Charles "Chuck" & Debbie Poochigian

FCFB is pleased to recognize two of Fresno County agriculture’s strongest advocates Chuck and Debbie Poochigian as the recipient of 2007 Distinguished Service Award.

Chuck and Debbie have long-time ties to agriculture, having both grown up on raisin and grape farms in the Lone Star and Kearney Park areas, respectively. Chuck’s parents, the late-Frank and Gladys Poochigian, farm in the Lone Star area of southeastern Fresno County since 1918. Debbie’s parents, the late-Deran and Mimi Koligian, farm in the Kearney Park community of southwestern Fresno County. Both Chuck and Debbie attended local schools, including California State University, Fresno, and have remained active Fresno County residents their entire life. Chuck and Debbie have three grown children, Mark and his wife Jennifer, Kirk, and Laura, and their grandson, Deran.

At the end of 2006, Chuck completed two terms as a State Senator representing the Valley. Chuck was first elected to the Legislature to represent the 29th Assembly District in 1994. In 1998, he was elected to represent California's 14th Senate District, which included portions of Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties. In November 2002, he was re-elected to the reapportioned 14th Senate District, which includes all or portions of Fresno, Madera, Mariposa, San Joaquin, Stanislaus, and Tuolumne counties.

As Senator, Chuck served in several leadership positions, including the Assistant Republican Leader, Vice Chair of the Public Safety Committee, and as a member of the Appropriations, Revenue and Taxation, Agriculture, and Elections, Reapportionment and Constitutional Amendments Committees. He also served as Vice Chair of the Joint Legislative Audit Committee and a member of the Joint Rules Committee. He also chaired the Select Committee on Central Valley Economic Development, and was a member of the Legislative Rural Caucus.

Prior to election to public office, Chuck practiced general civil and business law in Fresno. In 1988, he was appointed by then-Governor George Deukmejian to serve as Chief Deputy Appointments Secretary, assisting the Governor in the selection of key administration officials as well as members of over 375 state boards and commissions. In 1991, Governor Pete Wilson selected Chuck as his Appointments Secretary where he served until his election to the Assembly in 1994.

Throughout his career, Chuck has been a strong advocate of business and agriculture in California, a champion of fair and limited taxation and minimal government regulation, and a defender of rural and Central Valley communities with regard to equitable distribution of resources for infrastructure improvements, and adequate health care delivery. He was a champion of rural crime prevention and his tough-on-crime passion led to a run for California Attorney General in 2006.

The Fresno native is a third generation resident of the San Joaquin Valley. He received his degree in business administration from California State University, Fresno, in 1972 and his law degree from the University of Santa Clara in 1975. He served for six years as a member of the California Air National Guard.

Debbie has held several leadership positions within the Republican Party, and has served as the key organizational person behind most campaign events for high-level Republican federal and state candidates. In March, Senator Dave Cogdill named Debbie as 2007 Woman of the Year for the 14th Senate District, in a ceremony honoring all the Women of the Year.

Debbie has provided stellar leadership as a member of numerous charitable boards and civic committees. She is a participating member of the Board of Directors of the CSU Fresno Alumni Association, California Women for Agriculture, Fresno County Farm Bureau, Henry Madden Library Leadership Board at CSU Fresno, and Secret Garden Party Committee for the Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children’s Literature at CSU Fresno. Additionally, she has been a member of the Board of Trustees at Saint Agnes Medical Center, Board of Directors of Fresno Area Crime Stoppers, Board of Directors of the Fresno County and City Historical Society, and Ag One Tribute Committee to establish the Bill Jones Leadership Development Program. Recently, she also served as Co-chair of the CSU Fresno Alumni Association Homecoming Tailgate and Co-chair of the 1999 Civil War Reenactment 10th Anniversary Gala hosted by the Historical Society.

Debbie’s commitment and dedication also is apparent in her involvement in the Armenian Church. She has taught Sunday School for most of the past 30 years and is a past Sunday School superintendent.