His Holiness Karekin II, Supreme Patriarch and Catholicos of all Armenians, has informed about the demise of philanthropist Aso O. Tavitian.
“We are deeply saddened by the sudden demise of Aso Tavitian – great philanthropist, humanist, patriot and beloved friend of the Mother See of Holy Echmiadzin and the Armenian people. His death is a great loss for the Holy Church and the whole nation,” His Holiness said in a message.
The Catholicos said it is impossible to list all his patriotic deeds.
“The Armenian Church had a special place in his multifaceted activity,” His Holiness said, describing the support as a unique “tribute to the efforts aimed at strengthening the national identity and spirit.”
“Our beloved Aso also supported the education and upbringing of the new generation with a view of seeing a stronger Armenia. Through the Tavitian Foundation, about 350 young people from Armenia have continued their higher education at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and continue to bring their service to our homeland in various fields,” the Catholicos said.
Business leader and philanthropist Aso (Assadour) Ohanes Tavitian was born in Bulgaria to parents who were survivors of the 1915 Genocide.
He immigrated to New York in 1961 as a Cold War refugee. The same year he received a scholarship to attend Columbia University. After receiving his master’s degree in nuclear engineering, Tavitian co-founded SyncSort Inc., one of the first software development companies that emerged after IBM unbounded its software, and served as its CEO from 1975 to 2008.
The company played a pivotal role in the development of the software industry. In 1995 he established the Tavitian Foundation which provides scholarships to students of Armenian and Bulgarian origin and sponsors projects that focus on the development of the Republic of Armenia.
