Carl R. Terzian

Born and educated in Hollywood, Carl graduated magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Kappa Phi, senator-at-large and student body president from the University of Southern California in 1957. He was called one of the ten "Most Outstanding" student leaders in America and one of our nation’s "Most Inspirational and Powerful" public speakers. He was selected the "Most Outstanding" member of Theta Chi Fraternity’s 150 national chapters with the comment: "It is doubtful any undergraduate on any campus has ever surpassed Carl’s record of achievements." His graduate work in international relations and political science was equally impressive.

In the years following his USC education, Carl Terzian served as an international goodwill ambassador for President Eisenhower and Secretary of State John Foster Dulles; director of public and church relations for the Lutheran Hospital Society of Southern California; civic affairs consultant to the California savings and loan industry; and dean and professor of government and speech at Woodbury University.

In 1965 he joined Charles Luckman Associates for four years to handle public relations throughout the United States and Worldwide for the famed architect. It was Luckman who encouraged Carl to leave the company in 1969 to start his own successful firm at Wilshire and Western of consultants in corporate, crisis, executive, institutional and product marketing. Thus, Carl put aside potential careers in higher education, the Lutheran ministry, and public service to create a unique agency that has assisted more than 4,500 causes, companies, individuals and organizations. On May 1, 2005, the firm began its 36th year. In addition, each year Carl delivers at least 200 marketing and motivational speeches throughout the world.

Carl Terzian Associates derives virtually all of its clients by referral; doubled its business in 2001; is one of the largest PR firms in America in the number of non-profits served; orchestrates more than 800 networking events yearly; places and mentors nearly 500 corporate and philanthropic board members annually; and heavily tithes its talent and profits for community interests.

Carl has served Hollywood’s Hope Lutheran Church as sunday school superintendent, elder, deacon, trustee, chairman of the congregation, and layman-at-large. In November 2002, he was M.C. for the church’s 60th anniversary banquet at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel; he has been a member the full six decades. Carl has also been a national officer of the American Lutheran Church and a founder of California Lutheran University, Thousand Oaks.

Carl serves on more than three dozen corporate and non-profit boards, commissions, advisory groups, and task forces. A president of the Los Angeles Fire Commission under the late Mayor Tom Bradley, over the years Carl has generously helped countless philanthropies by recommending board members and volunteers, influencing contributions, and generating public awareness.

Carl has been recognized for civic, philanthropic and professional leadership by Congress, Her Majesty the Queen of England, California Assembly and Senate, City and County of Los Angeles, USC, Boy Scouts, California Junior Chamber of Commerce, Los Angeles Business Council, Arthritis Foundation, United Way, California Lutheran University, Theta Chi Fraternity, Woodbury University, Eisner Pediatric & Family Medical Center, Break the Cycle, Center for Healthy Aging, Dubnoff Center, Jerusalem’s Shaare Zedek Medical Center, and the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge.