2015 – Conference Speakers

Bahattin YÜCEL
TURAD Chairman of the Board
Born in Nazilli in 1949.After completing the intermediate classes in Istanbul, Konya Eregli and Kayseri High Schools, studied law in Istanbul University for a period of time.Graduated the History branch of the Faculty of Literature in Istanbul University in 1975.

Worked in the tourism sector for many years.

Committed duties as; President of TURSAB (Turkısh Travel Agencies Association), member of Turkısh National Assembly (1991-1999) member of the Tourism Commission in the Turkish Parliament and as the Minister of Tourism (1996-1997)

Speaks German and English. Married with 2 children.

 

Bülent GÜRBÜZ
REKÇAD (Recreation Studies and Research Association) Group Founder
Dr. Gurbuz received the B.Sc. degree and M.Sc degree in Physical Education and Sports from Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey and the Ph.D. degree in Recreation from the Gazi University Ankara, Turkey, in 2006. He worked as a visiting scholar at Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management, North Carolina State University, USA.He teached courses in the area of recreation at Baskent University, Hacettepe University, Ahi Evran University and Gazi Univertsity. He presented many scientific studies about recreation at international conferences, won best presentations awards many times and served in congress scientific committees. He has co-authored two books including Urbanization and Recreation and Total Quality Management in Sport Services.

He is a founding member and current president of Recreation Studies and Research Association which has members from different disciplines (sport sciences faculty, tourism faculties, faculty of forestry). He is currently working as an Associated Professor, Vice Dean and Head of the Recreation Department.

 

Dilek Gamze ÇAPANOĞLU
Istanbul Akvaryum Manager
After being graduated from Istanbul University, she joined during the construction phase the Istanbul Akvaryum(Aquarium) project in 2008 that was the first facility of the complex actualized within the body of Istanbul Akvaryum Turizm Ticaret Ltd. Şti.

To make the aquarium culture that is a first in its field in Turkey hold on to the market, she played a part in the themed project integrated in foreign market research, domestic market.

She also took an active role in many operations such as construction of the Aquarium facility, architectural and thematization processes as well as taking the facility into exploitation, creating living collection, using domestic and foreign resources, establishment of exploitation-administration-organization chain.

Appointed as aquarium general coordinator, Çapanoğlu assumed the administrative management in the processes of corporate communication, sales and marketing, strategic planning, business development as well as the aquarium general management.

During her duty, she realized many social responsibility projects and organizations.

Besides of Istanbul Aquarium management, by including international exhibitions and activities periodically in the corporation body, she created Istanbul Aquarium Science Center.

Getting promoted as Aquarium Director in 2013, Çapanoğlu has been appointed as executive committee member with the accomplishment of the Istanbul Aquarium Complex project (Aqua Florya Mall , Crowne Plaza Istanbul – Florya Hotel) in 2015. She is still actively running aquarium director task with the executive committee membership.

 

Emre GEZGİN
Vispo Travel Owner
He was born in Izmir/Turkey, 1970. He graduated from Izmir Saint Joseph, and had a Professional Tourist Guide in French by the Tourism Ministry for having an active role in promoting his country in 1989.He graduated from 9 Eylul University Economic Administrative Sciences Faculty / Business Administration in1995, during his study he had been a professional tourist guide in French for cultural groups.He completed his master formation from Lille Institute of Management – France / Sales and Marketing in 1996. He worked for Group Teker Tour Operator (Pacha Tours – Rev ‘Vacances – Eden) Paris between 2000 and 2004, in order to job descriptions; Group Department Sales Representative – Founder of Group Department Audit Project Responsible and Sales Director & Founder of Business to Customer/ E-business department. He was the IT Project Manager for Business to Business to Customer in 2004-2006, Paris.

He founded his own company which is Vispo Travel (type of A) at Izmir in 2007 as an official agency to Rotary International District 2440, outgoing travel organizations for Turkish Rotarians, an official agency of International Ship Cruises MSC companies, an official promote Agency for Aegean Region to Malaysia Destination (BtoB) and (BtoC) and still continue as a General Manager.He invited for several times as a professional specialist at Faculty of Tourism Department / 9 Eylul University to give lectures about e-tourism and cruise tourism. He attended to TV programs of TRT Tourism and Documentary TV Channel in 2010 – 2013 as professional specialist on the themes of Disabled Tourism, E-Tourism, Cruise Tourism, Impact of Thematic Park Alternative Tourism Initiative in Izmir, Golf Tourism. He has been a several times as a Board Member at Skål (International Tourism Association) International Izmir.
Actually, he is in charge as President of ICC (İnternational Service Committee) National Comitee Turkey – France in Rotary International.

