Fatih Ozmen
Fatih Ozmen | |
|---|---|
| Born | Turkey |
| Occupation(s) | Aerospace engineer, entrepreneur, former competitive cyclist, CEO |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Known for | Co-owner and CEO of Sierra Nevada Corporation |
Fatih Ozmen (; born ) is a Turkish-American aerospace engineer, entrepreneur, former competitive cyclist, and the co-owner and chief executive officer of Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC).
Early life and education
Originating from Turkey, Ozmen distinguished himself as the Turkish National Cycling Champion during the 1970s, participating in competitions including the 1977 Tour de L'avenir held in France. He obtained a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from the University of Nevada, Reno, where his graduate thesis concentrated on navigation and landing technologies.
Career
Ozmen’s career at Sierra Nevada Corporation commenced in 1981 with an engineering internship focused on system design and program oversight. In 1994, he and his spouse, Eren Ozmen, purchased SNC. Since then, their stewardship has seen SNC complete 19 strategic acquisitions, broaden its presence to 34 sites across 19 states in the U.S., as well as locations in England, Germany, and Turkey, and increase its employee base to more than 3,000 personnel.
He is a member of the National Space Council Users Advisory Group, which was formed in 2018 under the administration of Vice President Mike Pence.
In 2017, Fatih and Eren Ozmen established Ozmen Ventures, a $5 million venture capital fund headquartered in Reno aimed at fostering entrepreneurship within the local community.
Philanthropy
In 2014, the Ozmens contributed $5 million to support entrepreneurial initiatives within the College of Business at the University of Nevada, Reno.
Personal
- Aviation Entrepreneurs of the Year
- Living Legends of Aviation
- Ellis Island Medal of Honor
- Named among Top 10 Most Influential Turkish Americans by TurkOfAmerica
- Received an Honorary Doctorate of Science from University of Nevada, Reno in 2016
- Delivered the keynote speech at the University of Nevada, Reno commencement ceremony in 2016