OFFICERS AND VOLUNTEERS

. Cigdem A. Acar (President)
. Mehmet Uca (Corporate Secretary & Vice President)
. Huseyin Unver (Treasurer)

BIOGRAPHIES

Cigdem A. Acar

Cigdem A. Acar is the Managing Member of the Acar Law Firm PLLC, with head offices in New York and a branch office in Washington, D.C. Cigdem received her Juris Doctor degree from Fordham University School of Law. Between 1994 until 1999, she served as Chair of the Immigration Law Committees of the New York Women's Bar Association and the Women's Bar Association of the State of New York. Her other professional affiliations include the American Immigration Lawyers Association; Association of the Bar of the City of New York, New York County Lawyers Association and the American Foreign Law Association.  

Cigdem is a co-author of the immigration law reform proposal of New York Women's Bar Association's Task Force on Quality Legal Child Care of the Committee to Advance Women in the Profession. In 1994, she served as a Paneled Judge at the International Rounds of the 35th Annual Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition on the "Case Concerning the Granting of Refugee Status."

Cigdem is also active in various international business organizations; she is a member of the Board of Directors of the Turkish-American Business Forum and the Turkish-American Chamber of Commerce; past Board member of the American Turkish Society and the Belgian-American Chamber of Commerce, as well as a member of the American Turkish Council and the French and Belgian-American Chambers of Commerce.

Fluent in Turkish and French, Cigdem is a frequent speaker on U.S. immigration law issues within the context of international business at corporate and public functions.

Mehmet Nezir Uca

Mehmet Nezir Uca was born in Mardin. Graduated from Gaziantep Teachers Training School, and taught in a village school for 1.5 years. Studied Business Administration at Middle East Technical University (BS, 1974), and Economics at Cornell University (Ph. D. Jan. 1981). Taught Economic Development, International Trade, and Comparative Economic Systems at Bogazici University (1981-1982), and Lafayatte College (Easton, PA, 1982-1985). Started and owned different small business in New York, in textiles first and in jewelry later. Still owns and manages Dynasty Gold and Silver (wholesaler, Importer of silver jewelry). He is Eda R., and Didem Uca's father, and currently lives and works in New York.

Huseyin Unver

Huseyin Unver is the President of Exsa Americas Inc., a Sabanci Group Company in New York specializing in textiles, fiber and yarn trade. Prior to joining the Sabanci Group in 2002, Huseyin worked as senior executive for banks here in the United States and Turkey. Huseyin holds BA and MBA degrees, both from Bernard Baruch College in New York. Huseyin is also active board member of several domestic and international business organizations including The American Turkish Society, Turkish- American Business Forum, Turkish-American Chamber of Commerce, and The American Turkish Council.

Canan and Cigdem at Cinaralti Restaurant, Ortakoy.

Strategic planning at work, Huseyin and Mucahide

Burcu and Katharine, building bridges

Mehmet Uca

We are happy :o)

Demet (Demetcik)

Necdet

Ozkan (Isn't he cute?)

Ozgem (Ozgemcik)