Twin Peaks TestingOur Founder
Jerry Agajian’s American Dream
Some American success stories begin in a garage while others begin half a world away. Jerry Agajian's began with $80 in his pocket, a degree in electrical engineering, and a willingness to work as many hours as it took to succeed.
Born in Lebanon into a poverty-stricken family, Jerry learned the value of hard work and earned a scholarship to study electrical engineering at the National Polytechnic University of Armenia, before moving to the United States in 1977. All he had was the conviction that hard work would carry him further than his circumstances suggested. He first arrived in Milwaukee and then moved in with family in San Francisco. There, he woke up before dawn selling flowers on the street, before working double shifts at a steakhouse, often putting in 18-hour days. He quickly climbed from busboy to cook, learning early what so many self-made Americans learn: that discipline is a skill you build one exhausting day at a time, and that it eventually pays off.
After several years in San Francisco, Jerry settled in Queens, New York, and it was there that his American story took its defining turn. He took an entry-level job in the construction industry, working as a materials tester performing soil compaction inspections. He literally learned the business from the ground up, absorbing the technical detail and hard-won judgment that only comes from doing the work yourself. That firsthand experience became the foundation for something much bigger.
In 1992, Jerry decided to pursue the American dream by starting his own construction materials testing company. He launched Twin Peaks, Inc. with a few simple, uncompromising principles: do everything by the book, do not cut corners, do not take shortcuts, and always maintain the highest levels of integrity. It was a bet on himself.
That bet paid off. More than three decades later, Twin Peaks has grown into the sixth-largest special inspections and construction materials testing firm of its kind, serving New York and New Jersey. The company has completed work on more than 10,000 projects, built a team of over 150 employees, and inspected some of the most significant sites in New York City -- office buildings, airport runways, hospitals, schools, houses of worship, stadiums, and utilities. And in an industry where trust is everything, Twin Peaks has always delivered.
For Jerry, the mission was never just about buildings. It was about the countless New Yorkers who live, work, and gather safely in the structures his firm has inspected, a responsibility he has never lost sight of.
True to the immigrant story that shaped him, Jerry has never forgotten where he came from or the communities that helped him along the way. He is a longtime supporter of the Queens Symphony Orchestra, for which he received a special commendation. He is also a major benefactor of the Diocese of the Armenian Church and has provided pro bono inspection services and support to several Armenian cathedrals including St. Vartan Armenian Cathedral in Manhattan and St. Illuminator's Armenian Apostolic Cathedral. His philanthropic activities also extend to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and the ASPCA.
From an immigrant arriving with just $80 to his name to the founder, CEO, and President of one of New York's most respected inspection firms, Jerry Agajian's journey is the American Dream in its purest form: combine a tireless work ethic with a determination to things the right way and leave a lasting legacy -- brick by brick, inspection by inspection.
Connect with Jerry Agajian on LinkedIn