Sada Cumber
Sada Cumber | |
---|---|
1st United States Ambassador to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference | |
In office March 3, 2008 – January 20, 2009 | |
President | George W. Bush |
Preceded by | Position established |
Succeeded by | Rashad Hussain |
Personal details | |
Born |
Karachi, Pakistan | December 3, 1951
Political party | Republican |
Profession | Businessman |
Religion | Islam |
Sada Cumber is a Pakistani-American businessman and diplomat. He assumed his duties as Special Envoy to the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) on March 3, 2008, with his term ending January 20, 2009. As Special Envoy, Mr. Cumber served as the U.S. representative to the OIC, and promoted mutual understanding and dialogue between the United States and Muslim communities around the world. Previously, Mr. Cumber also served as the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Malta in Austin. [1]
Early history and personal life
Mr. Cumber was born in Karachi, Pakistan in 1951. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce and a Master’s Degree in History, both from the University of Karachi. Mr. Cumber came to the United States in 1978 and has been an American citizen since 1986.[1]
Career history
Cumber is the co-founder of an investment and wealth consultancy, CACH Capital Management, and some ten other enterprises.
Prior to his appointment, Mr. Cumber was an entrepreneur and investor based in Austin, Texas. Mr. Cumber’s business background is in senior management, marketing, and imaging technology. As an entrepreneur, Mr. Cumber has specialized in national and global network strategy, strategic marketing, business planning and institution building.
Mr. Cumber has founded 11 companies in technology-based industries, including Texas Global, an international strategic advising firm, and CACH Capital Management, an investment advisory and wealth management firm. Prior to his appointment as Special Envoy, Mr. Cumber also served as Chairman of the Board of TCMS-LLC, an intellectual property development company, and as Chairman of Sozotek Inc., an imaging technology company. Mr. Cumber has also served on numerous corporate boards and as a speaker at the meetings of several national and international organizations, on topics including the ethics of persuasion, entrepreneurship and governance.
Sada also serves as the Principal in Texas Global-LLP, a partnership that manages the strategic intersection between Business, Government and Public Affairs.
Prior to founding Texas Global, Mr. Cumber founded SozoTek, a wireless imaging company. Sada also served as Chairman & CEO of Psionic Technologies, Inc., an Internet Security software company acquired by Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) in 2002. In 1995, he co-founded Applied Science Fiction, a company specializing in a digital dry film process whose technologies were recently acquired by Kodak (NYSE: EK). Sada previously owned Triumph Flexo Industries which was acquired by American Greetings (NYSE: AM) in 1994. [2]
Philanthropic work
Mr. Cumber has been active in the public sphere, serving on the boards of various Texas-based and international organizations, including the Board of Directors of the Texas Economic Development Board (a $300 million fund), the Texas Emerging Technology Fund (a $200 million fund), the 15th World Congress on Information Technology, the Texas Business Council, and the Governor’s Task Force on Higher Education. Mr. Cumber has also been active in civic organizations, advisory councils, and charitable foundations.[1]
Sada has served on numerous boards, civic/community organizations, advisory councils and foundations. He is regularly invited by national and international organizations to speak on Ethics of Persuasion, Entrepreneurship and Governance. He has been extensively written and quoted in numerous national and international publications such as Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, Scribe Business (German), Austin American Statesman, Business Journal and other publications.[2]
Community involvement:
- Governor of Texas: Appointee on Texas Economic Development Board ($300 Million fund).
- Governor of Texas: Appointee on Texas Emerging Technology Fund ($200 Million fund).
- Governor of Texas: Member Texas Business Council
- Governor of Texas: Task Force on Higher Education
- Honorary Consul General: The Republic of Malta
- Chairman - Texas 5-Year Strategic Plan for International Business
- University Of Texas, Chancellor's Advisory Council: Institute for Public Schools Initiatives
- Board and Executive Committee: WCIT/2006: World Congress on Information Technology
- Member, Steering Committee: United Nations 60 th Anniversary – Austin, Texas
- University of Texas, College of Fine Arts: Advisory Council
- The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE)–Advisory board member Houston chapter
- President, His Highness the Aga Khan Council for Southwest USA (two terms)
- Board of Trustees, Photo Marketing Association International
- Board of Trustees, Digital Imaging Marketing Association
- Board of Trustees, Association of Photo CD Users
- Board of Directors, Foundation of Religion Studies, Texas
- Life Member, Buck Rogers Group
Appointment as Special Envoy to OIC
Bush, who first indicated in June 2007 that he would send an envoy to the OIC, was to meet with Cumber and then make his choice public at 2:10 p.m. (1910 GMT), spokeswoman Dana Perino told reporters. “It is an important organization, it has a constructive role to play in the world, and the president is signalling our desire to have a greater dialogue with the organization as well as Muslims around the world,” she said. Cumber is currently chairman and chief executive officer of wireless imaging company SozoTek. Asked why Bush’s search for an envoy had taken as long as it had, Perino replied: “He wanted to find the right person and he found that in Sada Cumber.” [3]
He was recently appointed Honorary Consul for the country Malta.[4]