[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 122 (Tuesday, August 9, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1514-E1515]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      A TRIBUTE TO CELAL SECILMIS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, August 9, 2011

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition of Mr. Celal 
Secilmis for his ongoing ability to serve his community through public 
service and education.
  Mr. Secilmis was born in Sarikamis, Turkey in 1953 and was raised in 
Mersin, Turkey until his early adult life. After graduating from 
Istanbul Academy of Economic and Commercial Sciences in 1974, he went 
on to complete a Graduate Certificate Program at Istanbul University, 
Institute of Business Economics.
  Mr. Secilmis has had a life in academia--deciding to move to America 
in 1975 after winning the Turkish Government Scholarship to do doctoral 
studies in the United States. Under this scholarship, Mr. Secilmis 
attended Georgetown University for a Masters Degree in Management, and 
then received an MBA degree from LIU.
  Mr. Secilmis continued his dedicated studies at City University of 
New York's Graduate Center in Financial Economics with emphasis on 
``Agency Theory: Bonding and Monitoring Costs.'' Upon completion of his 
graduate studies, he worked as a professor of finance at Baruch 
College, CUNY, until 1995. Mr. Secilmis had started his own business, 
but shortly returned to the academic arena to fill the role of adjunct 
professor, which is his current profession.
  In addition to being an adjunct professor, Mr. Secilmis also serves 
as the CEO and President of CEL Group of companies: Seckin Management, 
CEL Management, Semerica Trading, Inc., ATA Marketing Co, Inc., and ATA 
Construction USA, Inc. Mr. Secilmis is also the current President of 
Turkish American Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as his term expires 
in 2012.
  Mr. Secilmis is happily married to Olcay Soymen and together they 
have two sons Seckin and Ata and a daughter, Deniz who is married to 
Adam Beaulieu.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to join me in recognizing the life 
and success of Mr. Celal Secilmis.

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