2007 Board

Executive Board of Directors

One year term, starts April 2007, ends March 2008

Photograph of Didem Seyhoglu

Didem Şeyhoğlu

President

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Didem Şeyhoğlu was born in İstanbul. She completed high school education in Üsküdar American Academy and then graduated from İstanbul Technical University in 1997, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. She recently received her MBA degree from the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Didem came to the US first in January 1999 as part of a foreign assignment from Ford Otosan in İstanbul. Her assignment duration was one year; however she accepted a job offer at Ford Motor Company at the end of the assigned time and has been living in Michigan since then. She’s currently still employed at Ford Motor Company as a Lead Product Design Engineer, responsible for design and release of safety / restraints systems in truck programs.

Didem has participated in the executive board of many non-profit organizations in the past, recently in TACAM. She has been an active member of TACAM since 2004 — she served as the Treasurer for 2006 – 2007 term and as the President for 2007 – 2008 term. She recently got elected again as the President for 2008 – 2009 term. As being very proud of her Turkish heritage, she takes it very seriously to volunteer in TACAM activities to promote Turkish culture and traditions. She believes that it’s extremely important to ensure that the Turkish community remains intact through its own customs. She sees it as a responsibility for Turkish-American individuals to introduce our culture to others and advance the image of our country among other nations. She also has worked very hard during her presidency to ensure proper representation of Turkey in public affairs arena, keeping close ties with Turkish and American media to promote Turkey. As committed to the Turkish community here, Didem will work hard during her presidency to ensure TACAM meets its historical, cultural and financial goals in the best possible way.

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Photograph of Serkan Ozdemir

Serkan Özdemir

Vice-President

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Serkan Özdemir was born in Witten, Germany in 1977. He graduated from İstanbul Technical University (İTU) in 2000, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Serkan was involved in several student organizations during his university education. He was a member of the Engineering Orientation Club in which he organized numerous activities such as field trips, career days, concerts and student festivals. He played a major role in establishing the ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) student chapter and TEMA (The Turkish Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion for Reforestation and the Protection of Natural Habitats) ITU-Section.

Following his graduation, he started to work as a Project Engineer at TRW Automotive in Germany, where he specialized in NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness). After 4 years service, in 2005, he was transferred to TRW Headquarters in Livonia, Michigan. His current position is Lead Product Engineer, responsible for NVH research and development of vehicle brake systems. He is fluent in Turkish, German and English.

Serkan has been an active member of TACAM (Turkish American Cultural Association of Michigan) since 2006. He was elected to the Board of Directors for the 2006-2007 term and served as the Vice President for 2007 – 2008 term. He recently was elected again for Vice-President position for 2008 – 2009 term.

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Ferid Ahmed

Treasurer

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Ferid Ahmed is recently retired from the convenience store business after nearly twenty five years. He is currently employed part-time as a substitute teacher in the Anchor Bay (New Baltimore) school district.

Born and raised in Detroit, Michigan he graduated from Cass Technical H.S. in 1964 and later from Eastern Michigan University.

He is a veteran of U.S. Army having served two years from 1967 to 1969. He is married to Leylâ Ural and has two sons Murat and Erol.

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Photograph of Leyla Ahmed

Leylâ Ahmed
(Replaced Elif Cila)

Secretary

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Leylâ Ahmed has been living in Michigan for 25 years. For over 20 years, she worked for TACAM in various positions as a volunteer, board of director, treasurer, secretary and the president of TACAM for the 2005-2006 term.

She has a civil engineering degree from Turkey and a land surveying degree from Michigan Technological University. She has been a licensed surveyor since 200: currently she works at a civil engineering firm as a project manager and senior surveyor.

She is married to Ferid Ahmed and has two sons, Murat and Erol Ahmed.

She says working with TACAM as a volunteer gives her the opportunity to spend time with her Turkish friends and to help preserve the ties we have to our culture and country.

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Board of Directors 2007 – 2008

One year term, starts April 2007, ends March 2008

Photograph of Leyla Ahmed

Leylâ Ahmed
(Became secretary after resignation of Elif Cila)

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Burak Akyalçın

Photograph of Gulay Schorr

Gülay Schorr

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Gülay Schorr, a Turkish citizen married to an American citizen, has lived in the United States since 1995, where she is working to be a freelance artist. Gülay is currently living in Michigan. Previously Gülay lived in Washington, DC, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Studio Art from The University of Maryland, and she has worked at the American-Turkish Council.

Gülay is originally from İstanbul and has a bachelor’s degree in Economics from İstanbul University. She was born in 1966, in Trabzon, Turkey. She has a five and a half year old daughter.

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Photograph of Cihangir Tasdemir

Cihangir Taşdemir

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Cihangir Tasdemir was born in Royal Oak, Michigan, and he has lived in the Metro Detroit area ever since. His parents, Server & Nurhan, have always shown Cihangir and his twin sister, Deniz, the importance of their Turkish culture. Cihangir has been an active board member of TACAM since 2000: Treasurer 2000-1, Secretary 2001-2, Director from 2002-5, Secretary 2005-6, Trustee 2006-7 & Director 2007- Present. In addition, Cihangir had been the main webmaster for TACAM.org from 2002 until 2006.

Cihangir has numerous degrees from several colleges: Michigan State University, BA in Economics 1996, BS in Neuroscience Psychology 1998; Wayne State University with a BS in Mechanical Engineering 2001; University of Michigan-Dearborn with a MS in Engineering Management and currently studying towards another MS in Mechanical Engineering. Since 1999, Cihangir has worked for the US Army TARDEC as a mechanical engineer in the area of engine research where he has co-authored 6 technical papers.

Cihangir has been married to Dr. Kimberlyn Kucharczyk since 2003 where they live in Livonia with their 3 dogs and 1 cat. In addition, Cihangir and Kimberlyn are happy to announce they are growing their family by adopting a baby from China.

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Photograph of Murat Ulasir

Murat Ulaşır

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Born in the pearl of Turkey, İzmir, of course.
Doctors were playing the dumbek, so,the story goes
Winds of change take him to Germany
Then back to Turkey
To İTÜ, you see...
Only to be thrust back out again,
Across the Atlantic ... To Michigan
First comes a Master’s, then a Ph.D.,
This follows a house, a dog, a job and wild adventures, rated PG...
Şimdilik, Gemi dayandı TACAM limanına
Bakalım pusula iğnesi nereyi gösterecek
Bundan sonra...

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Board of Trustees

Two year term, end-year alongside name

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İlhan Berberoğlu 2009

No photographs available

Verda Gürol 2009

Photograph of Mine Ozalp

Mine Özalp 2009

No photographs available

Beyza Sarıoğlu 2009

No photographs available

Ali Kayaalp 2008

No photographs available

Evelyn Sonbay 2008

Audit Committee

Two year term, end-year alongside name

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Mehpare Gençyüz 2009

No photographs available

Güner Sarıoğlu 2009

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Yesim Kayaalp 2008

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Hâlide Koçak 2008

President Emeritus

TACAM president for 2006 – 2007

No photographs available

Mehtap Aksoy

Development & Marketing (Non-Board)

Developers of the Anatolian Voice and Web site

Photograph of Erol Ahmed

Erol Zafer Ahmed 2005 –