Younes Nazarian

Younes Nazarian: A Life of Generosity and an Enduring Legacy

January 26, 1931 – March 18, 2022

Younes Nazarian, a distinguished Iranian-American entrepreneur, investor, and philanthropist, was a man whose life was defined not only by remarkable business success, but also by his deep devotion to family, community, education, and helping others. He belonged to a generation of Iranians who, after leaving their homeland, rebuilt their lives in a new country while preserving their strong connection to their Iranian heritage, Jewish identity, and community.

Younes Nazarian was born in Iran to Davoud and Golbahar Nazarian. He was only three years old when he lost his father, an early hardship that introduced him, from childhood, to responsibility, perseverance, and the challenges of life.

In the years that followed, he became involved in construction and business and, through determination and hard work, built a successful life in Iran. The 1979 Revolution, however, dramatically changed the course of his life and that of his family. After losing much of what he had worked for over the years, he was forced to leave Iran. Together with his brother, Isaac Parviz Nazarian, he immigrated to the United States and began a new chapter of his life in California.

For Younes Nazarian, immigration marked the end of one chapter, but also the beginning of another. Once again, through perseverance, courage, and an extraordinary ability to recognize opportunity, he entered the worlds of business, industry, and investment.

His involvement in industrial and technology companies, followed by his early investment in Qualcomm, established him as one of the successful Iranian-American entrepreneurs and investors in the United States. As an early investor in Qualcomm, he served for years on the company’s Board of Directors as it grew to become one of the world’s leading companies in wireless communications technology.

Yet, for many, Younes Nazarian is remembered not simply for what he achieved in business, but for what he chose to give back.

A significant part of his life was devoted to philanthropy, education, culture, the arts, and service to the community.

Together with his wife, Soraya Nazarian, he established the Younes & Soraya Nazarian Family Foundation, dedicating substantial resources to education, culture, the arts, and community causes. They also established the Ima Foundation in Israel, extending their commitment to education and creating opportunities for future generations.

Numerous universities, educational institutions, and cultural organizations benefited from the generosity of the Nazarian family. A library at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem was named in honor of Younes Nazarian, while the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for Israel Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles, linked their names permanently with scholarship, education, and research.

One of the most touching expressions of Younes Nazarian’s life was the deep love and respect he held for his wife, Soraya.

In 2017, his $17 million gift to the performing arts center at California State University, Northridge, led to the center being named The Soraya in honor of his beloved wife. Today, her name shines on one of Southern California’s important centers for music, culture, and the performing arts—a lasting tribute to their life together and to their shared belief in the power of culture.

Younes Nazarian was also deeply committed to supporting students and young people. Through scholarships and educational initiatives, he helped provide opportunities for students to pursue their dreams. His support of the University of Haifa, UCLA, the University of Southern California, and other educational and cultural institutions reflected his profound belief in education and in the responsibility of one generation to help build a better future for the next.

For Younes Nazarian, philanthropy was more than giving away wealth. It was a way of life. He believed that success gained its greatest meaning when it could be shared with others and when the opportunities one had received could be transformed into opportunities for future generations.

Throughout all his business and philanthropic endeavors, family remained at the heart of his life. Soraya and their family stood beside him through the many chapters of his journey—from Iran to America, from the difficult years of immigration to the years of achievement and success.

During his lifetime, Younes Nazarian received numerous honors and recognitions, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and an honorary doctorate from the University of Haifa. Yet perhaps his greatest legacy cannot be measured in awards, buildings, or financial contributions.

His true legacy lives in the people whose lives were touched by his generosity: the students who received scholarships, the young people who were given new opportunities, the institutions strengthened by his support, and the generations who will continue to learn, create, and dream because of what he helped make possible.

Younes Nazarian passed away on March 18, 2022, at the age of 91, at his home in Los Angeles.

He left Iran, but carried the culture and memories of his homeland with him. He built a new life in America, but never believed that success was meant to be enjoyed alone. What he achieved through a lifetime of hard work, he shared with his family, his community, and generations yet to come.

The life of Younes Nazarian is the story of a man who experienced loss as a child, endured displacement and immigration, found the strength to begin again, and ultimately devoted a meaningful part of the fruits of his life’s work to education, culture, the arts, and to people many of whom he would never personally meet.

The name of Younes Nazarian will live on not only in the history of the Iranian Jewish community, but also in the memories of the institutions, students, families, and generations whose lives were enriched by his generosity.

May his memory be a blessing, and may his name and legacy endure for generations to come.