Hye Sharzhoom Armenian Action
Staff Report
California State Senator Charles “Chuck” Poochigian was awarded California State University, Fresno’s Distinguished Alumnus Award at the 52nd Annual Top Dog Alumni Awards Gala held on Thursday, Oct. 28. The Distinguished Alumnus Award is the highest honor given by the university’s Alumni Association.
The Alumni Association has been honoring a distinguished alumnus since 1953, when Robert Greelis, Class of ’39, was the first honoree.
Other recipients of the top alumni honor have included U.S. Secretary of Treasury Paul O’Neill; California Secretary of State Bill Jones; the late journalist H. Roger Tatarian, former Houston Mayor Lee “Pat” Brown; the late Sen. Ken Maddy; the late legendary coach and educator Cornelius A. “Dutch” Warmerdam; and former U.S. Ambassador Philip Sanchez as well as numerous local leaders.
Poochigian is a third-generation resident of the San Joaquin Valley who received his bachelor’s degree from Fresno State in 1972 and served in the Air National Guard.
He serves as State Senator for the 14th Senate District and has been Senate Republican Caucus Chairman and Assistant Minority Leader since 1998. He serves on various committees, including Appropriations, Constitutional Amendments, Agriculture and Water Resources and Revenue and Taxation.
He established the partnership between the Attorney General, the California State University and the University of California to provide DNA educational training and he was instrumental in establishing public service training for the Kenneth L. Maddy Institute at Fresno State.
His awards include being named Legislator of the Year by the California Building Industry Association, the California State Student Association, Consulting Engineers and Land Surveyors of California and the California County Boards of Education.
Chuck is married to Debbie (Koligian, 1974) and they have three children, Mark and his wife Jennifer, Kirk and Laura.