ATC Announces Keynotes for the 34th Annual Conference on U.S.-Turkey Relations
The American-Turkish Council (ATC) is pleased to announce the participation of three additional keynote speakers for the 34th Annual Conference on U.S.-Turkey Relations, September 27-30 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Washington, D.C.
Minister of Defence of the Republic of Turkey Vecdi Gönül will be providing keynote remarks at this year’s Annual Conference. His presence sends an important statement in support of the U.S.-Turkey relationship. Mr. Gönül has a long and accomplished political career. He first entered Parliament in the 1999 general election as an MP for Kocaeli, and was Minister of Defence from 2003 to 2011. He was re-appointed as Minister of Defence by Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu on July 1, 2015.
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey John R. Bass has also offer his remarks at the 34th Annual Conference on U.S.-Turkey Relations. Mr. Bass was confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to Turkey by the U.S. Senate on September 17, 2014. From 2009 to 2012, he served as U.S. Ambassador to Georgia.
The ATC is also honored to announce the participation of Fatih Özmen, CEO and owner of Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC). Under the ownership of Fatih Ozmen, Sierra Nevada Corporation has completed 19 strategic acquisitions expanding SNC to 33 locations across 18 states and three locations in Europe. Recently, SNC signed a Memorandum of Understanding involving the Turkish Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs & Communications to meet the need of producing the country’s fırst regional jet as part of its Regional Aircraft Project.
Other keynote speakers at this year’s conference will include TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Bruce H. Andrews, ATC Chairman General James L. Jones, U.S. Senator and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services John McCain, and Commander of the U.S. European Command and NATO Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, General Philip M. Breedlove.
The Registration Deadline for the 34th Annual Conference on U.S.-Turkey Relations is Friday, September 18, 2015. The ATC and its member companies are looking forward to what promises to be an exciting conference at a moment of unprecedented potential for an expansion of U.S. – Turkey commercial ties.