Turkish People in America - Turk of America

Why Midsize Firms Are Ramping Up Tech Investments After Clearing the Hybrid Hurdle

Chief operating partner, Barbaros Karaahmet, was quoted in a Law.com article discussing how Herrick has embraced investing in firm wide technology, which in turn streamlines productivity. The article highlighted how Herrick was already ahead of the technology adoption curve when the pandemic hit. In 2012, the firm was forced to briefly close its New York office when Hurricane Sandy hit. Barbaros recalled how, "We couldn’t go into the office for a week and a half. That was a pivotal moment to look at having safety nets and fail-safes. That’s when we decided we needed to invest in more technology."

September 22, 2022
Published in Professionals
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Tim Ozgener Returns To Cigar Business

Tim Ozgener is back in the cigar industry with a new brand bearing his family name. The man who once owned and ran CAO alongside his father and sister is about to launch Ozgener Family Cigars Bosphorus. It’s his first blend in around 12 years, and the beginning of what he expects to be several cigars launched under the Ozgener name. “I still love cigars—and I found I appreciate them more and more,” said Ozgener during a recent visit to the Cigar Aficionado offices in New York City. “Some of the most satisfying portions of my life were in the cigar business. I love the traditions.” He’s been working on the new project, he says, “for close to two years.”

June 29, 2022
Published in Businessman
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Selen Adds to Endorsement List One Week Out from Morris County Republican Convention

(Chatham, NJ) - Seven days before the pivotal Morris County Republican Convention in Congressional District 11, Morris County Commissioner Tayfun Selen continued to add to his endorsement list with a number of key Republican elected officials including from three of the largest towns in the 11th Congressional District. Among the new endorsements Selen for Congress campaign announced today include:

February 26, 2022
Published in Businessman
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Hamptons hotspot owner Zach Erdem will star in the new Discovery Plus reality show.

Hamptons Hotspot 75 Main Is Getting A Reality Show

The Hamptons may be getting its own version of “Vanderpump Rules.” Bravo had a runaway hit with the show, which followed the behind-the-scenes action at West Hollywood restaurant SUR. Now Page Six is told that Southampton hotspot 75 Main is going to be the setting for a similar show. Owner Zac Erdem and his sexy staff are starring on “Serving the Hamptons,” which will air on Discovery Plus.

February 17, 2022
Published in Businessman
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5th TOA Awards - Outstanding Achievement Awards, Heritage + Diversity + Legacy was held at U.S. Chamber of Commerce, in Washington DC on November 15, 2019

TOA Awards - Stars of Silicon Valley Applications Start

Applications to "The TOA Awards - Stars of Silicon Valley" have started. Awards which are given by the first and only Turkish American business magazine, TURKOFAMERICA, will go this year to individuals who are paving the way for a more inclusive, accessible and better world through the power of technology. The Award Ceremonies have been held in different themes since 2015. The first year, America’s 50 most influential Turkish Americans, in 2016, America’s 30 Most Influential Turkish-American Women, in 2017, 40 Turkish-Americans under 40, and in 2018, Friends of Turkey in America were awarded. The date and location of the ceremony will be announced later. Applications are to start on February 15th and end on April 15, 2022.

February 10, 2022
Published in Businessman
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Turkish Americans Women to Serve Under Biden Administration

Three Turkish-American women will serve in the administration of U.S. President Joe Biden, who took office on Jan. 20. Didem Nişancı, former global head of public policy for Bloomberg LP, became the chief of staff for Janet Yellen, the new treasury secretary. Nişancı worked for four years as chief of staff at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in the Obama administration, where among other duties she served as chief White House liaison. She also served as staff director of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Subcommittee on Securities, Insurance and Investment, including in the wake of the 2007-2009 global financial crisis. From 1998 to 2001, she worked as a deputy to the assistant treasury secretary. Nişancı graduated from Smith College and lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and two daughters.

November 29, 2021
Published in Women
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An Expert on Commercial Real Estate in New York

November 29, 2021
Published in Professionals
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Moving from NYC to NJ Creates A High Demand

Julia Dağıstanlı has been selling and renting real estate since 2002. She has done hundreds of sales closings and transactions and had many awards recognition. She has been a salesperson since 2002 and a top producer year after year. Julia has been awarded the prestigious NJAR Circle of Excellence Silver Level since 2005. She was named the Re/Max Metropolitan 2008 Top Producing Agent. She has also been awarded by New Jersey Monthly Magazine the Highest in Overall Satisfaction Five Star Real Estate Award for the last 10 years. Only fewer than 1% of real estate agents in the New Jersey-area received this recognition.

She answered TURKOFAMERICA’s questions.

September 13, 2021
Published in Professionals
Written by Admin TOA

Umut and Batya Ready to Serve You in Boston Area

Boston – According to The Boston Globe newspaper, the median selling price for a single-family home jumped 17.6 percent, from $659,000 in October 2019 to $775,000 in October 2020. Condo prices, however, decreased 6.9 percent, from $690,000 to $642,500. While single-family homes spent an average of 37 days on the market, it was 43 days for condos. The number of active single-family listings was up 27.7 percent, while the number of condos on the market rose a whopping 51.1 percent. The number of single-family homes that sold increased 21.3 percent, while the number of condos that changed hands rose incrementally, only 0.9 percent. Batya Natan and Umut Alex Kumaş of William Raveis Real Estate have been recognized and awarded as the top-selling team, excellence in customer service, and top listing team awards over the years.

