Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey

Attending the Niğde UniversityTOBB Faculty of Communication Foundation Laying Ceremony were TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu, Niğde Governor Necmettin Kılıç, Niğde Mayor Faruk Akdoğan, Niğde Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chair Şevket Katırcıoğlu, Bor Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chair Nurettin Eriç, TOBB High Consultative Council Member Erdoğan Özegen, Niğde University Rector Prof. Dr. Adnan Görür, chamber and exchange presidents from nearby province and counties, council members, students and academics.

TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu said in his speech during the foundation laying ceremony that the Niğde Municipal Council had granted him an Honorary Fellow Townsman Charter last year, making him feel truly a citizen of Niğde. Hisarcıklıoğlu also stated that he is the proud recipient of an honorary doctorate from Niğde University.

- Praise for residents of Niğde and Özegen

Stating that he has had contact with many people from Niğde in his business life and as a part of the TOBB community, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “I’ve never met a bad person from Niğde. I’ve always been met with loyalty and kindness. Pointing out TOBB High Consultative Council Member Erdoğan Özegen as one of these people, Hisarcıklıoğlu said that they’ve traveled hundreds of thousands of kilometers with Özegen who is also an important part of TOBB’s brain team. TOBB President Hisarcıklıoğlu called Erdoğan Özegen, “a loyal and true friend.”

- Greatest treasure is a trained workforce

Hisarcıklıoğlu stated that they are overjoyed to be laying the foundations for the TOBB Communications Faculty, the protocol for which was signed last year. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “We businessmen regard everything in terms of profit and loss. Know this though: In education, there is no investment which can be considered a loss.”

TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu underlined the fact that the greatest treasure today is a well trained workforce. Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “The faculty which will be built here will play an important role in the prosperity and future of Niğde. This faculty will produce worldly communications graduates who are multilingual.”

- Erdoğan Özegen

TOBB Strategy Development High Council Member Erdoğan Özegen stated that he has learned much from TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu during their time working together in the last 8 years and that he is happy to have met him. He went on to thank the Konya National Assembly Representative Kerim Özkul and Niğde University Rector Prof. Dr. Adnan Görür.

Stating that, “Turkey may not have petroleum or natural gas, but it does have great entrepreneurial spirit,” Özegen stated that university students and the academics who teach them are of the greatest value for the future of the country.