Feyyaz Berker (October 7, 1925 – August 22, 2017) was a Turkish businessmanTekfen Holding. He was one of the three co-founders and owners of the Tekfen Holding.

Biography

Born on October 7, 1925, in

Mersin Mersin () is a large city and port on the Mediterranean Sea, Mediterranean coast of Mediterranean Region, Turkey, southern Turkey. It is the provincial capital of the Mersin Province (formerly İçel). It is made up of four district governorates ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

, Feyyaz was the son of Muhtar Berker, an

ophthalmologist Ophthalmology (, ) is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis, treatment, and surgery of eye diseases and disorders. An ophthalmologist is a physician who undergoes subspecialty training in medical and surgical eye care. Following a ...

based in Mersin, who was elected to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in 1939 as İçel deputy and remained in office until 1946. After completing his primary education in Mersin, Feyyaz enrolled in the American College in Tarsus, but after his family moved to

Ankara Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and List of national capitals by area, the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the Central Anatolia Region, central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( ...

, he went to

Robert College The American Robert College of Istanbul ( or ), often abbreviated as Robert or RC, is a Selective school, highly selective, Independent school, independent, mixed-sex education, co-educational, Education in Turkey#Private schools, private Second ...

where received his diploma in

civil engineering Civil engineering is a regulation and licensure in engineering, professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including public works such as roads ...

, subsequently he went to the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

to earn a master's degree from the

University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...

. Then he returned to Turkey to finish his military service, and by 1950 he started working at the Ministry of Public Works. After working as construction manager at Ankara Esenboğa Airport, he became the Head of the Laboratory and Research Department of the Ministry of Public Works in 1954. Later, in 1956, he founded Tekfen Holding with Nihat Gökyiğit, his friend from Robert College, and Necati Akçağlılar, which became one of Turkey's leading holding companies. He also founded the Turkish Industrialists and Businessmen’s Association. Feyyaz Berker died on August 22, 2017, at the age of 92, and was buried in the Aşiyan Asri Cemetery.

Notes

References

* 1925 births 2017 deaths 20th-century Turkish businesspeople Robert College alumni University of Michigan College of Engineering alumni Turkish expatriates in the United States Burials at Aşiyan Asri Cemetery People from Mersin {{Turkey-business-bio-stub