September 13, 2021
Published in Professionals
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Cigdem Cindy Gokay. (Photo by Cagatay Okutan)

One of New York’s Leading Ladies of Real Estate in New York City

After one of the most turbulent years in recent history, Real Estate Weekly has introduced its 2021 Leading Ladies of Real Estate. Cind Çiğdem Gökay, Head of Sales of Reuveni Real Estate, was recognized as one of the 2021 Leading Ladies of Real Estate by Real Estate Weekly. Gökay's recent work at 30E31 NoMad, Dahlia UWS, Era UWS and years of unmatched experience. After generating over $30 million in new deals at 30E31 (NoMad) and Dahlia (UWS), Cindy was instrumental in the newly unveiled project, Era at 251 W 91st Street featuring 57 residences. Licensed in both New York and New Jersey, she has over a decade of real estate experience. Cindy was introduced to real estate by an industry pioneer and has been thriving ever since. She started off as an assistant, graduated to doing her own deals, and followed through with delivering a 200-plus unit luxury condominium new development project to her firm where she was intimately involved from the rendering phase to building completion. Cindy now oversees sales at Reuveni’s array of new construction projects and is intimately involved with sales planning and management of on-site sales teams.

September 13, 2021
Published in Professionals
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An Expert on Commercial Real Estate in New York and Miami

Prior to starting her career in real estate, she was at the United Nations representing World Information Transfer (WIT) in compliance with the Ukrainian Mission focusing on health and sustainable development related to the Chernobyl disaster. She later joined Kushner Companies working for their family office and that was her foray into commercial real estate. Damla spent 8 years at JLL, and joined Colliers International as a Director of Leasing.  Damla graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Political Science and Philosophy. “It seemed natural after moving to New York City to work in commercial real estate- there’s so much energy in the business and it’s the backbone of the city,” she says. She is the first generation Turkish; her mother is from Izmir and her father is from Kars, and they raised her family in New Jersey.  At a young age Damla’s parents instilled entrepreneurial values; hard work, creativity and staying positive in the face of failure. “These attributes have helped me succeed in my industry,” she adds.

September 13, 2021
Published in Professionals
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A Platinum Agent of New Jersey: İskender Yeşilyurt

When he saw the commercial of the holiday village in Bodrum Torbalı on TV, he decided to continue his career there after his education in tourism and hotel management. He went to Bodrum from Izmir and showed at the hotel door. He told the director he wanted to work there. He did not know anyone. Luckily, he was accepted and started working in the most popular holiday destination in Bodrum in 1985. He continued working there until 1988. One day an American visitor at the hotel asked him if he would like to work on a Norwegian cruise ship. That question opened the door of Iskender Yeşilyurt’s journey to the US. He got on the ship from Rhodes Island in 1990.

September 13, 2021
Published in Professionals
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Outstanding Turkish American Scientists and Scholars

Turkish-American scientists and scholars have great success and achievements in the last year. Undoubltly, the most successful and known scientists are the husband-and-wife team behind the leading vaccine to solve Covid-19. The German company BioNTech, founded by Dr. Uğur Şahin and Dr. Özlem Türeci, has teamed up with Pfizer on a vaccine that was found to be more than 90 percent effective. Beside Şahin and Türeci, several Turkish-American scientists and scholars also draw attention in the academic circles of the U.S.

September 13, 2021
Published in Academicians
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Emre Hasmet, Evrim Cicek and Nihal Birdir

Unity Bank’s Turkish Team

Unity Bancorp, Inc. Clinton is a 19-branch-bank headquartered in New Jersey. It operates in Bergen, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Somerset, Union, and Warren counties of New Jersey as well as in Lehigh Valley, Pennsylvania. Three Turkish executives work in the bank, which has total assets of 2 billion dollars. Emre Haşmet, Evrim Çiçek and Nihal Birdir are a gateway to the Turkish-American community at the bank with nearly 200 employees.
Evrim Çiçek, who previously had career experiences at national banks such as PNC and Chase, has been working as the regional manager at the bank since February 2018. Çiçek graduated from The School of Economics, Dumlupinar University in Turkey and had a master's degree in accounting and finance at DeVry University in the US. She worked as deputy branch manager for six years in the Warren, New Jersey branch of JP Morgan Chase, one of the leading banks in America, and worked as a branch manager at PNC Bank between 2014 and 2018. Çiçek joined the Unity Bank family in January 2018 and got promoted to regional manager in May 2020. After gaining experience in big national banks, she considers Unity Bank, which is classified as a community bank, as a warm and friendly environment. "While working in big banks, you do not have much opportunity to use initiative. Here, the customer-banker relationship is more intimate" she says.

September 13, 2021
Published in Professionals
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