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| About Us |
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| Mission |
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The American Turkish Society’s mission is to enhance business, economic, political, and cultural ties between Turkey and the United States. The Society convenes leaders in government, business, and civil society to discuss and advance U.S.-Turkish relations; fosters understanding and cooperation between the two countries through education, cultural exchange, philanthropy, and networking; informs the American public about Turkey’s current affairs, economy, history, and society; and presents and supports programs highlighting Turkish arts and culture through its cultural outfit, Moon and Stars Project.
Founded in 1949 by a group of visionaries, The American Turkish Society is the oldest American institution dedicated to building bridges between the United States and Turkey in order to achieve common goals of peace and prosperity.
The American Turkish Society is a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization. |
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| History |
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On June 29, 1949, eight men gathered in New York to announce the establishment of The American Turkish Society. At the time, none of them could have guessed that it would last nearly six decades and boast so many success stories. The organization came to life at the end of a long and tumultuous decade that saw the end of World War II. The Society’s founding members were Selim Sarper, Ernest Jacks, Asa W. Jennings, Lewis R.Cohen, Charles R. Wylie and three Turkish representatives, ex-officio. These eight men knew the world was on the verge of a new horizon. In 1947 they had seen the Marshall Plan begin; in 1949, it was the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Clearly a better relationship between Turkey and the U.S. would benefit both nations.
In the six decades since then, The American Turkish Society has known the excitement of hosting prime ministers, ambassadors, and top business executives in order to commemorate and offer insights into the long-standing relations between the two nations. The Society has also celebrated satisfying achievements in education, culture, and humanitarian aid programs.
For more information on the history of The American Turkish Society, please visit our 60th Anniversary page |
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| Board of Directors |
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Mr. Murat Köprülü*
Chairman
Mariner Investment Group LLC
Murat Köprülü joined Mariner Investment Group as Head of the Emerging Markets Group, and is focused on expanding the Group’s footprint in a number of asset classes in the emerging markets. Mariner is an alternative investment management firm which manages more than $13 billion of assets across multiple credit and fixed income related strategies. The firm’s clients are primarily institutions and include public funds, sovereign wealth funds, corporate plan sponsors, university endowments, and insurance companies. The firm has a history of attracting top proprietary trading talent and is focused on achieving superior risk adjusted returns with particular focus on risk management.
Mr. Köprülü was formerly CEO of Multilateral Funding International (MFI), a New York based emerging markets investment and financial advisory firm, which he founded in 1988, specializing in the regions comprising Eastern Europe, Russia, Turkey, Middle East, and Central Asia. He was also Managing Partner of MFI's brokerage affiliate, MFI Securities, L.P., trading in the capital markets of the above regions. At MFI and MFI Securities, he innovated and assisted in a number of first ever capital market and investment transactions in the above regions, including assisting in the creation of investment funds for the region such as a ground-breaking $1 billion global emerging markets fund.
Mr. Köprülü worked at the World Bank from 1980 through 1983 at the Turkey and Egypt Departments and was an advisor to the Turkish Prime Minister from 1985-1986. From 1983-1987, he was Managing Director of IntraLink Ltd., which provided financing sources for international trade transactions in a diverse list of emerging countries such as Egypt, Ivory Coast, Greece, Turkey, and the Philippines.
Mr. Köprülü is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the American Turkish Society, as well as a member of the Bretton Woods Committee. Mr. Köprülü holds B.S. degrees in Mathematics and Economics from the University of Maryland, and a Masters degree in Economics from the London School of Economics.
Lawrence M. Kaye, Esq.*
Vice Chairman; Chairman of the Events Committee
Herrick, Feinstein LLP
Mr. A. Ümit Taftalı
Vice Chairman
Suna And İnan Kıraç Foundation
Mr. Haluk Dinçer
Sabancı Holding
Özgen Doğan, MD
Columbia Presbyterian Hospital
Ms. Nur Emirgil
Moon and Stars Project
Professor Talat S. Halman
Bilkent University
Mr. Muhtar Kent
The Coca-Cola Company
Mr. Metin Negrin*
Treasurer
Lexin Capital LLC
Laurence Pettit, Esq.*
Chairman of the Education Committee; Chairman of the Governance Committee
Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel LLP
Tamer Seçkin, MD
Chairman of the Arts and Culture Committee
Park East Gynecology & Surgery
Mr. Kaya Tuncer
ESBAŞ
Ms. Elsie Vance
Mr. Nicholas Walsh
Chartis
* Executive Committee Member
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| Staff |
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Selen Uçak, Executive Director, since 2006, has significant experience in social enterprise. Previously, she worked as an international philanthropy consultant; a Research Associate at the Research Initiative on Social Entrepreneurship of Columbia Business School; and a Program Officer at Tiger Foundation, making grants to anti-poverty nonprofits in New York City. During her graduate studies, she served as a Development/ Marketing Strategy intern at Endeavor Global, which promotes entrepreneurship in emerging markets, including in Turkey. Prior to that, she was the Assistant Director and a Research Fellow in macroeconomics at the Jerome Levy Forecasting Center. Selen holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School as the first Tashman Turkish Fellow and a B.A. in Economics/International Affairs, summa cum laude, from Colorado College. A native of Turkey, she also speaks some German and French.
