Eren Ozmen (born 1958/1959) is a billionaire Turkish-American businesswoman, and the majority co-owner and president of the private aerospace and defense company,

Sierra Nevada Corporation Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) is an American, privately held aerospace and national security contractor specializing in aircraft modification and integration, space components and systems, and related technology products for cybersecurity and ...

(SNC).

Early life and education

In the early 1980s, Eren Ozmen came to the US from Turkey to pursue higher education. In 1985, she earned an MBA from the

University of Nevada, Reno The University of Nevada, Reno (Nevada, the University of Nevada, or UNR) is a public land-grant research university in Reno, Nevada. It is the state's flagship public university and primary land grant institution. It was founded on October 12 ...

and in 1988, she joined SNC.

Career

Ozmen and her husband Fatih Ozmen acquired Sierra Nevada Corporation in 1994. Under the Ozmens, SNC has acquired 19 companies in 34 locations in 19 US states, England, Germany and Turkey, and has grown to include a workforce of over 3,000 personnel. Ozmen has prioritized maintaining a healthy work-life balance by promoting family-friendly policies within the corporate culture. In 1991 she established an on-site daycare for employees. In 2017, Eren and Fatih Ozmen launched Ozmen Ventures, a seed and early-stage venture capital fund headquartered in Reno. The $5 million fund aims to invest in young and dynamic local startups and cultivate the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Philanthropy

In 2014, Eren and Fatih Ozmen donated $5 million to the

to create a permanent center for entrepreneurship at the university’s college of business. The Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship supports and enhances the university’s entrepreneurial programs in order to stimulate the creation of new business ventures. In May 2016, the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship launched a Women's Initiative aimed at connecting innovative female entrepreneurs with leaders and established professionals and business owners in the community. It also highlights female business achievements in and around the community.

Awards and recognition

* "Meet the woman behind this spaceship" — ShareAmerica.gov (Aug 2017) * "America’s Richest Self-Made Women" — Forbes (May 2017) * Aviation Entrepreneurs of the Year * Living Legends of Aviation * Carnegie Corporation of New York, "Great Immigrants, Great Americans" (2017) * Most Influential Turkish-American Woman, No. 2 ''TurkOfAmerica'' * Top 10 Most Influential Turkish Americans, ''TurkOfAmerica'' * Honorary doctorate,

(2016) * Ozmen was selected for the inaugural 2021

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...

50 Over 50; made up of entrepreneurs, leaders, scientists and creators who are over the age of 50.

Personal life

She is married to Fatih Ozmen, they have two children, and live in

Reno, Nevada Reno ( ) is a city in the northwest section of the U.S. state of Nevada, along the Nevada-California border, about north from Lake Tahoe, known as "The Biggest Little City in the World". Known for its casino and tourism industry, Reno is the ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ozmen, Eren 1950s births Year of birth missing (living people) Living people 21st-century American businesspeople American aerospace businesspeople American billionaires American chairpersons of corporations American philanthropists American technology chief executives Businesspeople in information technology Space advocates Turkish emigrants to the United States Female billionaires