Hey, I Know That Guy
January 31st, 2004 Posted in PeoplesWhile checking the news today I saw an article in the Star Trib on Michael Ovikian. The guy used to work at the BGEA and has the most amazing stories to tell. In the final days at the BGEA Ovikian used an entire devotional time to tell stories. The one I remember best centered around their son being born in Germany and how they couldn’t get the kid home thanks to his parents’ complicated nationalities. Ovikian was Israeli, and his wife was German, but both countries granted citizenship based on the opposite parent’s nationality (Israel based it on the mother, Germany based it on the father). So they had quite a time getting their kid out of the country and back to the U.S. Amazing story. He’s a pretty amazing guy.
One Response to “Hey, I Know That Guy”
By Steve K. on Jan 31, 2004
Wow, interesting article. Thanks for finding it! My favorite part is where Ovikian’s daughter says, “Retirement was very difficult for my dad, and I think he’s still dealing with it. When you’re a big shot at an organization where everybody loves you, the spotlight is on you all the time.” I found this funny because so many of us newbies at the organization had no idea who the guy was and, frankly, he seemed like an old-timer who was just still hanging on in a position well below where he started out. It wasn’t until the very end of the run in Minneapolis that he was even given the opportunity to speak to the staff again, and that’s when we heard some of those amazing stories. Amazing stories. Amazing guy. Definitely a huge loss to BGEA.