Doğa Kayalar Polat, Program Coordinator, holds an M.P.A. from Indiana University and a B.A. from Bilkent University, both in international relations. She previously worked as Executive Assistant to Turkey's Permanent Representative and Ambassador to the United Nations. During her graduate studies, she served as a Program Officer in convention planning and an Associate Instructor of International Policy. She was also a research fellow at the Max Planck Institute of Economics, focusing on the impact of public policy on entrepreneurship. She currently volunteers with Bilkent University Alumni Association (Bilumni) and her high school alumni association, TED USA, which she helped found in 2008.
Jeremy Hebert, Administrative and Program Assistant, holds a B.S. in International Relations & Diplomacy and B.A. in Modern Languages from Seton Hall University. From 2008-2010, he served as an Education and Community Development Volunteer with U.S. Peace Corps in Barda, Azerbaijan. During his undergraduate studies, Jeremy interned with the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C. and U.N. Youth Assembly in New York, NY. He speaks French, Russian, and Azerbaijani Turkish.
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| Supporters |
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The American Turkish Society appreciates the generous support of the following individuals and companies.
2009-2010
$50,000 +
Anadolu Group
The Coca-Cola Company
Joukowsky Family Foundation
$25,000 - $49,999
Doğan Group
Doğuş Group / Garanti Bank
Mrs. Ahmet Ertegün
ESBAŞ
JPMorgan Chase Bank
Kıraça Holding
Koç Holding A.Ş.
Mandarin Oriental Dellis Cay
The National Basketball Association
Ramerica International/ Ramerica Foundation
Sabancı Holding
$10,000 - $24,999
Baker & McKenzie LLP
Chartis International
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence M. Kaye, Herrick, Feinstein LLP
Lexin Capital LLC
NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, Weill Cornell Medical Center
Paragraf Basım Sanayi A.Ş
Dr. and Mrs. Tamer Seçkin, Park East Gynocology & Surgery
Starcom MediaVest Group
Sucocitrico Cutrale Ltda
The Marmara Manhattan
Turkish-American Business Council (TAİK)
Turkish Airlines
Turkish Culture and Tourism Office in New York
Turkish Cultural Foundation (Moon and Stars Project)
Turkish Kitchen
Universal McCann
Wyse Technology, Inc.
Yıldız Holding
$5,000 - $9,999
Bedminster Capital Management LLC
The Chrest Foundation (Moon and Stars Project)
Eczacıbaşı Holding
Kekst and Company
Mr. and Mrs. John J. Mack
MTS Logistics, Inc.
Mr. Kaan Nazlı
New York State Council on the Arts
Dr. and Mrs. Mehmet Öz
Pfizer Inc.
Mr. James D. Robinson III
Spunk Foundation International
Mrs. Shirin Devrim & Mr. Robert Trainer
UPM-Kymmene Kağıt Ürünleri San. ve Tic. Ltd. Şti.
Vakıfbank
$1,000 - $4,999
Ahmet Aydoğan (Moon and Stars Project)
Ali Baba Restaurant
Mr. Adnan Akant
Mr. Atakan Artun, Relight USA
Mr. and Mrs. Mustafa and Işık Aşur
BankPozitif
Beverage Digest
Ms. Yıldız Blackstone, Luca Luca
Bloomberg LP
Brain-Twist, Inc.
Çalık Holding
Mr. Terry Caloghiris / DuPont
The Carlyle Group
Citi
Mr. Kayhan Civelek
Credit Suisse Group
Emel Dilek and Ron Pecunies, Mercedes-Benz of Greenwich
The Dilenschneider Group
Dr. Özgen Doğan
EFG Istanbul Securities
Mr. Serkan Elden
FEST Travel USA
Ms. Geraldine Dietz Fox, National Organization for Hearing Research Foundation
Garanti Securities
Ms. Tulu Gümüştekin
Professor Talat S. Halman, Bilkent University
Havelsan
Mr. Tolga İşmen
Mr. Tunç Iyriboz
Mr. and Mrs. Barbaros Karaahmetoğlu
Ms. Aslı Karahan-Ay, UBS
Mrs. Elbrun Kimmelman, Foreign Policy Association
Meow Inc. DBA Rebecca Taylor
Mineks International
Monument Capital Group
NAI Global
KM Construction & Development LLC
New York City Department of Cultural Affairs
Sadi Özelge, Ph.D.
Mr. Rasih Öztürkmen
Pera Mediterranean Brasserie
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Pildes
Mr. Martin Pompadur, News Corporation
Relight USA
Rohatyn Group
Mr. Jeffrey Rosen
Skidmore, Owings & Merrill LLP
Sotheby's
Mr. Alpay T. Soyoguz
Suna and İnan Kıraç Foundation
Sunset International (İstikbal Furniture)
Taciroğlu Group
Mr. Yılmaz Temizocak, İzmir Development Agency
Mr. and Mrs. Uğur Terzioğlu
Turkish Consulate General in New York (Moon and Stars Project)
United Medical LLC
Mr. Hüseyin Ünver
Mr. Beşir Ustaoğlu
Mr. Halstead Wells
Western Union
White & Case LLP
Yaşar Holding
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| Reports & Newsletters |
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For recent press releases and media coverage, please click here.
The American Turkish Society Overview
Programs and Activities 2007-2008
Programs and Activities 2006-2007
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| Contact |
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The American Turkish Society
3 Dag Hammarskjold Plaza
305 East 47th St, 8th Floor
New York, NY 10017
Tel: 212.583.7614
Fax: 212.583.7615
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For all inquires about membership, events, and other activities,
please email us at info@americanturkishsociety.org |
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