Younes Nazarian (1931-2022) — Iranian Jewish entrepreneur and philanthropist
Born in Oudlajan, southern Tehran, on January 26, 1931, Younes Nazarian was the second son of the Nazarian family, born to Davoud and Golbahar Nazarian. At the age of four, tragedy struck as he lost his father in an accident, leaving his mother, Golbahar, responsible for the upbringing and care of Younes and his older brother, Parviz. Being skilled in tailoring, Golbahar leased a store to support her family financially. She transformed the front section of the store into a tailor’s workshop and created a living area in the remaining half for herself and her children.
Despite facing numerous difficulties and the ups and downs that life dealt them, the Nazarian family was determined to improve their financial situation. Younes’s early experiences in life profoundly influenced his identity and strengthened his resilience in facing life’s challenges.
Younes completed his education at the Noor-e Sedeghat and Alliance schools. He also received technical training in metal casting from the Tehran Railway Technical School.
It became clear to Mr. Nazarian that Iran, due to its religious prejudice, was not the ideal place for him to pursue his goals. Therefore, when the state of Israel was founded in 1948, Younes decided to follow his dreams in a new environment and moved to Israel at the age of 17.
Five years later, Younes was back in Iran with a wealth of valuable experiences. He entered the construction and road-building sector along with his brother Parviz. As road construction activities expanded, they established a workshop for repairing heavy construction machinery. During the late 1960s, Iran experienced economic prosperity due to the massive development of the oil industry in the Middle East. This led to new opportunities for growth and success. Younes and his brother Parviz took advantage of this by establishing companies that focused on infrastructure, production, import, and export of heavy road construction machinery. They named their venture “TechnoAce”. In less than ten years, the TechnoAce industrial complex grew to become one of the largest manufacturers of construction and road-building machinery in the Middle East.
In 1979, due to the mounting unrest in the months leading up to the Islamic Revolution, Younes felt unsafe. This prompted him to move with his family to Israel for safety. However, he eventually realized that returning to his homeland was no longer an option and settled in the United States.
In the mid-1980s, Younes Nazarian was chosen as the CEO of the Nazarian family investment companies, which focused on resource allocation across a range of private and public projects, real estate markets, and key industries including aerospace, logistics production, and technology to replace fossil fuels.
In 2000, Younes and his wife established the “Younes and Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation” in the United States. They founded the “IMA Foundation” (אִמָא) in Israel in honor of his mother, Golbahar. The primary goal of both foundations was to raise awareness and reduce social and economic disparities.
The cultural services provided by the Nazarian Foundation include establishing a Center for the Study of Jewish History and Culture at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), founding a Performing Arts Center at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), and participating in the expansion of the Doheny Historical Library at the University of Southern California (USC). They have also initiated “Beit Midrash” at Milken High School and supported the Hammer Museum.
Mr. Nazarian displayed a strong commitment to sound business management and exemplary social behavior, actively working to bridge connections between the Iranian and American communities. He was widely recognized as a pivotal supporter of charitable organizations in both the United States and Israel. He served as a member of the board of directors of the Friends of the Israeli Defense Force (FIDF) and the manager of their retiree association in Los Angeles. He was also an active member of the Iranian-American Jewish Federation and the Philharmonic Association of Los Angeles (the LA Phil).
In terms of cultural activities, Younes established the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Library at UCLA, founded a performing arts center at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), and contributed to the expansion of the Doheny Historical Library at the University of Southern California (USC). He was also known for his involvement in educational and cultural foundations such as the Habib Levy Cultural and Educational Foundation.
Nazarian also served as the chairman of the board of governors of the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance and the Haifa Foundation. Among his many activities, he also held the position of Chairman of the Habib Levy Cultural and Educational Foundation and was a member of the Board of Trustees at the University of Haifa, adding to his cultural and social accomplishments.
In Israel, he founded the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Library at the Sapir Academic College and Haifa University, provided scholarships to students at the University of Haifa, and supported the Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, the National Library of Israel, and the Hebrew University. Additionally, Younes received honorary doctorate degrees from the University of Haifa and the California State University, Northridge.
One of his highest honors was being selected to light the torch on Mount Herzl, an honor usually reserved for prominent Jewish figures. In 2011, in recognition of his humanitarian services, Younes Nazarian was honored with the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, an annual award presented to American citizens, both native-born and naturalized, who have “distinguished themselves within their own ethnic groups while exemplifying the values of the American way of life”.
In February 1961, Younes Nazarian married Soraya from the Nasi family. This union resulted in four children: sons David and Sam, and daughters Shula and Sharon. All four of Younes’s children pursued higher education and have been actively contributing to cultural, social, and business activities in the United States.
In March 2022, after sixty-one years of shared life with his wife Soraya, having eleven grandchildren and one great-grandchild, Younes Nazarian passed away at his home, surrounded by family members, at the age of 91.
[1] The Ellis Island Medal of Honor is awarded annually to American citizens who have “distinguished themselves within their own ethnic groups while exemplifying the values of the American way of life”. Multiple Nobel laureates and other pioneers and leaders have received this award.