TURKOFAMERICA names 100 most influential Turkish Americans in the U.S.

By Ahmet Taş | Wise News Press

GARFIELD, New Jersey — TURKOFAMERICA magazine has announced “The 100 Most Influential Turkish Americans,” recognizing leading names across science, business, technology, finance, arts, media, sports and public service.

Published in the United States since 2002, TURKOFAMERICA said the list was prepared after a review process lasting more than six months. The selection was made by 23 jury members and a 16-member Selection Committee, bringing together names whose work reflects the expanding influence of Turkish Americans across U.S. public life and global industries.

A broad look at Turkish American influence

The list covers a wide range of sectors, from Nobel-winning science and global entrepreneurship to professional sports, Hollywood, digital media, law, hospitality and real estate.

TURKOFAMERICA’s ranking presents Turkish Americans not as a single professional group, but as a diverse community with growing visibility in several layers of American economic, cultural and academic life. The honorees include established figures with decades of international recognition as well as younger names shaping emerging fields such as cybersecurity, biotechnology and health technologies.

Nobel laureates and scientific leaders stand out

In science and academia, the list includes Aziz Sancar, who won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work on DNA repair, and Daron Acemoğlu, recognized with the Nobel Prize in Economics for his research on the role of institutions in economic development.

Other prominent academic and scientific figures include Gökhan Hotamışlıgil for his work on metabolism, Dani Rodrik for his contributions to economics, Canan Dağdeviren for wearable health technologies and Aydoğan Özcan for his work in imaging technologies.

Their inclusion highlights the strong presence of Turkish-origin researchers in U.S. universities, laboratories and innovation networks.

Global business success across sectors

Business and entrepreneurship form one of the strongest categories in the list. Hamdi Ulukaya is recognized for building Chobani into a major food industry brand, while Eren and Fatih Özmen are honored for their work with Sierra Nevada Corporation in defense and aerospace.

Eren Bali is listed for his impact through Udemy and Carbon Health in education and health technologies. Hande Çilingir is recognized for Insider One in marketing technologies, Oğuzhan Atay for BillionToOne in molecular diagnostics, Osman Kibar for Biosplice in biotechnology and Aydın Şenkut for technology investments through Felicis.

Tümay Başaranlar also stands out for building Atlantis Management, one of the major gas station chains in the United States.

From the NBA to Hollywood and digital media

The list also reflects the influence of Turkish Americans in sports, arts and media. Houston Rockets star Alperen Şengün is recognized for his NBA career, while Refik Anadol is honored for bringing artificial intelligence, data and visual art together on global platforms.

Composer Pınar Toprak, known for scoring Captain Marvel, and director Emre Şahin, known for Rise of Empires: Ottoman, are among the names representing the creative industries. Composer and pianist Fahir Atakoğlu, Barbaros Tapan, who has helped build cultural connections between Hollywood and Türkiye, and Gizem Şalcıgil White, who has promoted Turkish coffee as a form of gastrodiplomacy, are also included.

In media, The Young Turks founder Cenk Uygur, digital commentator Hasan Piker and sports broadcaster Arda Öcal are among the honorees. Öcal is recognized as one of the Turkish-origin broadcasters active in North American sports media through NHL, WWE and esports coverage.

Law, public service and global corporations

In public service, Dr. Mehmet Oz is included for his role leading the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, which oversees major U.S. health coverage programs including Medicare and Medicaid.

In the legal field, Barbaros Karaahmet, a partner at New York law firm Herrick, is recognized in the law and legal advisory category. Neslihan Hıdırlıgil, who helped introduce year-round Christmas retail stores to the U.S. market, is also listed among influential businesswomen.

The list further includes Turkish executives holding senior responsibilities at global companies and financial institutions. Selda Günsel at Shell, Tolga Kurtoğlu at Lenovo and Murat Genç at McLane are recognized for leadership in technology management, while Turkish executives at Meta, UBS, J.P. Morgan, State Street and other global organizations are also among the selected names.

Real estate, hospitality and restaurants represented

In real estate, İzak Senbahar is recognized for landmark projects in Manhattan, while Fehmi Karahan stands out for Legacy West in Texas. Yusuf Ceylan and Erol Devli are also included for commercial real estate investments across the United States.

The hospitality and tourism sector is represented by Gül Göknar Türkmenoğlu, Suzan Toprak, Cihan Yılmaz and A. Cem Erenler. Erenler is noted for leading two high-end hospitality operations in the Bahamas, The Island House and Old Fort Bay Club.

Restaurant entrepreneurs Hakkı Akdeniz, Zach Erdem and Burak Karaçam are also included, reflecting the role of Turkish-origin founders in the U.S. food and hospitality scene.

Young leaders and special recognitions

In the Under 30 category, Ali Sarılgan, Anya Özmen, Emre Uğurlu and Lara Özkan are recognized for work in entrepreneurship, cybersecurity and academia.

Separate from the main list, the TOA Founder’s Recognition Awards will present special appreciation plaques to 21 names for their contributions to their fields and communities. Among those to be honored are businessman Mustafa Tuncer, who opened the Cups & Clouds coffee chain in Türkiye after ventures in the United States; Yavuz Macit, CEO of Integral Group, which builds sports complexes in several countries; and Mehmet Dinç of PeraPole, a company focused on accelerating procurement processes.

TOA Awards Founder and President Cemil Özyurt said the aim was to present a wide picture of Turkish American achievement.

“We wanted to show, as broadly as possible, the point Turkish Americans have reached in the United States, from science to business, from technology to arts, from finance to sports,” Özyurt said.

The TOA Awards 2026 Gala will be held on November 17, 2026, at The Venetian in Garfield, New Jersey. Around 500 guests are expected to attend the black-tie event, which will bring together figures from different sectors with a red-carpet welcome and an awards ceremony.

WiseNewsPress.com