[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 13 (Thursday, January 22, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E121-E122]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     HONORING THE LIFE AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF MR. K. CYRUS MELIKIAN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JIM GERLACH

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 22, 2009

  Mr. GERLACH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. K. Cyrus 
Melikian of Haverford, Pennsylvania, who died of heart failure on 
November 27, 2008.
  Mr. Melikian's parents escaped the 1919 Armenian massacre and 
immigrated to Philadelphia shortly before he was born. After graduating 
from Northeast High School, he attended the University of Pennsylvania 
and then served in the military.
  Mr. Melikian developed the concept of a coffee vending machine while 
serving in the Army Air Force at Wright Field in Ohio during World War 
II. He and an officer, Lloyd K. Rudd, were annoyed that the PX was not 
serving coffee. After their discharge in 1946, Mr. Melikian and Mr. 
Rudd successfully devised and created an automatic coffee dispenser to 
the delight of the many football fans who purchased their coffee for 10 
cents a cup outside of Shibe Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  As their success grew, Mr. Melikian and Rudd sold their company in 
1967. Then with the help of his sons, he established Automatic Brewers 
& Coffee Devices. At ABCD, Mr. Melikian developed pods for single or 
double orders of espresso, coffee-pod packaging machines and brewers, 
and coffee-bean grinders integrated into brewers.
  His other inventions included a commercial microwave oven and an ice 
dispenser for soda cups in vending machines. He was responsible for 
numerous patents.
  In addition to his successes as an inventor, Mr. Melikian was also an 
award-winning marksman, helping to found the trapshooting program at 
Aronimink Golf Club.
  Mr. Melikian was a member of several gourmet societies and was the 
founder and chairman of the Philadelphia chapter of the International 
Bacchus Society. In 1961, he and Mr.

[[Page E122]]

Rudd coauthored The Wonder of Food. In the 1970s, Mr. Melikian wrote a 
syndicated newspaper feature about the history of famous dishes and, in 
the 1990s, he established and taught at a chef training school.
  Madam Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me today in honoring Mr. 
K. Cyrus Melikian, an innovative entrepreneur who made coffee drinking 
a convenient pastime. May his life be an inspiration to all fellow 
citizens and we extend our utmost respect and condolence to his family.

                          ____________________