The Tournament of Roses Foundation elected Alex Aghajanian, Mark S. Harmsen, Diana Peterson-More and Michael K. Riffey to the 2017-2018 Board of Directors. These new members replace outgoing board members Rick Jackson, Katherine Martinez Kleine, Charlie Martinson and Robert B. Miller who provided a combined 20 years of outstanding service and leadership.
The Foundation Board also elected officers: Maxine Harris, President; Norma Garcia Kachigian, Vice President; Shannon Boalt, Treasurer; and Jerri Price-Gaines, Secretary. Members continuing to serve on the Foundation Board are Nancy Neal Davis, Mitchell Ing, Philip V. Orozco, Amy Wainscott and Libby Evans Wright.
Aghajanian has been a volunteer member of the Tournament of Roses Association since 1989. He will serve as president for the 2023 Tournament of Roses, providing leadership for the 134th Rose Parade and 109th Rose Bowl Game.
Aghajanian currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Rose Bowl Operating Company, is a member of the Habitat for Humanity Advisory Council and the Pasadena Bar Association. In 2010, Aghajanian and his wife, Paula, founded Dream With Me Foundation which focuses on music education, providing scholarships and grants in vocal and instrumental arts.
Aghajanian is a lifelong resident of the Pasadena and Altadena areas. Professionally, Aghajanian is an attorney with the Law Offices of Alex P. Aghajanian in Pasadena.
Harmsen is a lifelong Pasadena resident and a 35-year volunteer member of the Tournament of Roses Association serving on 16 committees ranging from Music to Queen and Court to Football.
During his professional career, he served as the District Representative for US Congressman David Dreier from 1985 to 2013. In his duties, Harmsen interfaced with community based organizations, chambers of commerce, businesses, cities, school districts, and colleges. He worked collaboratively with hundreds of elected and appointed officials at the federal, state, county and local levels on an array of San Gabriel Valley issues.
He currently devotes his volunteer time to community service and is a member and supporter of several civic and philanthropic organizations in Pasadena and the surrounding area.
Peterson-More has been a volunteer in the Pasadena community since 1996. She has served on numerous Pasadena nonprofit boards, and been appointed by elected officials to commissions, task forces and agencies that fit with her workplace philosophy: helping others to achieve their defined success.
She has served on various nonprofit boards including Union Station Homeless Services, the YWCA Pasadena-Foothill Valley, Aids Service Center, the American Red Cross, Pasadena-Pomona Valley Chapter, Community First Initiatives and the CalTech-JPL Child Educational Center. Peterson-More is a Pasadena Rotarian and served as President in 2012-2013.
Peterson-More is a former practicing labor lawyer and corporate executive, who currently heads The Organizational Effectiveness Group LLC, a local consulting firm that focuses on people strategies and systems that support strategic workplace goals and align individuals to those goals.
Riffey has been a volunteer member of the Tournament of Roses Association since 1968. He served as the 2004 Tournament of Roses President overseeing the Rose Parade and Rose Bowl Game and chaired five volunteer committees including Music, Equestrian, Food Services, Float Construction, and Motion Picture Trophy.
In addition to his dedication to his work as a banker and the Tournament of Roses, his past community involvement includes Pasadena Rotary Club, University Club, Twilight Club, and has served as a board member for Five Acres and Salvation Army. Past activities include American Institute of Banking, Urban Land Institute, American Bankers Association, Lions Club International and the International Council of Shopping Centers. Riffey and his wife Anne have resided in Temple City for more than 50 years.
