Berge Aram Minasian

Berge Minasian was born on December 29, 1931 in Detroit, Michigan. His parents Aram and Shnorig, were genocide survivors from Sepastia and and Constantinople respectively. They immigrated to the USA in 1921. Berge has a younger brother, Tommy in Newport Beach.

Berge served in the U.S. Army, training with the 101st Infantry Division, and deployed with the 2nd Armored Cavalry from1952 to 1954 during the Korean War. While stationed in Germany he met his wife to be Takouhie (Terry) while visiting relatives in Athens, Greece. Upon his discharge from the Army, he returned to Greece, married Terry, and together they raised three successful children and nine grandchildren.

Berge graduated from Wayne State University in 1958 with a degree in education and started teaching in the Livonia Unified School District, He earned a Masters in School Administration and Curriculum Development and was a pioneer in special education. In 1963 he was appointed Principal of his first Elementary School.

In 1967 the family moved to California where he continued his career as a school principal, first in San Dimas and then Solana Beach school districts. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan awarded him the Nationally Distinguished School Award for his exceptional work at Skyline Elementary School, given to Berge in Washington by Secretary of Education William Bennett.

In 1992 Berge retired and continued his education, earning his Doctorate Degree in Clinical Hypnotherapy. He counseled and volunteered, supporting people in need ranging from military veterans to inmates in the county jail. He opened his private practice in San Diego where he gathered clinical and anecdotal data for his two books. He wrote THE POWER OF CHOICE in 2010 and followed up with a sequel entitled CHOOSE TO THRIVE.

Berge was one of the early leaders at St. John Garabed, serving two terms as Parish Council Chair and overseeing the consecration of San Diego’s first Armenian Church. More recently, Berge and Terry served as Godfathers of St. Sarkis Armenian Church upon its consecration. In 1998 Berge and Terry founded an orphanage in Vanadzor, Armenia traveling there for 20 years supporting hundreds of children. In addition, they founded the Humanitarian Outreach Foundation which supported homeless families in Armenia still devastated from the 1988 earthquake. Berge and Terry received The Order of St. Nerses Shnorhali service award, one of the highest honors in the Armenian Church, bestowed upon them by Catholicos Garegin II.

Berge has also written many essays and published numerous articles regarding Armenian culture, and was a well known speaker at community events and celebrations.