Tributes

K. Cyrus Melikian, entrepreneur, industrialist, inventor, mentor and lifetime Philadelphia resident, peacefully passed away on Thanksgiving in his home in Haverford PA. In 1946 while serving in the Army Air Force, Cyrus and his buddy Lloyd Rudd invented and designed the first coffee vending machine. After they got out of the service they used Melikian’s father’s garage to build the first machines and formed Rudd Melikian, Inc. Cyrus is credited with inventing, creating and /or commercializing coffee vending; Kwik Kafe frozen liquid coffee concentrate; coffee pods; coffee pod packaging machines; the first brewers to use pods; variable strength coffee brewers; coffee bean grinders integrated into a brewer; and Pod Perfect Espresso. Other innovations include the commercial microwave oven, ice in a soda cup vending machine, six pack soda vendor, and cutting edge use of electronics, etc After leaving Rudd Melikian, Inc., Cyrus and his sons bought a spin off division from the company and formed Automatic Brewers and Coffee Devices (ABCD) which packages coffee and espresso into pods and distributes Faema espresso machines. He continued to actively work there every day until his passing. Mr. Melikian was born November 24, 1920 in the Mayfair section of Philadelphia to immigrant parents who fled genocide in Armenia. He graduated from Northeast High School and was working while attending University of Pennsylvania when he was drafted. Last year he was interviewed for the PBS special The War on WW11 veterans. He had a generous spirit and an insatiable passion for learning, mentoring and developing ideas. He implemented many of his ideas and shared many with others to develop. He was an investor in number of projects including real estate. Through another one of his many companies, he co founded and was Managing Director of the Grand American Fund NV an Offshore Mutual Fund. While consulting for the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and for the Bank of Liberia, he negotiated fishing rights off Liberia for a Japanese Trading Company. Over the years he served as a director for various manufacturing companies as well as a Regional National Bank. He especially enjoyed being a partner in a wine importing and distributing company. An active member of the Aronimink Golf Club for many years, he was one of the members responsible for helping the Club to set up its Trapshooting program and was an award winning shooter. In the world of gastronomy, Andre Simon personally awarded him a charter to start the Philadelphia chapter of the London based International Wine and Food Society. He was invested as Mr. Gourmet in 1977 by the International Society of Bacchus where he served as Vice Chairman for many years. Subsequently, he founded the Society of Bacchus, Philadelphia chapter and served as its Chairman until recently. He initiated the Culinary Institute at Rockland Mansion in Fairmount Park. He established (and taught at) the Flavor-Maker Culinary Chef’s Training School for a decade. He was inthronized into the Confrerie des Chevaliers du Tastevin and Commanderie de Bordeaux. He co-wrote the book “The Wonder of Food” and an illustrated syndicated weekly feature called “Gourmania Guide” which presented the history, how to cook and serve unique dishes and what wine to serve with them Beyond all of his entrepreneurial endeavors, he cherished family and was a devoted family man. He is survived by his wife of 63 years Roxie, his son Robert (Susan Hohnsbeen), daughters Karen (Jay Harrison) and Michele (Paul Lockwood) and grandchildren Alexander, Hunter, Pearce, Anayis, Armen and Casey and Sister in law Mary Bozoian. He was pre deceased by his son K Cyrus Melikian Jr. The family will receive guests Fri. evening from 5-7pm in the Chadwick and McKinney Funeral Home, 30 E. Athens Ave. Ardmore and after 10am Sat morning Dec. 6, at St. Gregory The Illuminator Armenian Apostolic Church, 8701 Ridge Ave., Phila., PA 19128, where his Funeral Service will begin at 11am. Interment George Washington Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in his memory to Armenian Students Association, for benefit of the K. Cyrus Melikian Memorial Scholarship, 333 Atlantic Ave., Warwick, RI

Tributes

K. Cyrus Melikian

November 27, 2008