During the evening of Wednesday March 19th, the Turkic American Alliance had the pleasure of hosting the National Lieutenant Governors Association (NLGA) for a Culture and Business Reception in conjunction with its 2014 winter meetings. A total of 80 guests attended the reception, including 11 Honorable Lieutenant Governors—NLGA Chair Todd Lamb (OK), Nancy Wyman (CT), John Sanchez (NM), Gregory Francis (U.S. Virgin Islands), Peter Kinder (MO), Mead Treadwell (AK), Jay Dardenne (LA), Drew Wrigley (ND), Yvonne Prettner Solon (MN), Kim Reynolds (IA) and Jeff Colyer (KS).
The program began as guests mingled over homemade Turkish food, desserts and drinks. Later, TAA President Dr. Faruk Taban delivered introductory remarks and a presentation on the mission, goals and accomplishments of TAA. Dr. Taban next introduced Dr. Fevzi Bilgin, Executive Director of the Rethink Institute, to discuss the work and initiatives of the D.C.-based research institution.
The business component of the evening reception soon followed. Remarks were delivered by Fetullah Yilmaz, Deputy Program Director of the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON) Washington, D.C., office. Mr. Yilmaz discussed TUSKON’s commitment to share know-how, experience and communication networks with its extensive business network. With headquarters in Istanbul, TUSKON also operates in Washington, D.C., Brussels, Moscow, Beijing and Addis Abeba. Mr. Yilmaz also highlighted TUSKON’s flagship Turkey-World Trade Bridge, which links business and trade between Turkey and the U.S. while also expanding opportunities to the rest of the world.
Next, Beyhan Nakipoglu, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Nema Holding, spoke on the business activities of Nema Holding. With a modest beginning in post-World War I southeastern Turkey, this burgeoning company quickly expanded throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries into engineering procurement, water treatment, infrastructure, energy, textiles, general construction and food services sectors in Turkey, Central Asia, North America and Africa.
Lieutenant Governor Todd Lamb of Oklahoma and Chair of NLGA last took the stage. Lt. Governor Lamb shared a charming anecdote after expressing his desire to return to Turkey in the near future. During his last visit to Turkey in the late 1990s, he bought for his wife a beautiful leather jacket. They were just newlyweds then, so Lt. Governor Lamb guessed his wife’s jacket size. Much to his dismay, however, Lt. Governor Lamb guessed incorrectly, and in the wrong direction. Turning to Dr. Taban, Lt. Governor Lamb conveyed his jovial sense of urgency in returning to Turkey in order to rectify the issue of the infamous leather jacket. Lt. Governor Lamb also expressed his gratitude to TAA and its local member organizations for all of their work in supporting the Turkic American diaspora communities across the U.S.
In particular, Lt. Governor Lamb mentioned his familiarity with the Raindrop Turkish House of Oklahoma City. The Raindrop Turkish House is very active in the local community with activities including but not limited to organizing, sponsoring and hosting cultural and social events such as Turkish cuisine classes, cultural nights, Nevruz picnics, traditional dinners, Turkish coffee nights, International Women’s day, soccer games, Noah’s pudding days, Whirling Dervishes’ performances, and Intercultural Dialogue Dinners.
As the night came to a close, the Lieutenant Governors were each presented with ceramic Ottoman-style plates along with a special invitation to TAA’s upcoming Turkic American Convention next month. In addition, a raffle prize was included for guests to receive a traditional Turkish coffee set.
What started off as a business reception ended in a night filled with cultural richness and laughter. As the guests made their back out to the lobby, LGs took turns posing with traditional hats and headdresses from Turkey and Central Asia. A great time was truly had by all. TAA hopes the Lt. Governors had a productive and fruitful winter meeting in our nation’s capital and looks forward to further collaboration with NLGA in the future.
Written by Lamija Silajdžić.