He is married.

 

Fırat KASAPOĞLU
Founder President of TESDER (Entertainment and Event Industry Association Turkey)
More than 32 years of experience in entertainment and exhibiton industry, Mr. Kasapoğlu has created, produced and directed many large scale national and international projects, performances and productions.Graduated from Bogazici University – Electronics, University of New Orleans – Communications and Production, Mr. Kasapoğlu worked as the production director between 1983 and 1996 in Turkey’s most respectful cultural event organizing foundation; IKSV (Istanbul Culture and Art Foundation), founder president of TESDER (Entertainment and Event Industry Association- Turkey), member of ITO Assembly (Istanbul Chamber Of Commerce) and President of the board at YEKON (Creative Industries Council) and owner of THEPARTNERS.

 

Hüseyin Hilmi MUTUŞ
General Manager of Smart Play Entertainment Services
Hüseyin Mutus graduated from Bogazici University, Faculty of Engineering and went abroad for master’s degree studies.Following graduation, he worked in Newyork for 12 years. Then, he founded company named Child’s World and he entered into entertainment and development sector. On 1997, he came back to Turkey and he founded Smart Play, being one of pioneers of Edutainment.He continues to work as manager of Smart Play, serving to one million people in various provinces.

 

Levent BALOĞLU
BALO Chairman of the Board
Baloğlu started his career in banking&finance industry in 1983 and founded his own business in tourism & entertainment industry in 1991. Meanwhile he co-invested in hotel management in 1998. During this period, he acted as VP in GETOB, Board Member in Marmaris Chamber of Commerce and member of The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey.He later got down to gaming & entertainment industry and founded BALO and FunLab Entertainment World brand under BALO umbrella company. Balo is the representative of world’s best-in-class manufacturers of gaming & entertainment units and designs entertainment centers mainly in shopping malls and tourism centers while FunLab FEC entertains kids and adults in İstanbul and Eskişehir in 5 branches in a total area of 30.000 square meters.Baloğlu is a member of SKAL, married with 2 kids.

 

Murat GENCER
PAYD Headship
Murat Gencer, born in 1971, graduated from Trakya University where he studied graphics. He devoted his life to tourism since summer 1988, which he spent in Turban Holiday Village working as animator. After the graduation he continued to develop in this field working in animation departments of many hotels in Antalya region. Since 1997 he worked in best hotels of Turkey in position of sports, animation and entertainment manager well-known for creating qualified and skillful animation teams focused on guest satisfaction.Because of the respect and value given to his job Murat Gencer played a significant role in founding PAYD – Association of Professional Animation Managers in 2007. In 2008 he took a leading part in organization of the first big fair in Turkey, devoted mainly to animation in tourism. He has been playing an important role in the association, cooperating with many public organizations and institutions. After 10 years of working in Barut Hotels Lara as entertainment manager he founded a family company specializing in digital marketing solutions for hotels. At the same time he is a co-owner of a professional kids animation company, which provides high quality shows for hotels. Still having a leading position in headship of PAYD, Murat Gencer fluently speaks German and English, and a little Russian also.

 

Nergis ASLAN
Tureks International Fairs CO. General Manager
Ms. Aslan is the founding partner of Tureks Uluslararası Fuarcılık, the organizer company of ATRAX Exhibition which is the only specialized trade fair of the amusement industry of Turkey and the region. With her profound knowledge about and experience in the global amusement and recreations industry, Ms. Aslan played an important role in gathering the players of the sector under one roof for the first time in Turkey. Along with ATRAX Exhibition, she continues to contribute to the efforts aimed at further development of the sector with Shining Star Awards-Amusement Awards and Atraxion Magazine as well.She also carries out a detail sectorial analysis and statistical study in the amusement and recreations industry of Turkey which have never been done before. With a view to monitoring the development of the industry closely, she continues to travel globally.Nergis Aslan has an undergraduate degree in Sociology from Hacettepe University.

