I’m a vision driven, goal focused bilingual, multicultural Turkish-American entrepreneur and executive with a proven history of startups, innovation and achievement in management as well as in government relations and team building in the various industries and few NGOs across the three continents.

I am the cofounder and president of Masterson International, a wholesale & distribution packaging company based in New York with a branch in Florida. I also have a Florida real estate license registered with The Corcoran Group in Palm Beach. Additionally, I am a senior advisor at Mergen Group based in NYC. Previously I was the chairman of Turkish American Business Association-American Chamber of Commerce in Turkey (TABA-AmCham) having three offices with the head office in Istanbul. During my tenure in TABA-AmCham I have participated in many international conferences, seminars and symposiums in different capacities. I also became the chairman of the board at Aggregates Producers Association of Turkey. During my term, AGUB was accepted as the member of European Aggregates Producers Association (UEPG). I have served on the board of the Appraisers Association of Turkey as well.

Have extensive experience in government relations, management, advisory, manufacturing, marketing, sales, lecturing, training and startups in various sectors i.e. international trade, real estate, mining and parking management in America and Europe. I performed a key role as the founder and managing director at Repimeks, a Turkish American joint venture that introduced Turkey with Built-Operate-Transfer model parking management systems by installing the first parking meters in Istanbul. The JV was supposed to IPO at Nasdaq but couldn’t go through. I was also instrumental in the installation of the first wire rope safety barriers that replaced the rigid crash barriers and increased the traffic safety along the roads and highways. The wire rope safety barrier BRIFEN, was developed by a British company by using the arrest rope that is used to stop the landing aircrafts on the aircraft carriers. This patented barrier system is extremely safe because there are no rigid metal pieces cutting the vehicles through when a crash occurs. I did advise the city authorities to install it by the edge of the waterways like rivers and other public roads. We did lots of public relations through media appearances and held a series of presentations and seminars in order to get accepted to the government tender of Turkish Directorate of Highways.

Upon relocating to Seattle, Washington I co-founded Masterson International and became involved in retail, real estate and international trade, imported and exported industrial goods between the USA and Turkey. After moving to NY I obtained a state real estate license. I worked for Century 21 in New York. I was offered the job as the country manager of Americas for a publicly traded international jewelry company, Goldas, in New York. Afterwards I provided consultancy in order to get a Century 21 real estate franchisee & moving and storage startup Porte in Istanbul. I hired the team, trained and coached them. Eventually I was recruited by an international executive search firm as the country manager of Turkey for the oldest appraisal and valuation company in the world Duff & Phelps’ (former American Appraisal) European arm REAG-Real Estate Advisory Group headquarters in Italy. During my real estate career I gave consultancy to many national, international companies and brands as well as high worth individuals. I personally developed and delivered training programs for the real estate and banking industries with Bogazici University (my alma mater) also gave lectures on real estate at Kadir Has University. Subsequently I became the chief executive officer at a mining and construction company which has been involved in aggregate mining and construction materials manufacturing. I have worked with a financial institution in order to go public in Istanbul Stock Exchange, however the largest shareholder eventually didn’t consent for the final go. Consequently I moved back to the US.

I had joined many business, economic, occupational and social, organizations such as TUGIAD (Turkish Young Businessmen Association), GYIAD (Young Managers and Businessmen Association), BCT (British Chamber of Trade in Turkey), TACCI (Turkish American Chamber of Commerce and Industry), NAR (National Association of Realtors), GYODER (Real Estate Investment Trust Association), ATAA (Assembly of Turkish American Associations), ATS (American Turkish Society), DEIK-TAIK (Turkey-USA Business Council). I have participated in many national and international conferences, seminars as a guest speaker on various subjects. I appeared in different printed and visual media, providing industry insights including CNN and Bloomberg. I worked with the politicians and successfully advised high profile figures on national electoral campaigns. I have participated in various seminars, conferences and trade shows around the US and in many countries across Europe. I have proficiency in international business development with a vast network of key contacts, alliances, and high-profile business and government partners.

I have strong communication skills with all, from a worker to the CEO, from a mayor to the president, from a boardroom to a classroom. Further, my ability to build consensus among executive teams and stakeholders to promote transparency and influence positive change has been repeatedly proven.

I received my business management degree from Mitchell College in Connecticut then graduated with an economics degree from Bogazici University in Istanbul. I attended the Executive MBA program at Koc University in Istanbul yet couldn’t complete it due to relocation to Seattle. I have completed executive certificate programs at various universities including Harvard Business School.

I was born in Antakya and have lived in Istanbul, London, New London, Kingston, Boston, Seattle, New York, Florham Park, Irvine and Palm Beach. I have been to all states except Alaska and visited the major cities in Canada and have been in many countries mostly for business.