Rob Sobhani

Rob Sobhani
Born Sohrab Sobhani
(1960-02-14) February 14, 1960
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, U.S.
Nationality American
Alma mater Georgetown University
Political party Republican (Before 2011)
Independent (2011–present)
Religion Episcopalian
Website Personal website
Campaign website

Sohrab "Rob" Sobhani (born February 14, 1960) is an American author and lecturer on energy issues, U.S. immigration policies and U.S. policy toward the Middle East.[1] Formerly a professor at Georgetown University, Sobhani is currently the Chairman and Chief Executive of Caspian Group, a company that specializes in working with companies that have business interests in the United States, the Middle East and the former Soviet Union.[2] Sobhani has published one book on immigration: Press 2 for English: Fix Immigration, Save America, and two books on foreign affairs: King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia: A Leader of Consequence and The Pragmatic Entente: Israeli-Iranian Relations, 1948-1988.[3]

Sobhani ran as an Independent candidate for the United States Senate in Maryland in 2012 against Republican nominee Daniel Bongino, Libertarian Dean Ahmad, and Democratic incumbent Ben Cardin. He received 17.1 percent of the vote.[4] beating the state's all-time mark for an independent or third-party candidate.[5] Senator Cardin was re-elected.

Early life and education

Born in Kansas, as a child Sobhani lived in Iran, his family's ancestral home. After 1979, his parents left Iran due to the Islamic Revolution and immigrated to the United States, where Sobhani had already begun his higher education. He earned first his bachelors and later his Ph.D. in Political Economy at Georgetown University,[6] where he later served as an adjunct professor in political economy. Sobhani is an usher at the St. Francis Episcopal Church in Potomac, is married and has two children, and has lived with them in Montgomery County for the last 33 years.

Career

Sobhani is CEO, chairman, and founder of Caspian Group holdings, LLC, (Caspian Group). The Caspian Group is a "multidisciplinary group of companies with broad international business interests in the fields of energy (including green renewables), infrastructure development, high technology, publishing and strategic advisory services".[7]

In 2012, Sobhani, with the National Oil and Gas Authority, Petra Solar, and the Bahrain Petroleum Company, made an agreement to bring American-made "smart" solar technology to the township of Awali, the University of Bahrain, and other locations in Bahrain. "Smart solar is an innovative approach that couples solar with smart grid technology and is deployed in partnership with utility companies to generate clean, safe renewable energy while making the electric infrastructure more stable, efficient and energy-independent. This approach builds large-scale solar in a reliable fashion that avoids future costs of rebuilding the grid." [8]

In 1990, the then-Soviet Union state Azerbaijan was negotiating with BP for its offshore oil exploration. Sobhani, an Azeri-speaking American, was sought out by Communist Party leader Ayaz Mutalibov, who decided to allow Amoco a chance to get the deal.[9] In 1991, after Sobhani's talks with Mutalibov, Amoco was granted exclusive rights to the Azeri oil field for one year.[10] Eventually, several companies took a share of the offshore exploration after the fall of the Soviet Union.[11]

U.S. Senate campaigns

Prior to 2012, Sobhani made two runs for the United States Senate in Maryland as a Republican, losing both times in the primary: first in 1992 when he lost to Alan L. Keyes, and again in 2000 when he lost to Paul Rappaport.[12]

In 2012, as an independent,[13] Sobrani primarily ran on a platform of jobs and education. He pledged to accomplish these five goals:[14]

Sobhani pledged to only run for two terms, not to run for a second term if he didn't accomplish his five goals, and reach out to both parties if they are willing.

Personal life

In a radio interview, Sobhani has stated that he has previously fund-raised for the Urban Alliance Foundation. The non-profit will receive according to his plan a $150 million investment from global non-profit organizations to fund scholarships/internships for low-income students in Maryland.

Contributions

Sobhani has contributed as a pundit to the following:

He has also made appearances for his campaign on the following shows:

References

  1. ↑ Harris, Leon (April 23, 2003). "Interview With Professor Rob Sobhani". CNN Live Today. CNN. Retrieved October 14, 2011.
  2. ↑ "Caspian Group". caspiangroup.com. Caspian Group Holdings. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  3. ↑ http://robsobhani.com/books
  4. ↑ http://elections.nytimes.com/2012/results/states/maryland
  5. ↑ Ostermeier, Eric (1 October 2012). "Rob Sobhani Poised to Crush Maryland US Senate Election Mark". Smart Politics. University of Minnesota: Humphrey School of Public Affairs.
  6. ↑ "C5i Corporation – Rob Sobhani, Ph.D., Board of Directors". C5i Corporation. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
  7. ↑ http://www.caspiangroup.com/
  8. ↑ http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/05/21/idUS96500+21-May-2012+BW20120521?utm_source=5.20.2012+-+5.25.2012+Newsletter&utm_campaign=Week+of+5-7-11++2012&utm_medium=email
  9. ↑ Morgan, D. & Ottaway, D. (1998). Azerbaijan's Riches Alter the Chessboard. The Washington Post. Retrieved on 10/14/11 from .
  10. ↑ Steve LeVine, The oil and the glory: the pursuit of empire and fortune on the Caspian Sea, Random House Digital, Inc., 2007, Chapter 11
  11. ↑ Steve LeVine, The oil and the glory: the pursuit of empire and fortune on the Caspian Sea, Random House Digital, Inc., 2007, Chapter 12
  12. ↑ Our Campaigns. (2003). Sobhani, S. Rob. Retrieved on 10/14/11 from .
  13. ↑ http://www.sobhaniformaryland.com
  14. ↑ http://www.sobhaniformaryland.com/pledge
  15. ↑ S. R. Sobhani. (2011). Bahrain Standing by an ally. The Hill. Retrieved on 10/14/11 from
  16. ↑ S.R. Sobhani. (2011). Israel's Iran Dilemma. The Washington Times. Retrieved on 10/14/11 from .
  17. ↑ R.S. Sobhani. (2011). What the Kings of Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are thinking. CNN. Retrieved on 10/14/11 from .
  18. ↑ S.R. Sobhani. (2011). Yemen doesn't have to be the next failed terrorist state. Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved on 10/14/11 from .
  19. ↑ Huffington Post. Rob Sobhani. Retrieved on 10/14/11 from .
  20. ↑ Baltimore Sun. Rob Sobhani. Retrieved on 09/20/12 from .
  21. ↑ The Hoya. Rob Sobhani. Retrieved on 09/20/12 from .
  22. ↑ http://www.forbes.com/sites/realspin/2012/07/03/american-foreign-policy-must-take-into-account-dueling-irans
  23. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2VFhnY2JSs&feature=player_embedded
  24. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r7p7W9S98NM&feature=player_embedded
  25. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5TH_5SFLAs&feature=player_embedded
  26. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze9pN5GkpGU&feature=player_embedded
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