The 50 Most Influential Turkish Americans

Turk of America, first and only Turkish American business magazine in English has published since 2002, advising committee has selected the list from a preliminary group of over 250 candidates from across the US. The magazine selected the 50 most influential Turkish Americans from 18 different states and eight categories or power bases: business, media, academic, sports, nonprofits and NGOs, politics and technology.

Dr Mehmet Oz ranked #1, Muhtar Kent, CEO of Cola Cola and Hikmet Ersek, CEO of Western Union, followed him. Hamdi Ulukaya, Chobani's founder ranked #4 place.

Cemil Ozyurt, Editor-in-Chief of Turk of America, says Turkish voices are heard in the community and the magazine just want to show how they have succeeded. "In addition to having a Turkish heritage, the influential people have Armenian, Assyrian, Kurdish, Jewish, Bosnian, Cypriot, and Arabian heritages as well," he adds.

The 10 of the 50 the most influential names are from New York, 9 of them are from California. The youngest name of the list is Ali Cinar and Ercument Tokat are 38 years old and oldest one is 83 years old Rahmi Soyugenc. 

THE MOST INFLUENTIAL TURKISH-AMERICANS
#1 Dr. Mehmet Öz, Dr Oz Show Host
#2 Muhtar Kent, CEO, Coca-Cola
#3 Hikmet Ersek, President and CEO of The Western Union Company
#4 Hamdi Ulukaya, Founder and CEO of Chobani
#5 Yalcin Ayasli, Founder of Turkish Coalition of America and Turkish Cultural Foundation
#6 Melih Abdulhayoglu, Founder, CEO of Comodo Internet Security
#7 Aydin Senkut, Kurucu, Founder of Felicis Ventures
#8 Eren & Fatih Ozmen, President and CEO of Sierra Nevada Corp
#9 Serpil Ayasli, Co-founding Trustee of Turkish Cultural Foundation (TCF)
#10 Dr. Kenan Sahin, President TIAX LLC
#11 Cenk Uygur, Host, The Young Turks
#12 Kemal Derviş, VP and Director, The Brookings Institution
#13 Tunc Doluca, President and CEO of Maxim
#14 Ersal Ozdemir, Founder, President, Keystone Group / Indy Eleven Soccer Team
#15 Dr. Mehmet Toner, The Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences & Technology
#16 Murat Güzel, First Turkish American Democrat delegate to select the President
#17 Dr. Vamık Volkan, Four times nominee for Nobel Peace Prize
#18 Dr. Bayram Karasu, Dean of Albert Einstein College of Medicine for 44 years
#19 Haldun Tashman, Chairman, Turkish Philanthropy Funds.
#20 Dr. Hasan Pirkul, Dean of Naveen Jindal School of Management at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD)
#21 Oğuz Gürsel, Owner of first Turkish hotel in Manhattan, The Marmara Manhattan
#22 Mehmet Çelebi, President of American Turkish Associations Assemble
#23 Muammer A. Öztekin, Founder of Kent Corp şirketinin kurucusu
#24 İzak Şenbahar, President, Alexico Group
#25 Ekmel Anda, President, Unique Settings of New York
#26 Ercument Tokat, Partner, Centerview Partners,
#27 Aslı Demirgüç Kunt, Director of Research at the World Bank.
#28 Mustafa Abadan, Partner, SOM
#29 Alinur Velidedeoğlu, Founder, DFH Network, first Turkish chanels
#30 Daron Acemoğlu, Economist, MIT
#31 Jay Karahan, Judge Karahan Presiding Judge County Criminal Court No. 8 in Houston
#32 Mustafa Merç, General Manager of Turkon Line
#33 Metin Negrin, Founder and President Lexin Capital, emlak yatırımcısı
#34 Cano Özgener, Founder, CAO Cigars, OZ Art Gallery
#35 Mustafa Yılmaz, President of United Muslims Associations which run 22 mosques, 11 boarding school. 
#36 Varol Ablak, Founder and President of Vocelli Pizza, owner of Rock & Joe Bistro chain
#37 Ali Çayır, builder in California
#38 Dr. Şükrü Emre, number one name on liver transplant, Professor of Surgery (Transplant) and of Pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine.
#39 Ayşegül İldeniz, VP of Intel
#40 Mehmet Okur, first Turkish basketball player who has a NBA title and played for All-Star.
#41 Dr. Gökhan Hotamışlıgil, number one name on diabetes (Harvard School of Public Health)
#42 Erol Devli, President of Sasha Bag.
#43 Fahir Atakoğlu, Muscian, composer, pianist
#44 Ali Çınar, former President of Federaton of Turkish American Assocations, community leader
#45 Murad Demir, Actor in Hollywood
#46 Osman Bengür, first Turk candidate for American Congress
#47 Rahmi Soyugenc, owner of International Steel Company, oldest evolving door company.
#48 Nevin Şanlı, Kurucu, Partner, Sanlı, Pastore & Hill / Managing Director of Astrum Investment Management (AIM).
#49 Hidayet Türkoğlu, LA Clippers player, the longest career in NBA as a Turkish player
#50 Hakan Özmen, CEO of Prysmian America.