Eren Ozmen
Eren Ozmen | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1958/1959 Turkey |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, business executive |
| Years active | 1988–present |
| Known for | Majority co-owner and president of Sierra Nevada Corporation |
| Spouse | Fatih Ozmen |
| Children | 2 |
Eren Ozmen (; born 1958/1959) is a Turkish-American billionaire entrepreneur, serving as the majority co-owner and president of the private aerospace and defense company Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC).
Early life and education
Ozmen relocated from Turkey to the United States in the early 1980s to pursue higher education. She obtained her MBA from the University of Nevada, Reno in 1985 and became part of SNC in 1988.
Career
Together with her husband, Fatih Ozmen, Eren purchased Sierra Nevada Corporation in 1994. Their stewardship saw SNC grow significantly, completing 19 acquisitions and expanding to 34 facilities across 19 states in the US, as well as locations in England, Germany, and Turkey, employing more than 3,000 people.
Ozmen has been a strong advocate for work-life integration, introducing family-oriented initiatives such as an on-site childcare center for employees established in 1991.
In 2017, the Ozmens founded Ozmen Ventures, a $5 million venture capital fund based in Reno that focuses on seed and early-stage investments aimed at nurturing local startup companies and promoting entrepreneurship within the region.
Philanthropy
In 2014, Eren and Fatih Ozmen contributed $5 million to the University of Nevada, Reno to create the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship within the business college. This center is dedicated to enhancing entrepreneurial education and supporting new business development.
The Ozmen Center initiated a Women's Initiative in May 2016 to foster connections between female entrepreneurs and community leaders while celebrating women's contributions to business.
Awards and recognition
- "Meet the woman behind this spaceship" — ShareAmerica.gov (August 2017)
- "America’s Richest Self-Made Women" — Forbes (May 2017)
- Aviation Entrepreneurs of the Year
- Living Legends of Aviation
- Carnegie Corporation's "Great Immigrants, Great Americans" (2017)
- Ranked No. 2 Most Influential Turkish-American Woman by TurkOfAmerica
- Included among Top 10 Most Influential Turkish Americans by TurkOfAmerica
- Honorary doctorate awarded by University of Nevada, Reno (2016)
- Selected for Forbes’ inaugural 50 Over 50 list in 2021, honoring entrepreneurs and leaders aged over 50
Personal life
Eren Ozmen is married to Fatih Ozmen; they have two children and live in Reno, Nevada.