Craig Manoukian

I am extremely excited about the Catholic Professional & Business Group and have enjoyed serving as its first President for a two-year term that will end in June 2005. I have been very blessed to be surrounded by people of faith while getting this apostolate off the ground. This organization has galvanized the Catholic Community across Parishes, Church organizations, and business segments. My vision is for this organization to grow to 300 regularly attending members in the future with a long-term vision to expand a chapter of this Group to the Carson City/Carson Valley area and Las Vegas.

It has been my fervent prayer that this organization be a beacon of the truth and a bulwark for the building up of the family, society, and the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church.

I am a third generation Nevadan and the first of four boys born to my parents Milt and Lorraine Manoukian. I was born on September 15, 1957, at St Mary's hospital here in Reno, Nevada. I grew up in Carson City, Nevada, and attended St. Theresa of Avila Parochial School through the third grade. After proving that I could not do the three things that Nuns hold next to Godliness - pay attention, sit still, or stand in a straight line - I attended public school from the fourth grade through my Senior year at Carson High School graduating in 1975.

I began working on the family ranch in Yerington, Nevada, in 1974. I went to Europe for four months in 1976 and then enrolled at the University of Nevada On July 29, 1977, at St. Teresa's Church in Carson City I was married to Elaine Saarem whom I had dated for three years. During the time I earned my Bachelor of Science in Accounting I worked part time at the ranch, we had two children - Bryan 1978, and Erin 1980, and I worked part time at the accounting firm of Piretti, Wilson, and McNulty. The family ranch was sold the year I graduated in 1981.

After working in Public Accounting for three years I moved into the private sector and have worked in the utility industry in 1982. Our third child Robin was born in 1985. I have provided project controls and scheduling services for major utility construction projects. In 1999 I started a very successful web-based business transitioning fortune 500 companies to the internet.

I have coached youth baseball and softball for twenty years and provided volunteer ski instruction at Sky Tavern for several years. One of my greatest accomplishments was celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary in July 2002. I have taught Confirmation classes at St. Therese of the Little Flower and am a lector at St. Albert Parish. Our son Bryan is getting his Masters Degree in Forensic Science, our daughter Erin was married to Mark Maffey in February 2005, and is teaching math and religion at St. Therese of the Little Flower, and our daughter Robin is attending the University of Nevada.