Georgian American - Most Notable Georgian Americans

Most Notable Georgian Americans

Notable Americans of Georgian descent include:

• General John Shalikashvili — the first foreign-born American soldier to become Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Born to a Georgian lieutenant-colonel, who fled to Poland and then to the U.S. following the Bolshevik invasion of Georgia. Former NATO supreme commander of Europe under Bill Clinton.
• George Balanchine — one of 20th century's most famous choreographers, a developer of ballet in the United States and the co-founder and balletmaster of New York City Ballet. A son of a Georgian composer Meliton Balanchivadze who initially emigrated to Russia.
• Andrew Eristoff — a Republican Party politician serving as New Jersey State Treasurer. Descended from the Georgian noble house of Sidamon-Eristavi, members of which emigrated to the U.S. following the Russian Revolution and the Bolshevik invasion of Georgia.
• Alexander Kartveli — one of the most influential aircraft designers of the 20th century.
• Svetlana Alliluyeva-Stalin (Lana Peters) — the only daughter of Joseph Stalin who defected to the United States in the 1960s.
• Prince Georges V. Matchabelli — an American perfumer and a former diplomat who emigrated to the U.S. following the Bolshevik invasion of Georgia.
• Alexander Tarsaidze - an American writer and historian who authored several books on the life in Imperial Russia.
• Alexander Toradze - a classical concert pianist, with career spanning over three decades. Defected to the United States in 1983.
• Giorgi Latso - a classical concert pianist, composer and doctor of musical arts. Emigrated to US in 2005.