Sevan is a longtime veteran of the Chicago and Illinois chess scenes as a player, organizer, and tournament director.  An active member of the Illinois Chess Association, he is a member of the organization's board and serves as its webmaster and Membership Secretary.  He played a critical role in the founding of the Chicago Blaze.

Sevan is the founder and president of the North American Chess Association, which regularly runs FIDE-sanctioned tournaments in Chicago.  He was the U.S. Chess Federation's Organizer of the Year in 2007.

He was also the only player to draw IM Angelo Young in the simul at last year's ICA banquet.