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JHM Charitable Foundation
JHM Charitable Foundation was established in 2012 in Manhattan Beach, California, by John and Hasmik Mgrdichian. The couple built their wealth through a...
JHM Charitable Foundation
JHM Charitable Foundation was established in 2012 in Manhattan Beach, California, by John and Hasmik Mgrdichian. The couple built their wealth through a combination of gaming assets — including licensed ownership ties to Commerce Casino through the California Gambling Control Commission — and waste-industry interests. The foundation now operates under the day-to-day leadership of their granddaughter, Lysa Grigorian, who serves as President and Trustee. The foundation occupies a hybrid posture unusual among private foundations: it functions simultaneously as a traditional grantmaker and a direct early-stage venture investor. Asset-class exposure spans US government securities, a corporate bond portfolio, and commercial real estate — notably 1300 Highland Avenue in Manhattan Beach and a parcel at 1712 The Strand. The venture allocation concentrates on early-stage deals, with the foundation deploying capital directly rather than through fund-of-funds or intermediary vehicles. Geographic focus centers on the United States, with professional-network ties extending to Armenia through Grigorian's board role at the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies. Trustee and Secretary Gary W. Hampar serves as legal advisor to the founding family, reinforcing an insider governance structure. The foundation's real estate holdings supply a steady income floor, while the securities and venture portfolios pursue growth. Grigorian's TUMO board seat connects the foundation to a technology-education initiative operating in multiple countries, though the foundation's investment footprint remains domestic. The structural differentiator lies in the foundation's dual identity. Most private foundations outsource investment management or allocate passively. JHM sources early-stage deals directly from a position of owner-operator wealth, bridging the gap between a family office and a charitable entity without establishing a separate investment vehicle. This architecture concentrates all capital deployment — grants, direct startup checks, and real asset management — under a single 501(c)(3) roof.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
2012
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Manhattan Beach
Corporate office
Manhattan Beach, CA, United States
Principals
Lysa Grigorian
President and Trustee
John Mgrdichian
Founder
Hasmik Mgrdichian
Founder
Gary W. Hampar
Trustee and Secretary
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
Who controls investment decisions at JHM Charitable Foundation?
Lysa Grigorian, President and Trustee, oversees the foundation's operations and investment activity, supported by Trustee and Secretary Gary W. Hampar, who serves as legal advisor to the Mgrdichian family. The founding couple, John and Hasmik Mgrdichian, established the foundation but operational leadership has transitioned to the next generation.
How is JHM Charitable Foundation different from a standard grantmaking foundation?
JHM runs an active venture capital program alongside its philanthropic grants. It makes direct early-stage investments in private companies rather than relying solely on a traditional endowment portfolio. This hybrid model — grantmaking plus direct VC — is uncommon for a private foundation of its scale.
What is the foundation's venture capital strategy?
JHM targets early-stage venture across the United States. The foundation deploys capital directly rather than through fund commitments or outside managers, suggesting an operator-led approach tied to the Mgrdichian family's entrepreneurial background in gaming and waste. Specific portfolio companies are not publicly disclosed.
Where does the foundation's endowment come from?
The foundation was endowed by John and Hasmik Mgrdichian, whose wealth originated in the gaming and waste industries. John Mgrdichian held licensed ownership ties to Commerce Casino and Acme Player Services, regulated by the California Gambling Control Commission. Their industrial and gaming assets generated the capital that now funds JHM's grantmaking and venture investments.
Does JHM Charitable Foundation maintain any international exposure?
The foundation's investment focus is domestic, concentrated in US government securities, corporate bonds, commercial real estate in Manhattan Beach, and US-based early-stage venture. A professional connection to the TUMO Center for Creative Technologies in Armenia exists through Lysa Grigorian's board role, but this appears to be a philanthropic or advisory relationship rather than an investment allocation.
What real estate assets does the foundation hold?
JHM owns 1300 Highland Avenue, a commercial building in Manhattan Beach, and a land parcel at 1712 The Strand, also in Manhattan Beach. These properties provide a local real-asset income stream within the broader portfolio.
Is JHM Charitable Foundation pursuing co-investments with external GPs?
The foundation's model relies on direct venture investment rather than fund-of-funds commitments or co-investment partnerships. No external GP relationships are publicly documented, consistent with a closely held family foundation that sources and executes deals through its own principals.
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