Dr. Fraidoon Hovaizi

1958 - 2025

Dr. Fraidoon Hovaizi was an economist, entrepreneur, educator, scholar, advisor, and deeply respected community leader whose life's work blended intellect, compassion, and an unwavering commitment to humanity. He believed knowledge should not only inform but elevate, expanding minds, sparking dialogue, and inspiring a better, fairer world.

He earned a B.S. in Political Science and Economics from the University of Massachusetts Boston, an M.S. in Mathematics and Economics, and a Ph.D. in Resource Economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Yet his true gift was how he used that education, as a teacher, mentor, and relentless questioner of the status quo. He had a way of asking questions that challenged people to think beyond the obvious and explore deeper truths.

As a professor of mathematics, economics, and statistics, he created Math Power, an innovative program helping adults not only learn mathematics but understand its role in shaping the world. Passionate about expanding opportunity, he championed distance learning long before it was common, forging partnerships between U.S. universities and institutions abroad that opened doors for the exchange of ideas and learning.

His work at the World Bank brought his vision to the international stage, advising governments on economic development, privatization, and the growth of small and medium enterprises. While navigating rooms with high-ranking officials, he never lost sight of the human impact behind policy, the families, communities, and futures shaped by these decisions.

He built two thriving financial services firms and, with his wife Dr. Shahnaz Ghassemi, founded an online allied health training program in partnership with hospitals and universities, opening doors to meaningful healthcare careers. A true humanitarian, he helped hundreds of families in life-changing ways beyond his professional roles, reuniting loved ones, guiding in building stable futures, and offering his time, resources, and wisdom simply because he believed in helping others whenever he could.

Above all, he was a devoted family man. He never put anything above his wife and children, speaking of them with deep pride to anyone he met. That same loyalty extended into his community, where he was a trusted advisor and the person people turned to for guidance, perspective, and a steady hand. Friends, neighbors, and colleagues sought not just his solutions but his ability to help them see challenges from new angles. He also hosted gatherings that became sanctuaries for fearless discussions on democracy, religion, and global affairs.

Dr. Hovaizi's legacy lives on in the institutions he built, the policies he shaped, and the countless lives he touched. He will be remembered as a man whose intellect was matched only by his compassion, and whose greatest passion was helping others think deeply, live fully, and believe in the possibility of a better world.

He is survived by his loving wife, Dr. Shahnaz Ghassemi, his children, Dr. Neda Hovaizi, and Dr. Mona Hovaizi, four grandchildren, and a wide circle of extended family and friends who will carry his legacy forward.