Kevork Hovnanian

Kevork S. Hovnanian (1923 – September 24, 2009) was an Armenian-American businessman and home builder, who founded Hovnanian Enterprises in 1959. He remained the president and chief executive officer of Hovnanian Enterprises until his retirement in 1997. Despite some financial difficulties due to the 2008-2009 recession and financial crisis, Hovnanian Enterprises was the sixth largest American homebuilder and the largest homebuilder in New Jersey, as of September 2009. where he operated a construction business in Kirkuk which held contracts with oil companies in the region. Hirair, Jirair and Vahak left the company by 1969 to found their own enterprises.

Legacy The president of the New Jersey Builders Association, Michael H. Karmatz, called Hovnanian an "industry vanguard" following his death.