Fatih Ozmen

Fatih Özmen
NationalityTurkish, American
Alma materUniversity of Nevada, Reno (MS)
Occupation(s)aerospace engineer, entrepreneur
Known forOwner and CEO of Sierra Nevada Corporation, Dream Chaser mini space shuttle
SpouseEren Ozmen
Websitewww.sncorp.com/AboutUs/FatihOzmen

Fatih Ozmen[1] (Turkish: Fatih Özmen) is a Turkish-American aerospace engineer, entrepreneur, former cyclist, the co-owner and CEO of Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC).[2]

Early life and education

Born in Turkey,[3] the former Turkish National Cycling Champion rode alongside top Turkish cyclists throughout the 1970s including the 1977 Tour de L'avenir in France.[4] Fatih Ozmen pursued higher education in the United States receiving a M.S. Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno. He went on to obtain a masters, with a thesis on navigation and landing systems.

Career

Ozmen started at Sierra Nevada Corporation as an engineering intern in 1981; during his early years at the company, he helped develop numerous systems and managed several key programs. In 1994, Fatih Ozmen and his wife Eren Ozmen acquired Sierra Nevada Corporation.[5] Under the Ozmens, SNC has completed 19 strategic acquisitions,[6] and has expanded to 34 locations in 19 U.S. states, England, Germany and Turkey,[7] with a workforce of over 3,000 personnel

Fatih is a member of the National Space Council Users Advisory Group, established in 2018 under Vice President Mike Pence.[8]

In 2017, Fatih and Eren Ozmen launched Ozmen Ventures, a $5 million venture capital fund headquartered in Reno.[9]

Philanthropy

In 2014, Fatih and wife Eren donated $5 million to the University of Nevada, Reno’s College of Business to support entrepreneurial programs.[10]

Awards and recognition

Personal

  • Aviation Entrepreneurs of the Year[11]
  • Living Legends of Aviation[12]
  • "Ellis Island Medal of Honor"[13]
  • Top 10 Most Influential Turkish Americans, TurkOfAmerica[14]
  • Honorary Doctorate of Science – University of Nevada, Reno (2016)[15]
  • On May 13, 2016, Fatih Ozmen delivered the keynote speech at the University of Nevada, Reno commencement ceremony.[16]

References

  1. ^ "SNC'nin Başkanı Özmen zenginler listesinde". 6 June 2015.
  2. ^ "Fatih Ozmen, Owner & CEO | Sierra Nevada Corporation | SNC".
  3. ^ "NECO | Fatith Ozmen". Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-06-30.
  4. ^ "TUR 2014 - Haberler". Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-06-30.
  5. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-04. Retrieved 2014-06-30.{cite web}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ "Acquisitions | Sierra Nevada Corporation | SNC | Sierra Nevada Corporation". Archived from the original on 2014-06-25. Retrieved 2014-07-01.
  7. ^ "About SNC | Sierra Nevada Corporation". Archived from the original on 2011-10-14.
  8. ^ Jeff Foust (15 May 2020). "White House updates membership of Space Council advisory group - SpaceNews.com". SpaceNews.com. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  9. ^ "Ozmen Ventures launches $5 million fund to spark local entrepreneurial ecosystem | NNBW.com". Archived from the original on 2017-09-15. Retrieved 2017-09-14.
  10. ^ Alumni pledge $5 million to UNR entrepreneurship center[permanent dead link], by Reno Gazette-Journal, posted Wednesday, Sept 10, 2014
  11. ^ "2014 NCET / RGJ Award Winners - NCET: Business. Technology. Events". NCET. Retrieved 2015-06-18.
  12. ^ "2016/14 Annual Honorees". Living Legends of Aviation.
  13. ^ "Sierra Nevada Corporation CEO, Fatih Ozmen, Awarded Ellis Island Medal of Honor".
  14. ^ "Sierra Nevada Corporation Owners Named in Top 10 Most Influential Turkish-Americans by TurkOfAmerica Magazine". Prweb.com. Retrieved 2015-06-18.
  15. ^ Honorary Degree Nomination - Eren and Fatih Ozmen
  16. ^ Fatih Ozmen University of Nevada, Reno Spring Commencement 2016 Address