MET's Award/Auction/Appreciation Night

 
Dear , As-Salamu Alaikum (Peace Be Upon You),

 

On November 8th 2014, the Muslim Educational Trust (MET) celebrated its Annual Award/Auction/Appreciation Night by recognizing dedicated individuals for their positive contribution to MET and the community at large. 
  
Everyone enjoyed a delicious potluck dinner and an upbeat live auction, and browsed through our unique selection of bazaar and silent auction items. Many thanks to all our sponsors and everyone who attended, supported, and contributed to the success of our event. Alhamdulillah, Praise be to Allah, MET raised over $27,000 in proceeds which will be dedicated to the construction of the Civic Engagement Center at the MET Community and Educational Center. We received a lot of positive feedback regarding offering our items online so we created an Online Bazaar for a LIMITED time. You still have a chance to buy some of our unique Bazaar Items. Click HERE to buy online.
  

We were also honored to celebrate our Award Winners for this year, whose biographies shared below, are truly inspiring and are indeed cause for celebration. Congratulations to all Award Winners and many thanks to Senator Jeff Merkley for the congratulatory video.

 
 
MET Lifetime Achievement Award
 
Mr. Salahuddin Kadri, President, I-TEN Associates Inc.

Mr. Salahuddin Kadri is the Founder and President of i-TEN Associates Inc. which provides high quality and cost-effective BIM, CAD, 3D Laser Scanning, GIS, Photogrammetry, and physical asset management solutions Mr. Kadri established ValueCAD, specializing in CAD, GIS and EDMS services in 1990 as an Oregon corporation. Under his leadership, the Portland office of ValueCAD has grown from three to 33 employees. Before establishing this business, he was associated with Tektronix Inc. and General Electric Co. for over 30 years in a variety of Engineering and Management positions. Mr. Kadri was the General Manager of the MAP (Measurements and Accessories Products) Division of Tektronix Inc. for over six years with worldwide Profit and Loss responsibility. He was responsible for marketing, sales, design, and manufacturing of this Division with annual sales of over $98 Million. His Division installed CAD/CAM operation involving linkages among three Satellite operations. Previous to this responsibility, he was the Project Manager for installation of a mechanized/automated manufacturing facility for the production of Cathode Ray Tubes used in Oscilloscopes. Previously, Mr. Kadri was associated with General Electric Co. for over twenty-one years in various product lines; such as Medical Diagnostic Equipment (CAT scanners, X-ray), Motors and Generators, Audio Electronics, and Wire & Cable. His responsibilities progressively increased from Manufacturing Engineer to Product Line Manager to Engineering Manager to Plant Manager. He managed operations of having 20 to over 1,400 employees. In 2005, Portland Mayor Tom Potter nominated Mr. Kadri to become a commissioner on the Portland Development Commission Board.

 

Friends of MET Award

 

 
Mr. Jordan Elliott, Head of Upper School, Oregon Episcopal School
Jordan Elliott is Head of Upper School at Oregon Episcopal School (OES). A graduate of OES, Jordan attended Colorado College where he majored in Religion, specializing in Islam and Buddhism, and minored in Mathematics. Jordan earned an MA in Educational Leadership from the Klingenstein Leadership Academy at Teachers College, Columbia University. He and his wife Chlo� have two young children, �tienne and Leina.
  
Mr. John Calhoun, Owner/Partner, IsnideValuation
John Calhoun is currently Managing Partner and CFO of InsideValuation Partners, a property valuation company. Previously, he served as CFO of AcryMed, Inc., a medical device company, CEO of CMC ReSearch, a medical informatics company, and Chairman of Creative Multimedia, a software company. He spent 19 years with Intel Corporation in a variety of senior financial and administrative positions, including Corporate Controller and Director of Business Development. During 1983 and 1984, he was acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of Science and Electronics at the U. S. Department of Commerce. He served in Vietnam in 1969-1970 as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Army where he was awarded 2 Bronze Stars. Mr. Calhoun has a BA degree from Dartmouth College and an MBA from Stanford University. Mr. Calhoun is an activist in the Democratic Party and currently serves on the board of Neighborhood House, a social service agency. He is also a member of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church and the Oregon Center for Christian Voices, a progressive group seeking social justice through advocacy. 

 

Mr. Vijendran Sathyaraj, History & Religion Teacher, Oregon Episcopal School 

Vijendran Sathyaraj is in his eighth year as a Religion and History teacher at Oregon Episcopal School. He moved here from Hong Kong with his wife, Asha, also a teacher at OES, in order to be near their children and grandchildren. Vijendran is also a Lutheran Pastor (emeritus), having served in the church in Hong Kong in addition to his teaching career. He was born in Bangalore, India, and educated there at Bangalore University and United Theological College. He is thrilled to be partnering with Oregon Islamic Academy through the joint online course American Story, and to be a member of Institute for Christian-Muslim Understanding. He strongly believes that the mission of teaching is an effective form of service that can lead to transformation. 