 

Şöhret PAKİŞ
Polin Waterparks Director Of Marketing and Communications
Şöhret Pakiş studied Economics at Bogazici University in Istanbul, and went on to receive her master’s degree in Economic History at the same university.Her first work experience was at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals.In 2003, after working at Pfizer for 3 years Sohret joined the Polin team. Sohret is the Director of Marketing and Communications.Sohret Pakiş is IAAPA Europe committee member since 2014.

 

 

Ümit KESİM
Asst. Prof. Dr / Founding Member Of The Turkish Sciences Associations
Ümit Kesim was born in İstanbul,Turkey.He graduated from Galatasaray Middle School in İstanbul then from Elkhart High School Indiana, USA. Umit received his Bachelors and Masters

Degrees from Indiana University School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.His Doctorate degree at Marmara University of İstanbul. After returning to his native country Turkey,he worked as Sports Director for Hacettepe University.Later years he worked as a chairperson for Middle East Technical University School of Physical Education,Sports and Recreation, Enka Sports Club Sports Director,Galatasaray Sports Club Sports Director and Koç University Dean of Students positions.Umit has been teaching sports management and recreation management courses at Marmara University since 1996.Recently at Bilgi and Bahceşehir Universities.Mr.Kesim is a member of the Turkish Olympic Committee High Advisory Board, founding member of the Turkish Sports Sciences Association and member of the Recreation Studies and Research Association of Turkey.

 

Kadir KARA
Osmaniye Municipality Mayor
Mayor Kadir Kara is registered at Osmaniye Central district Sakarcalık village and was born on 14th March 1961. He graduated from Çukurova Univercity Faculty of Engineering and Architecture in the year 1983 as a civil engineer. After his traineeship as a reserve officer cadet in Eğirdir, he completed his military service as a 179th term infantry commando reserve officer in Sarıkamış. In 1986, he started to work in the cadre of civil engineer under the Law on Civil Servants (No.657) at Aksaray Municipality. In 1989, he was transferred to Kayseri Kocasinan Municipality and had served as development director and technical works director in the period 1989-1994. In 1994, he was transferred to Osmaniye Central Municipality and had served as development director in the period 1994-2001. Prior to elections held in 1999, he resigned from his post on 11th January 1999 in order to become the mayor candidate for nomination within the Nationalist Movement Party. Nevertheless, after he failed to be elected at delegate elections he had returned to his Office at Osmaniye Municipality. He had succeeded at examinations for post promotion and in 2001, he was appointed as the first degree vice-mayor. In the period 2001-2008, he had served as the acting vice-mayor for seven years. During this term, in addition to his post within the Municipality, he had served as the administrative board member of various NGOs and also had held the position of provincial chairman for Civil Servants Development and Solidarity Foundation of Turkey (TÜRKAV) in the period 2000-2008. At 29th March 2009 elections, he was elected as Osmaniye Mayor from the Nationalist Movement Party. Mayor Kara is married with three children; two daughters and a son.

 

Kemal Arslan

 

 

Onur Ehliz
Investment and Construction Director, CarrefourSA
Onur Ehliz graduated as a Civil Engineer from Eastern Mediterranean University in 1993 and got his MBA degree from the University of Glamorgan in 1995. He began his career as Assistant at Sabancı Holding in 1997. He joined TeknoSA as Construction Coordinator in 2005; he was appointed as Construction and Design Manager in 2007 in Teknosa. In August 2013, Mr. Ehliz was appointed as the Construction and Design Director at CarrefourSA and since 1 January 2014, he performs as Investment and Construction Director in the company.

 

Doç. Dr. Kerem Yıldırım ŞİMŞEK
Anadolu University, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Head of the Department of Recreation
Asst. Prof. Dr. Kerem Yıldırım ŞİMŞEK was born in 1977 in Samsun. He completed primary, secondary and high school education in Samsun. In addition, he completed bachelor’s and postgraduate degrees at Eskişehir Anadolu University Graduate School of Health Sciences Department of Physical Education and Sports. He is studying and consulting in many areas such as Socio-Cultural, Production and Management of Sporting and Artistic Activities, Management of Recreational Project, Business Management of Recreation, Commercial Recreation, Recreation Park and Sports Organizations. Besides these issues he is interested in many sport branches such as Extreme Sports, Social Dances, Modern Dance, Artistic Gymnastics, American Football. He has many achievements as an athlete and choreographer about interuniversity gymnastics competitions besides swimming competitions. In particular, he is closely interested in recreational employment issue. He is still working at Anadolu University Faculty of Sport Sciences as The Head of Recreation Department.