Ali Osman Sönmez (1926 in

Momchilgrad Momchilgrad ( bg, Момчилград , , Turkish: Mestanlı); is a town in the very south of Bulgaria, part of Kardzhali Province in the southern part of the Eastern Rhodopes. According to the 2011 census, Momchilgrad is the largest Bulgarian se ...

– 12 October 2001), is a

Turkish Turkish may refer to: *a Turkic language spoken by the Turks * of or about Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities and mi ...

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

and

businessperson A businessperson, businessman, or businesswoman is an individual who has founded, owns, or holds shares in (including as an angel investor) a private-sector company. A businessperson undertakes activities (commercial or industrial) for the ...

Life and career

Ali Osman Sönmez, who was born in the town of Momchilgrad in

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...

in 1926, stayed in

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

for 7 years after completing his primary and secondary education. Sönmez, who came to Turkey in 1948, settled in

İnegöl İnegöl (known as , ''Angelokomis'' in the Byzantine period) is a city (center of the İnegöl district) in the Bursa Province of Turkey. It has a population of 340,000 (2011 figures). İnegöl is one of the centers of the Turkish furniture indust ...

district. Sönmez, who worked as a civil servant for a while in the

Tekel Tekel A.Ş. ( Turkish, literally ''single-hand'' or ''monopoly'' and generally capitalised as TEKEL) was a Turkish tobacco and alcoholic beverages company. It was nationalised in 1925 from a parastatal (government owned/controlled) company, the R ...

administration, later left his job at his own will and started his business life. Ali Osman Sönmez was the President of the Bursa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Chairman of the Union of Chambers Council, the Chairman of the Sönmez Holding Board of Directors and the 20th Term

Bursa ( grc-gre, Προῦσα, Proûsa, Latin: Prusa, ota, بورسه, Arabic:بورصة) is a city in northwestern Turkey and the administrative center of Bursa Province. The fourth-most populous city in Turkey and second-most populous in the ...

Deputy Deputy or depute may refer to: * Steward (office) * Khalifa, an Arabic title that can signify "deputy" * Deputy (legislator), a legislator in many countries and regions, including: ** A member of a Chamber of Deputies, for example in Italy, Spai ...

. Sönmez, who died on Friday, October 12, 2001, was buried in the family cemetery in Bursa Amir Sultan Cemetery after the ceremonies held the next day.

Ali Osman Sönmez Foundation

Ali Osman Sönmez Foundation is a foundation founded by industrialist businessman Ali Osman Sönmez. The Foundation only gives scholarships to students studying in the field of business administration. Scholarship candidates must be from Bursa or have completed their secondary education in Bursa.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sönmez, Ali Osman 1926 births Turkish philanthropists Turkish industrialists Turkish businesspeople Deputies of Bursa 2001 deaths