Cemil Ozyurt (born 1976) is a Turkish-American journalist, media manager, and co-founder & editor-in-chief of the U.S.-based Turk of America, the first Turkish-American magazine in English. He is also co-founder & Editor-in-Chief of Turk Avenue, a Turkish global business portal and Co-founder of TOA Awards, the only independent organization created to reward successful Turkish Americans.
Ozyurt was born in Mucur, Kirsehir in 1976. After completing elementary and middle school in Mucur, his family moved to Istanbul. He graduated from Pendik High School in Istanbul in 1993.
Ozyurt graduated from Marmara University Graduate School of Journalism in 1997. He started his journalism career while he was student in the University in 1995 at Dunya Newspaper in Istanbul. He worked for the newspaper as a reporter from May 1, 1995 to December 15, 1998. After daily newspaper experiences, he started to work for Platin, the weekly business magazine. After six months working for the magazine, he joined the Army on August 1, 1999 at Tuzla Infantry School in İstanbul. Completed his duty on October 2000 and continued to work for Platin Magazine.
He moved to the United States on June 19, 2001 to pursue his master's degree. He attended a language school in New Jersey and studied on business journalism at Baruch College, City University of New York in 2004.
He started their first business as magazine publisher in August 2002 in New York City. Turk of America Magazine has become the longest running Turkish-American magazine that has published by Turkish Americans.
Along with TOA Consulting, TURKOFAMERICA Magazine, which has been awarding successful people of the United States in different categories since 2014, honors the year’s successful people in different field from diplomacy to business, academy to entrepreneurship. He has organized the 50 Most Influential Turkish-Americans Award Ceremony, the 30 Most Influential Turkish-American Women Award Ceremony, the 40 Under 40 Turkish-Americans Award Ceremony, the 30 Distinguished Friends of Turkey Award Ceremony, and Outstanding Achievement Awards Ceremony. He married with Fidan Ozyurt in 2008 and has two sons, Kerem Ali and Kaan Ahmet.
Honors & Awards
- The Best Research Article Award - Republic of Turkey Office of the Prime Minister Directorate General of Press and Information Jun 2014
Local Media News Competition on Research Category, - Feature article: "Amerika'daki Türkler Çılgınca Dernekleşiyor"
- Excellence in Media Award - American Turkish Associations Assemble April 2012
The TurkofAmerica Magazine received “Excellence in Media” award at the 32. Annual National Turkish American Convention, organized by ATAA, FTAA, and TACC, on Saturday, April 14, 2012.
Skills
Journalism • Digital Media • Social Media • Editing • Public Relations • Social Media Marketing • Business Strategy • Blogging • Publishing • Podcasting