Sakip Sabanci - ambassador to Turkey

Sakip Sabanci was the self-appointed Ambassador for Turkey. He relished the role, and enthusiastically promoted all things Turkey. I'm not sure I even knew where Turkey was (more geography later). He was a customer at a DuPont joint venture company I worked at. He and I always enjoyed our phone conversations, and he said he was "practicing his English." He was really practicing his selling me on Turkey. We did a little sales business, then we began chatting about business practices. We discussed why it was important to support rural areas,even at the expense of higher profits. We chatted about family. His daughter was about my age. We talked about culture. We were both raised by hardworking parents in a rural area. He assured me I would need to not only visit Istanbul, but also Adana. Not everybody would appreciate the small town charms of Adana, but he was confident it was the right place for me.  I think when his company moved from Adana to Istanbul, a little bit of his heart stayed in Adana. We discussed all kinds of things, and I always looked forward to his sales calls. He spoke so lovingly of his homeland, Turkey. He insisted I must come visit, and I would stay at his home. "Everybody stays at my home when they visit."  He enthusiastically told me his home was very nice, and just like a museum. He collected many beautiful artworks, displayed throughout the home. I learned later, the home really has been turned into a museum Sabanci home to "Horse Museum".

One day, he decided to come visit! Yes, in rural Oklahoma. He came to see our manufacturing plant. He brought several of his associates with him, maybe his brothers or managers. I am not sure. He gave me his autobiography, and signed it. I have read it many times.  He has been an inspiration for my own business practices. See all the sticky tabs in the book? Those are important things worth remembering. The book is a bit tattered, as I lent it out to anybody that ever mentioned Turkey. I'd make them read it.

I still always dreamed of visiting the Turkey that Mr Sabanci so wanted me to see. He was as proud of his home, as I am of my country.

Fast forward twenty years. I was in a class, and struck up a conversation with a student I did not know. What are the chances? This person was from Turkey! What in the world could I think to talk about? What could we possibly have in common? So I say, "I know someone from Turkey. Do you know Sakip Sabanci?"

Incredulously, he looks at me. "Of course I know of Sakip Sabanci. How did you know him?" I tell the story of when he came to visit Oklahoma. I'm not sure the student believed me. A few days later, I showed him a letter Mr. Sabanci  had written me, and the signed book.

This student also encouraged me to visit Turkey. And now we are.

More later,
Dian