Dear TACCI Members & Supporters:  

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah and, before long, Happy New Year! While this can be a busy, hectic, and even stressful time, many use the holidays as a time for reflection and resolution. We wanted to take this opportunity to thank you being a friend of TACCI, and for your continuous support throughout the year. Your support is important to us and very much appreciated!

In this issue, we are hoping to reach out to more people and also inform you about the latest happenings at TACCI. Make sure to check our events calendar and do not forget to follow us on our social media channels which are home more than 1200 followers, combined, besides our 6500+ e-Newsletter readers. 

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TACCI Met with the Representatives of 
the East Marmara Development Agency (MARKA) 

On December 1st, 2012, founder and managing partner of TACCI Premium Member Sunset International Trade,Mehmet Bilici received the Howard Liveright Award at a formal dinner and dance hosted by the Greater Metropolitan Furnishings Association for his outstanding contributions to the home furnishings industry.

The event was held on Saturday, December 1st, 2012 at The Palisadium, Cliffside Park, NJ. where retailers, manufacturers, representatives and industry suppliers gathered for this annual event to honor three extraordinary honorees. Irwin Friedman of Crest/Value City Furniture and Rick Arronson of Klaussner Furniture were also recognized at this event. 

TACCI President Celal Secilmis and Turkish Commercial Attache and TACCI Board Member Mr. Ahmet Canli were presented TACCI at the event. Participants of the night enjoyed the great food, the open bar, music and dancing as well as the great networking opportunity with industry friends. 

Mr. Bilici is the founder and managing partner of Sunset International Trade, L.L.C., an innovative furniture wholesale company located in Paterson, New Jersey. He is also the owner of Furniture Expo, one of New Jersey's largest furniture showrooms and home to the entire Istikbal catalog. 

Mr. Bilici established Sunset International in 2002, forming a partnership with Istikbal Furniture, the single largest furniture manufacturer in Turkey. Istikbal has a long and reputable history as supplier of home furnishings products delivered with excellent service. Today, only ten years later, Sunset International has found favor with over 2,000 independent retailers, including Top 100 chain-stores such as: El Dorado, Raymour & Flanigan, American Signature, American TV, and JCPenney.  

On December 13th, 2012, TACCI held a meeting with the Representatives of the new TACCI General Member, Trabzon Chamber of Commerce and Industry at the Turkish Center. Among the guests of the meeting were; Recep Kizilcik,  Governor of Trabzon; Orhan Fevzi Gumrukcuoglu, Mayor of Trabzon; M.Suat Hacisalihoglu, President of Trabzon Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Şükrü Güngör Koleoglu, President of Trabzon Commodity Exchange; Kurtul Ozel, President of Artvin Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Recep Eksilmez, President of Ardesen Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Neset Cakir,  President of Pazar  Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Engin Koyuncu, President of Hopa Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Cetin Oktay Kaldirim, DOKA General Secretary.

The meeting started with opening remarks from the TACCI President Mr. Celal Secilmis. Secilmis underlined TACCI's remarkable role in developing commercial and economic ties between Turkey and the U.S. He also mentioned New York based organization's active role across the U.S. and its close ties with the other chambers from various states. 

During his speech, Secilmis also addressed the opportunities and challenges for Turkish companies in the entry to the US market. He informed the guests about the incentives that are provided by different federal states and he gave examples of successful TACCI member companies that benefited from those. He brought up the importance of a good market research in the entry to a different market by underlining the fact that all market mechanisms may be a lot different.

The delegation consisting of professionals from various sectors found this topic so informative and they addressed their questions to Mr. Secilmis. After Secilmis's speech, TACCI Vice President Tahir Erimli,and TACCI General Members; Ercan Karabeyoglu and Efecan Kababulut shared their long-standing sector experiences with the delegation and they answered the questions as well.

Trabzon Chamber of Commerce and Industry President M. Suat Hacisalihoglu expressed their deep pleasure with this meeting and their appreciation for the informative speeches delivered by the TACCI Board of Directors. After M. Suat Hacisalihoglu, Trabzon Governor Recep Kizilcik presented his special thanks to Mr. Secilmis and TACCI Board for the meeting and then he shared his that there are going to be more businessmen from Trabzon to initiate a business in the U.S. after this informative meeting.

At the end of the meeting, cooperation protocol was signed by both parts with the with the intention of enlarging, developing, and carrying possible co-operations actions which are mutually favorable. To express their pleasure M.Suat Hacisalihoglu  presented Trabzon Chamber of Commerce and Industry's gifts to TACCI President Celal Secilmis.

TACCI Vice President and TACCI General Member Ms. Sevil Ozisik was elected to advisory board of the Turks and Related Communities Abroad Administration that was officially established on 25 March 2010 as a public institution under the Prime Ministry with the objective of strengthen the relations between the Republic of Turkey and Turkish citizens abroad.