Fay Beydoun, AACC executive director
Courtesy of the AACC Website
Fay Beydoun is a visionary leader who has devoted her career to serving the business community and the community at large. Since leading the American Arab Chamber of Commerce in 2008, Ms. Beydoun has used her talent and expertise to benefit the Chamber and the community at the local, national and international levels.
In 2002, Ms. Beydoun expanded her circle of activities to enhance the relationships between the United States and the Middle East. She became vice president of the U.S.-Arabic Economic Forum, an organization that facilitates economic collaboration, cultural dialogue, and innovation between the United States and the Middle East. The Forum attracts more than 1,000 participants from 35 countries including top Fortune 500 executives and more than 150 global leaders, in the fields of government, business, technology, academics, and policy. It fosters powerful opportunities for American and Arab leaders to reinforce existing partnerships and forge new alliances and collaborations between the two regions.LEADERSHIP
Ms. Beydoun also serves as the Chief Operating Officer of TEJARA, which works to further economic relations between the United States and the Arab World. It has initiated projects such as the U.S. Arab Economic Forum, the Mayors Council, U.S. Arab Women’s Business Council, The U.S. Arab Leadership Program, and more recently she has been instrumental in bringing the TEJARA Global Development Center to flourishing. The Tejara Center an incubator and accelerator will be launched in the summer of 2013 and will focus on Exporting and Entrepreneurship targeting ethnic and minority communities.
Since joining the American Arab Chamber of Commerce, Ms. Beydoun has reached out to various business, governmental, and academic organizations to facilitate the growth of Arab-American businesses and the community at large. The American Arab Chamber of Commerce is the largest Arab-American business organization in the United States, delivering services and counsel under Ms. Beydoun’s leadership to more than 1,400 companies, ranging from small businesses to multinational corporations and executive professionals. The Chamber is also
a vital business and trade link between the United States and the Middle East, with a current goal of making Michigan a hub of trade for the MENA region.
Ms. Beydoun is a firm believer in empowering entrepreneurs and the greater minority business communities. Growing up in Dearborn, as an immigrant and a daughter of an immigrant family, she has mobilized and directed thousands of volunteers for various causes, social, political and economic, as part of her strong belief in giving back to her community. She co-founded the U.S. Arab Women’s Business Council, is a member of various MENA region chambers of commerce and serves on various Boards, including New Detroit, Global Detroit, Global Ties, Detroit Strategic Framework Plan, HFCC Citizens Advisory Board, ACLU Advisory Board, Investors-Leadership Council of the Michigan Economic Center, and the Detroit Creative Corridor Center. Diversity & Inclusion Committee, The Detroit Institute of Arts and East Michigan District Export Council. Among her numerous awards, she was awarded the Michigan Women’s Foundation “Top 25 Women Making a Difference” Award and Corp! Magazine 2011 Diversity Leader Award. Most recently, in 2016, Ms. Beydoun was named one of the “100 Most Influential Women” in Crain’s Detroit Business Magazine. Ms. Beydoun has been published in numerous publications, including Forbes M.E.
Ms. Beydoun is also Chief Operating Officer, TEJARA / U.S.-Arab Economic Forum / Tejara Global Development Center, Executive Co-Chairwomen, Council of Ethnic Chambers of Commerce, Chairwoman – East Michigan District Export Council.
