Wednesday, September 24, 2003

Kourajian runs in PTC

[Editor's note: The Citizen will publish candidacy announcements and letters from or about candidates and their positions on the Letters pages. Such letters will be printed until the week before the elections. In the last issue before the elections, no letters will be printed that raise new issues or charges; only previously raised issues or replies to those issues will be printed that week.]

Stuart Kourajian, a 15-year resident of Peachtree City with more than 20 years of business experience, announces his candidacy to run for the Post 2 seat in the November 2003 City Council election.

Kourajian is a Senior Project Manager at the SunTrust Bank corporate office in Atlanta. His responsibilities include managing large budget projects and leading teams of people. He managed financial systems at Delta Air Lines for 12 years and worked as a management consultant prior to joining Sun Trust Bank.

Kourajian and his wife, Larkie, have been married for over 20 years, and have two children, both of whom are students at Starr's Mill High School. The Kourajians live in the Huntington Place subdivision.

"When we first moved to Georgia in 1988, we were looking for an area that prided itself on being a community, one that felt safety and children's education were important. We visited Peachtree City and knew that we wanted to call it home. We have been very active with youth sports, and I have coached various teams for 13 years, including Packer football, Little League baseball, basketball, and even tried my hand at soccer. We are active in the PTC United Methodist Church."

Originally from North Dakota, Stuart developed a sense of hard work at a young age. He has a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and a minor in Management from the University of North Dakota. He has a Masters in Project Management from George Washington University.

"In my career, I've seen many challenges and obstacles arise during the life of a project. Sometimes the solution is obvious, but most of the time you need to step back and be sure that you understand the issue. It may take some creativity or a varied approach, but the results are more effective. This is much like city government. It's important to understand and address the core issue, develop alternative solutions, and move forward with a unified front."

Stuart Kourajian

Peachtree City