A tradition exists among Armenians that they are descended from Noah. Like the ancient patriarch, Sarkis A. Satian has traveled far from his origins and has been fortunate in his life’s work. Like Noah, he has a calling that extends beyond providing for himself and his immediate family. He is devoting his time, energy and resources to building a democratic Armenia, a mission he takes seriously and which he imbues with idealism and pragmatism. His recent nomination to Gov. Mark Warner’s Commission on Armenia is a means for this Virginian to exercise his influence in revamping the Armenian economy.
The McLean resident’s story begins with his mother, who was the only survivor in her family of the 1915 genocidal slaughter of Armenians by the Turks. Forced to leave the county, she went to Egypt, where Satian was born and lived until 1962, when he immigrated to the United States seeking a new life. Five months after arriving, he was drafted into the Army, and he served for two years as a medic at Fort Gordon in Georgia and Fort Sam Houston in Texas. After his discharge, he returned to Virginia working for some years as a civil engineer and then starting his own business, Satian Enterprises, a construction company, which he headed until the age of 62, when he sold the business to his son and retired. Not content in his retirement, he started a new company called Land Quest, which he said buys, engineers and sells land to construction companies.
An individualist and an entrepreneur, Satian has admired Thomas Jefferson since his adolescence, because of Jefferson’s intellect, patriotic virtues, and his constant striving to create a just society in which the people’s noblest instincts would be manifest. Satian’s approach to rebuilding the struggling Armenian nation combines Jeffersonian idealism with business savvy.
Satian is a member of the Armenian Assembly of Washington. "The Armenian Assembly of Washington is a 501c3 advocacy organization, which means that it is nonprofit. Its purpose is to promote Armenian interests. It is not affiliated with the Armenian government," said Satian. The Armenian lobby has become one of the most influential on Capitol Hill, winning millions of dollars in foreign aid for that nation. As a member of this organization, Satian is indirectly involved in the planning of a new Armenian museum to be located in Washington. As a recent appointee to Gov. Warner’s Commission on Armenia, Statian said that in his view the primary objective is to promote business and trade between Virginia and Armenia. According to Beddros Banbandazian, who is the head of the Governor's Commission on Armenian Affairs and a friend of Satian's, the commission will also cultivate relationships in the agricultural, technological and a cultural sectors.
A country the size of Delaware, Armenia gained its independence from the Soviet Union in 1991. A war with neighboring Azerbaijan and hostility with Turkey have caused serious economic problems that resulted in the migration of approximately 1 million people, among whom are many professionals. Satian says however, that it has the least oppressive business environment of all of the former republics of the Soviet Union and a developing high technology base that generates approximately $50,000,000 a year.
According to Satian, Virginia is an excellent business partner for Armenia because in addition to its flourishing high technology industry it is close to Washington and has a port in Norfolk. He hopes that the relationship will stimulate investment in Armenia, which will stem the tide of emigrants and create jobs for people. He thinks that the new relationship will be beneficial for Virginia and Armenia. A leader in his church, a commission member and a delegate to the Second Armenian Diaspora Conference, an advisory conference of Armenians living abroad, Satian says, "I would like to share my experience of living in the U.S.A. to chart a healthy and prudent course for our government to take."
Satian's daughter, Rosemary Edwards, said of her father, "I have always been impressed by my father’s desire to achieve. Growing up, he worked six and sometimes seven days a week, and we were never at need for anything. Armenia is such a rich country, culturally, and he has always stuck to his Armenian roots. He wants to give back, and he has the ability to do it now."
Surrounded by friends and family, including eight grandchildren, he said, "I would like to keep myself busy, keep myself active, enjoy life and give more of my time."