TOA Awards 2026 to Honor the 100 Most Influential Turkish Americans

The November 17 gala in Garfield, New Jersey, will celebrate Turkish-American excellence across business, science, arts, and public service.

RIVER EDGE, NJ, UNITED STATES, October 8, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- TOA Awards 2026 Announces the 100 Most Influential Turkish Americans

Gala ceremony will celebrate achievement across 24 categories on November 17 at The Venetian in Garfield, New Jersey.*

GARFIELD, NEW JERSEY — TOA Awards has announced its 2026 honorees, recognizing 100 individuals across 24 categories for their achievements, pioneering work and contributions to the Turkish-American community and the wider society.

The selections follow a comprehensive evaluation process lasting more than six months, conducted by a 23-member jury and a 16-member Selection Committee. Candidates were assessed within their respective categories, with the number of honorees determined by the candidate pool, jury evaluations and overall selection results.

**From Nobel Laureates to Global Entrepreneurs**

The 2026 honorees reflect the breadth of Turkish-American achievement across science, entrepreneurship, technology, public service, culture and sports.

Nobel Prize-winning scientist Aziz Sancar is recognized in Lifetime Achievement. Science, Research & Academia honorees include Nobel Prize-winning economist Daron Acemoğlu, Gökhan Hotamışlıgil, Dani Rodrik, Canan Dağdeviren, Aydoğan Özcan, Mehmet Toner, İvet Bahar, Asuman Özdağlar, Bilge Yıldız, Murat Günel, Engin Kırda and Selçuk Şirin.

CEO & Founders honorees include Fatih Özmen, Hamdi Ulukaya, Eren Özmen, Eren Bali, Osman Kibar, Tümay Başaranlar, Oğuzhan Atay, Murat Özgener, Varol Ablak, Emre İmamoglu, Magdalena Yeşil and Aydın Şenkut.

Dr. Mehmet Öz, Tayfun Selen, and Seval Öz are recognized in Policy, Government & Public Administration. Egemen Taş, Aylin Uysal and Hande Çilingir are honored in Technology & Futures.

Arts & Culture honorees include Refik Anadol, Gizem Salçığıl White, Barbaros Tapan and Emre Şahin, while Fahir Atakoğlu and Pınar Toprak are recognized in Performing Arts. The honorees also include some of America’s most prominent media personalities, including renowned sports broadcaster Arda Öcal, The Young Turks (TYT) founder and political commentator Cenk Uygur, and influential political commentator and digital media personality Hasan Piker.

NBA star Alperen Şengün is honored in Sports & Athletic. Arda Öcal, Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur are recognized in Media and Dr. Selda Günsel and Tolga Kurtoğlu in CTO & CIO.

Barbaros Karaahmet and Fejir Uğurlu are recognized in Legal Advisory & Corporate Law, while Halil Demir and Mehmet Kırdar is honored in Nonprofit & Philanthropy Leadership. Hospitality & Tourism honorees include Suzan Toprak, A.Cem Erenler, Cihan Yılmaz. The honorees also include distinguished leaders in real estate investment and development, including Yusuf Ceylan, President of BeKitto; Erol Devli, Founder of Devli Real Estate; and Fehmi Karahan, Founder of Karahan Companies.

Additional categories recognize accomplishments in professional life, finance, healthcare, hospitality, and community service.

**Recognizing the Next Generation**

The Under 30 category honors Anya Özmen, Emre Uğurlu and Lara Özkan, highlighting the next generation of Turkish-American talent. Derya Taşkın, Neslihan Hıdırliğil and Kerime Ataker are recognized in Women in Business.

**Founders’ Recognition Awards**

Separate from the jury-selected Top 100, TOA Founders’ Recognition Awards acknowledge exceptional achievements and contributions in specific fields.

Recipients include Hakan Karalok for International Academic Excellence; and Hakan İnan for Industrial Leadership. Also recognized are Levent Sertbas for Community Services; Mustafa Tuncer for Transatlantic Entrepreneurship; Orhan Genceli for Hospitality Excellence; Serdar Ali Çelikler for Sports Media & Commentary; Mehmet Dinç for Excellence in AI & Legal Innovation and Ziya Keskin for Global Standards & Certification Leadership, Yavuz Macit for Global Sports Infrastructure & Business Leadership.

**Documenting Turkish-American Achievement**

“We do not see TOA Awards simply as an awards ceremony,” said TOA Awards Founder Cemil Özyurt. “Our goal is to create a platform that documents the achievements of Turkish Americans in science, technology, entrepreneurship, arts, public service, academia, sports and many other fields, while preserving and passing these success stories on to future generations.”

Özyurt thanked the jury and Selection Committee for evaluating hundreds of candidates over six months, emphasizing that their experience and dedication support the awards’ credibility.

**November 17 Gala in New Jersey**

The TOA Awards 2026 ceremony will take place Tuesday, November 17, at The Venetian in Garfield, New Jersey. The evening will bring together leaders from business, science, technology, arts, media, academia and public service, alongside professionals from finance, law, healthcare, real estate, tourism and nonprofit organizations.

The gathering offers an opportunity to celebrate individual accomplishments while strengthening connections across the Turkish-American community.

Gala tickets: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/toaawards2026/2396706

For sponsorship opportunities, corporate participation and table reservations:
info@turkofamerica.com | 201-250-4376

Cemil Ozyurt
Turk of America Magazine
+1 201-250-4376
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The Most 100 Influential Turkish Americans 2026