Fraydun Manocherian

Fraydun "Fred" Manocherian (born 1932) is an American real estate developer, author, founder of the National Road Safety Foundation,[1][2] and founder of the New York Health & Racquet Club chain.

Fraydun Manocherian
Born1932 (age 88–89)
NationalityUnited States
OccupationReal estate developer, film maker and author
Spouse(s)Jennifer Ann Robbins
ChildrenKimberly Manocherian Strelov
John Manocherian
Jed Manocherian
Greg Manocherian
Cara Manocherian Hamlin
Family Bernice Manocherian (sister-in-law)

Biography

Manocherian was born in 1932 to a Persian Baha’i family of Jewish background family, the son of Yahya Manocherian and his wife Touba (née Lalezari). He has one sister, Touran Manocherian Yaghoubzadeh; and three brothers: Amir Houshang , Eskandar, and Manouchehr.[3][4][5] He and his brothers founded Manocherian Brothers and Pan Am Equities, which focused on the redevelopment of Upper East Side tenement blocks.[6][7] In 1973, Manocherian, a fitness enthusiast, founded the New York Health & Racquet Club chain which eventually became the largest fitness chain in New York City.[8][9] He also founded the New York Stress & Research Center.[10]

In 1955, he became an advocate for federal funding of public education in traffic safety after two of his high school friends were killed by a drunk driver.[2] In 1962, he founded the National Road Safety Foundation.[2] In 1970, he wrote Flesh, Metal & Glass, a book about auto safety which included his Manocherian Chart.[11] He and attorney Leonard J. Robbins founded The Manocherian-Robbins Foundation tasked with reducing the death rate on the nation's roadways through public-service advertising and legislative lobbying.[12]

In 2011, he wrote the fiction novel, My Father's Will: A Novel.

Awards

Manocherian has received several awards due to his advocacy of automotive safety including the "Man of the Year" award from the New York Council for Civic Affairs, the "Man of the Year" award from the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association, an Honorary Doctorate in Humane Letters from St. John's University, a Master of Arts degree from the International University of Communications in Washington, D.C., the 1997 Distinguished Service to Safety Award from the National Safety Council and the 2005 Public Service Award from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.[2]

Personal life

In 1959, he married Jennifer Ann Robbins,[13][14] daughter of cookbook author Ann Roe Robbins.[15][16] They had five children: Kim (born 1960), John (born 1962), Jed (born 1966), Greg (born 1967) and Cara (born 1974).[14]

His brother, Eskander Manocherian (died 1999) was married to Bernice Manocherian, former president of AIPAC.[17][3] In 1985, his daughter Kimberly Diana Manocherian married Jerome John Strelov in a Unitarian ceremony in Manhattan.[18] Kim is the president of the New York Health & Racquet Club.[8] His niece, Ellen (daughter of Manouchehr Manocherian), is married to real estate investor and landlord Kamran Hakim.[19] His son Greg, was an executive producer for the 1989 film That's Adequate; and co-produced and co-wrote the script for the 1997 independent film Hudson River Blues with his mother. His son John was an executive producer for the 2005 film Dave Chappelle's Block Party.

References
  1. Harper's Magazine: "Starting points - One-man crusade" by Philip Herrera April 1973
  2. National Road Safety Foundation: "Our Founder" retrieved March 31, 2017
  3. New York Times: "Deaths – Manocherian, Eskandar" January 15, 1999
  4. New York Times: "Amir Manocherian" July 12, 2013
  5. New York Times: "Paid Notice: Deaths – Manocherian, Eskander January 20, 1999]
  6. Pincus, Adam (February 1, 2011). "Clans with Plans". The Real Deal.
  7. "Manocherian Bros". The Real Deal. Retrieved July 16, 2017.
  8. Crain's New York: "Health club pioneer returns to the gym - Kim Manocherian takes on challenges at New York Health & Racquet Club" by Adrianne Pasquarelli October 20, 2013
  9. Club Solution Magazine: "The Family Business" By Rachel Zabonick May 12, 2014
  10. New York Magazine: "Warning: It has been Determined that a Stress Test can be harmful to your Health" by Martha Hume February 29, 29175
  11. Deuce of Clibs Book Club: "Flesh, Metal & Glass (1970) retrieved March 31, 2017
  12. New York Times: "'The Aftermath': A Film's Real-Life Lesson on Drunken Driving" By Roberta Hershenson April 1, 1990.
  13. New York Times: "Jennifer Ann Robbins Wed To Fraydun Manocherian" January 5, 1959
  14. New York Times: "Deaths – Robbins, Ann Roe" June 27, 2000
  15. The Index-Journal: "Persian Cooking Ultimate Answer To Entertaining Company" By Craig Claiborne February 26, 1975.
  16. New York Times: "Ann Roe Robbins, 94, a Writer And Teacher, Both About Food" By William H. Honan July 8, 2000.
  17. The Real Deal: "Manocherian Brothers" retrieved March 30, 2017
  18. New York Times: "Jerome Strelov is Wed to Miss Manocherian" June 23, 1985
  19. Bloomberg News: "Iran-Born Billionaire Hakim Emerges With NYC Properties" by Caleb Melby September 29, 2014
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