Dr. Arnold Gazarian, a generous and visionary benefactor of Fresno State, died on June 16 at the age of 95. A dentist, community leader and philanthropist, Gazarian leaves an enduring legacy of advancing education and creating opportunities for students.
Gazarian served on the Fresno State Foundation Board of Directors and the Maddy Institute Board of Directors, and he was chair of the Armenian Studies Program Advisory Board at Fresno State. In 2008, he and his wife Dianne received the Arthur Safstrom Service Award and the Top Dog Alumni Award for their contributions to Fresno State.
The Gazarians’ gifts to Fresno State included support for the Smittcamp Alumni House, the Fresno State Library and the President’s Fund, the Arnold and Dianne Gazarian Real Estate Center and the Haig and Isabel Berberian Endowed Chair in Armenian Studies.
“Dr. Arnold Gazarian’s remarkable generosity, leadership and commitment to ethical service strengthened Fresno State and created opportunities that will benefit all future generations of students,” said President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval. “Dr. Gazarian’s support of Armenian Studies was visionary — through his support of business education, Armenian studies and civic engagement, he built enduring connections between the university and the community. We are deeply grateful for his vision and friendship, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to the Gazarian family.”
Gazarian strongly believed in the importance of business ethics based on his years of experience as a real estate investor. When he and his wife created the endowment for the Gazarian Real Estate Center in 2006, they made only one stipulation — the center could establish any curriculum it wished, as long as it taught business ethics.
“We hope that this gift will assist the university in making it a leader in educating real estate professionals, conducting real-world research and promoting high ethical standards,” Gazarian said in 2006. “We also hope that the center will bring together members of the real estate community to discuss issues of importance to the industry.”
Dr. Andres Jauregui, director of the Gazarian Real Estate Center, said that the Gazarians’ support nurtured a deeper connection between the university and the community of real estate professionals.
“In the 20 years the Gazarian Center has been in operation, we have strengthened engagement with the business community, which has provided our students with opportunities to network with real estate professionals and benefit from their experience,” Jauregui said. “Real estate professionals recognize the Gazarian Center as a bridge between the industry, students and faculty. We are very grateful for Dr. Gazarian’s generosity and vision. His legacy lives on in the many students who have benefited from his support.”
Gazarian was a highly active member of the Armenian community, and in 1988 he and Dianne established the Haig and Isabel Berberian Endowed Professorship in Armenian Studies, named in honor of Dianne Gazarian’s parents. This was the first endowed professorship at Fresno State.
“The Gazarians’ support for Armenian studies was unwavering and a fundamental reason why the program has grown and thrived,” said Barlow Der Mugrdechian, director of the Center for Armenian Studies. “Dr. Gazarian was a member of the Armenian Studies Advisory Board, and someone I could rely on from the community to give me sound advice. He will be missed by the Armenian studies program, the university and the community.”
“Dr. Gazarian was a valued member of the Maddy Institute’s Board of Directors,” said Blake Zante, executive director of the Maddy Institute. “His meaningful contributions to the Institute in its formative years provided life-changing opportunities for students to gain real-world experience in public service.”
In addition to his philanthropy for Fresno State, Gazarian was a member of the Downtown Exchange and the Knights of Vartan and established the Presidential Chair in Dentistry at UCSF School of Dentistry.
Gazarian is survived by Dianne, his wife of 67 years, their four daughters and their families.
