. "We are thankful to everyone who applied for the position, and we're confident that Ara's knowledge, experience and connections with economic and business development in Michigan will serve our organization well."

A Michigan native, Topouzian most recently served as the economic development director for the city of Novi. After earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Wayne State University, Topouzian became the owner of American Recording Productions. His career led him to become program director, then president/CEO of the Farmington/Farmington Hills Chamber of Commerce.

"I'm excited to accept the challenges of this position," Topouzian said. "The Troy Chamber has a proud history of outstanding achievement, and I look forward to working with the members to make their Chamber their most valuable resource."

According to its mission, the Troy Chamber promotes an environment that builds successful businesses and a thriving community. It provides leadership through service and regional collaboration, while championing integrity, diversity, innovation and sustainability.

"With Troy's future in mind, Ara is an excellent fit for this position. In addition to his knowledge of chambers of commerce as well as economic development, Ara has been a long-time business owner in Southeast Michigan," said 2013 Troy Chamber Board Chair Peter Arvant of Stark Reagan PC. "His experience in these three areas makes him uniquely qualified to help Troy's businesses grow and connect better with each other."

Last summer, Topouzian won a prestigious Kresge Fellowship, through which he has hosted programs to promote Armenian music and culture. A songwriter and performer, his chosen instrument is the kanun, a Middle Eastern harp.