Sakıp Sabancı Died

Sakip Sabanci, a colorful member of the Turkish business world, died in the American hospital in Istanbul, at 05.55 Saturday. Two days before being hospitalized on March 30, he had celebrated his 71st birthday. Sabanci who underwent two heart surgeries , had a kidney operation in U.S. last year.       Sakıp Sabancı was once described as businessman Vehbi Koc as "The man who made the rich likable."  Sabanci who was born in the Akcayaka village of Kayseri in 1933 started his career at the age of 15, as a cashier in the Bossa Flour factory and became farm manager, Bossa Textile factory manager and was named the Director of the Board of the Sabanci Holding in 1966.     Besides this position, Sabanci was the Board Director of the Omer sabanci Foundation; Sabanci University Museum; Honorary President of the Sabanci University; Istanbul Industry Chamber's Assembly Member. For 25 years he led the Adana and Kocaeli Industry Chambers. In 1986 he was the President of the Board of TUSÄ°AD and the High Consultative Board of TUSIAD between 1987-1990. Sabanci has 13 books , including "This is my Life" and "Turkey: Changing and Developing" which were published in English and Japan. Sabanci donated the revenue of these books to the Darulaceze (The home for the poor and needy) and the Spastic Children Foundation.  He was the recipients of eleven Honorary Doctorates from Turkish Universities as well as the Washington Southeast University.  He also received the Belgian Royal Prize, Japanese Gold and Silver Holy  Treasure Prize, French Legion d'honneur and the Supreme Service Medal of Turkey. He also received the Turkey Promotion Award and the Businessman of the Year award. Sabanci collected over long years, the cultural heritage of Turks and the paintings in his collection were displayed in the Metropolitan Museum Los angeles County Museum, Louvre Museum, Guggenheim Museum in Berlin and the  Frankfurt Museums für Angewandte Kunst. He then donated his collections and his kiosk to the Sabanci University to be turned later on to the Sakip Sabanci Museum.Sakip Sabanci knew English and had three childrenÂ