NARRAGANSETT, R.I. — On Tuesday, Nov. 4, a full house of more than 200 supporters gathered at the Mettatuxet Yacht Club in Narragansett, Rhode Island for Mark Mesrobian’s campaign kickoff fundraiser. Mesrobian, with his wife Bried by his side, announced his candidacy for Rhode Island State Senate, District 36, which includes Narragansett, North Kingstown and Block Island (New Shoreham).
A lifelong Rhode Islander and resident of South County since his college days at the University of Rhode Island (URI), Mesrobian is also an active member of the state’s Armenian community. As a parishioner of Sts. Vartanantz Church in Providence, he grew up participating in the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF), serving as alumni chair of the AYF Olympics in Providence over the last couple of decades and volunteering at the church’s annual Armenian Fest.
State Senate Majority Whip David Tikoian introduced Mesrobian, beginning with his upbringing in North Providence as the son of hardworking parents. His father, Antranig, was a union cabinetmaker and a proud member of Local Union 94, and his mother, Carol, returned to school at Johnson and Wales University in her 70s, earning a bachelor’s degree in business management.
Senate Majority Whip David Tikoian introducing candidate Mark Mesrobian
“It’s obvious Mark had fine examples in both his mother and father, who promoted a strong work ethic, the importance of higher education and the value of giving back to the community,” Tikoian said.
Tikoian shared that Mesrobian attended and graduated from North Providence public schools, continuing his education at URI, earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He also spotlighted Mesrobian’s entrepreneurial spirit, from his Subway sandwich shop in Narragansett to his current online retail business, Fifth & Ninth.
Between running his businesses, Mesrobian honed his leadership skills at American Power Conversion (APC), “one of Rhode Island’s great success stories,” as he noted. After leaving APC, he founded Complete Sourcing Solutions, which he has owned and operated for the past 25 years.
Finally, in Tikoian’s words, “Now, if all that was not enough, Mark is also the general manager of the Bonnet Shores Beach Club,” one of the largest private beach clubs in the Eastern United States.
Many from the Armenian community, including the ANC of Rhode Island, which has endorsed Mesrobian, attended the kickoff event and expressed enthusiastic support for their native son. Mesrobian paid tribute to his Armenian upbringing as the grandchild of genocide survivors.
“They settled in Rhode Island and they established lives. They had no money, they had no family, didn’t know the language, but somehow, they were able to establish a great community centered around the Armenian church…
There’s nothing that could ever happen to me that my grandparents didn’t already overcome,” he said, stressing his readiness to work hard for the state and his district.
Mark Mesrobian (second from right) with (l-r) his wife Bried, brother Steve, mother Carol and godmother Shooshy Aghjayan
On a personal note, it was Mesrobian’s paternal grandmother, Mariam, who found and rescued my maternal grandmother, Margaret, from slavery in a Turkish household following the Genocide — an unbreakable bond.
In a Facebook post encouraging people to attend the Sts. Vartanantz Church Armenian Fest, held on November 8 and 9, Mesrobian wrote, “When we were younger, my brother and I would always be so excited for this weekend. We loved helping our dad and the rest of the men set up Rhodes [Rhodes-on-the-Pawtuxet] the night before, and we would then spend the rest of the weekend doing whatever was asked of us.”
This work ethic and devotion to community are behind Mesrobian’s run for the State Senate seat. In a press release announcing his candidacy, Mesrobian said his campaign is focused on restoring trust in government, strengthening the state’s economy and creating opportunities for Rhode Islanders to build a better future at home.
Record crowd at Mark Mesrobian’s campaign kickoff at the Mettatuxet Yacht Club in Narragansett, R.I.
“I’m running because I believe Rhode Islanders deserve a government that works as hard as they do,” Mesrobian said. “We need to make Rhode Island a place where people can build careers, raise families and retire with dignity — without having to leave the state they love.” In his remarks, Mesrobian said he drew inspiration for his campaign from the state flag, which features an anchor and the word “Hope.”
“Hope isn’t really a plan,” he said. “Hope is a desire. It’s a belief that with the right leadership, we can chart a new course — one grounded in accountability, opportunity and common sense.”
Mesrobian concluded by encouraging people to visit his website, which outlines his priorities and plans. “More than anything, we are running against apathy. Most people I’ve talked to don’t think Rhode Island can change and think that our future is already written. It really isn’t. My goal is to get out there and speak to people to let them know there is another path forward. Together we can do this,” Mesrobian said.
The League of Rhode Island Businesses presenting $10,000 donation to Mesrobian’s campaign
Notably, the League of Rhode Island Businesses presented a $10,000 donation to Mesrobian’s campaign at the event. By the end of the night, close to $50,000 had been raised, which is unprecedented for a first-time candidate in the state of Rhode Island.
In a conversation with the Weekly, Mesrobian expressed sincere gratitude to everyone who attended and donated to his campaign, adding, “It’s going to take a lot of funding to win this highly contested seat. We are off to a great start, but we are going to need all the support we can get to cross the finish line.”