  

Ms. Lynne Smouse Lopez, Pastor, Ainsworth United Church of Christ
Under Lynne's leadership, Ainsworth United Church of Christ was given a service award from EMO for housing the HIV Day Center and supporting their work. Lynne is a past President of the Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon Board of Directors and received the Ecumenist of the Year award from EMO in 2014. She has participated with Albina Ministerial Alliance (AMA), and was the preacher for AMA's Interfaith Martin Luther King Jr. Worship Service. She received the AMA's Bridge Builder Award in 2002. Lynne served as a co-chair of the Interfaith Council of Greater Portland, of which she was a founding member. She served on the Faith & Labor Committee of Jobs With Justice and is serving on JWJ's Workers Rights Boards, was spokesperson for Sweatfree Portland, and served as Chair of the Citizens' Campaign to End Police Racial Profiling. She has participated in several peace activities speaking at peace events in Portland. Lynne has been involved with Jubilee Oregon, and went with Jubilee USA to the World Social Forum in Kenya and Zambia.

Leadership Award
 
Imam Abdullah Polovina, Imam, Bosniaks Educational & Cultural Organization (BECO)

In 1995, Imam Abdullah became the Imam of a mosque in Sarajevo for five years. In 2001, he moved to the USA, to Seattle, where he worked for 12 years as an Imam for the Islamic Community of Bosniaks in Washington. In 2009, Imam Abdullah received an AA degree at Edmond Community College. In 2010, he received a Bachelor's degree in Islamic Studies at the Cloverdale College in Indiana, and in 2011, he received a Bachelor's degree at the University of Washington majoring in Comparative Religion. In 2013, Imam Abdullah moved to Portland to become the Imam of the Bosniaks Community and Masjid and is currently finishing his Masters degree in Transformational Leadership at Seattle University. 
 
Mr. Suhail Ahmed, Computer Software Engineer, Intel 
Suhail Ahmed hails from Bangalore, India known as a garden city or silicon valley depending on who one asks. He came to the US during the 90s for studies and has been living in this beautiful country ever since. He is married with four wonderful children who are proud alumni of the Islamic School of MET. Suhail enjoys his work at Intel as an engineer that keeps him challenged, and loves to spend time with his family outside of work. He is excited about the new MET Community and Educational Center and the healthy benefits it offers including 5 daily salat, good education for children, and other social events. 
Community Service Award
 
Ms. Tasneem Danka, Volunteer Accountant
Tasneem is a busy mom and thrives to make her house a Home. She is the best teacher in her daughter's eyes and a world's best cook in her husband's opinion. Tasneem holds a Master's Degree in Accounting. While she was in India, she held executive jobs in Stock Brokerage and Accounting firms helping companies & individuals with Taxing and Accounting. Tasneem always takes time to volunteer. Whether it is for MET activities or for IRS VITA Services or other volunteering, Tasneem always takes responsibility and works from her heart. In the 2013 & 2014 tax seasons, she helped with $100,000 in collective refunds. 
  
Ms. Julia and Mr. Tarik Banzi, Founders, Al Andalus Ensemble
 The core of the Al-Andalus Ensemble is the married couple Tarik and Julia Banzi. Similar to the Renaissance that inspires them, they are scholars, musicians and artists whose lives reflect their commitment to create peaceful understanding between the East and the West. The Banzi's present historically informed performances of Andalusian works and also create new compositions, rooted in the Andalusian legacy. They bring their fresh and invigorating instrumental style to the stage and genuinely connect with audiences of all ages.   

 

Mr. Fouad Elgharabli, Landscape Architect

Fouad was born in the Gaza Strip. His family moved to Egypt after the war in 1967, then they settled in Libya where he received his first degree in Horticulture. He moved to USA in 1985 and received a Maser's degree in Landscape Architecture from University of Oregon. Since 1993, he has been living in Portland with his family and working as Landscape Architect with the City of Portland, Washington State Department of Transportation and Private Firms. In 2003, he accepted a job with Dubai Municipality and worked there for 3 years before coming back to Portland. Currently, Fouad works with MSA, an Engineering firm in Portland.

Student Achievement Award
 
Ms. Mariam Said, Lewis & Clark College

Mariam is an Oregon Islamic Academy Alumni, Class of 2012. She is currently a senior English major at Lewis & Clark College. Mariam hopes to pursue a graduate degree in education and teach English to secondary school children. She aspires to write novels one day and currently writes short stories in whatever free time she can find. Mariam serves as the representative of the English department on the Student Affairs and Activities Board, and she is the current Co-President of her college's MSA.  

 

Ms. Amirah Fattom, Portland State University

Amirah is an Oregon Islamic Academy Alumni Class of 2012 and is currently a junior at Portland State University studying Business Finance. Being in a position of leadership and being involved in the community has always been a passion of Amirah's; it not only allows her to connect with others, but also helps the progression of her community. Amirah is interested in makeup and fashion and wishes to create a business one day that involves both her passion for fashion/makeup, and business.   

 

Ms. Farhio Kheir, Lewis & Clark College
Farhio Kheir graduated from Oregon Islamic Academy in 2012. Currently, she is a Pre-Med student and an English major at Lewis & Clark College. In addition to her studies, Farhio is an Academic English Studies (AES) tutor at Lewis & Clark College and a member of the Muslim Student Association.