Kaya Tuncer

(April 17, 1937 -January 7, 2012)

Kaya Tuncer, Turkish-American entrepreneur and mega-builder, was the founder and chairman of ESBAS, the company responsible for developing and operating the Aegean Free Zone, Turkey's leading industrial park. In June 2000, Tuncer inaugurated Space Camp Turkey, located in the Zone. Tuncer received the prestigious 2004 Ellis Island Medal of Honor for his philanthropic work with Space Camp Turkey's Global Friendship Through Space Education foundation.  He held a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley and an MBA from the University of Southern California.