Local News Pasadena: Legislation recommends Glendale Post Office to carry name of Paul Ignatius
When the US House of Representatives recently passed H.R. 4662 this week, it etched into permanent record the legacy of a man whose life traced an arc from the streets of Glendale, California, to the highest halls of American power. The legislation, introduced by Congresswoman Laura Friedman (CA-30) and championed previously by Senator Adam Schiff, designates the United States Postal Service facility at 6444 San Fernando Road in Glendale as the “Paul Ignatius Post Office.” The recommendation must also pass Senate approval.
Paul Robert Ignatius was born on November 11, 1920, in Glendale to parents who had immigrated from Kharpert, Turkey—historic Armenia—bearing the family name Ignatiosian. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern California and an MBA from Harvard Business School, where he founded Harbridge House, Inc., a management consulting and research firm. Those early years foreshadowed an extraordinary career of public service.
From 1967 to 1969, Ignatius served as the 59th United States Secretary of the Navy under President Lyndon B. Johnson, becoming the highest-ranking Armenian American in U.S. government history. After his years in the Johnson administration, he took the helm as president of The Washington Post, adding yet another chapter of national-level leadership. He passed away on November 6, 2025, in Washington, D.C., at the remarkable age of 104.
The Armenian Assembly of America has long recognized his contributions. In September 2023, the Assembly presented Secretary Ignatius with the George Deukmejian Award during a tribute in Washington, D.C., attended by Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Senator Gary Peters, Congresswoman Anna Eshoo, members of Congress, administration officials, military leaders, and community members. This gathering underscored the breadth and depth of his influence.
Congresswoman Friedman, who once served on the Glendale City Council and was the city’s mayor in 2011, advanced the bipartisan legislation with a clear sense of its local significance. For Glendale Mayor Ardy Kassakhian, the designation is deeply personal.
“Paul Ignatius has always represented the kind of life we hope young people will aspire to,” Kassakhian said. “He served his country with honor, led with humility, never forgot where he came from, and brought distinction to Glendale on the national stage.”
Kassakhian, who first proposed the post office naming several years ago, expressed gratitude to the legislators who carried the effort forward. “This designation is more than the name on a building,” he said. “It is a reminder that a young man from Glendale can grow up to shape American history while never losing sight of his roots.”
H.R. 4662 passed the House on June 29, 2026 by voice vote under suspension of the rules. The House Oversight Committee had approved it unanimously 41-0 on May 20, 2026.
A companion bill, S. 2432, was introduced in the Senate and referred to the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs in July 2025. As of now, it has not yet been voted on by the full Senate. Senator Adam Schiff is the Senate champion of the effort.
The Senate can either take up S. 2432 directly or pass the House-passed H.R. 4662. Post office naming bills are typically non-controversial and often move through the Senate quickly — sometimes by unanimous consent without a floor debate — but they do still require Senate passage and the President’s signature before the name change takes effect.