S .- T urk ish ▁friendship . ▁Pro ceed s ▁from ▁the ▁g ala ▁dinner ▁support ▁the ▁American ▁Turkish ▁Society ' s ▁wide - r anging ▁educational ▁and ▁cultural ▁programs . ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁Ben ef it ▁G ala , ▁held ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Stock ▁Exchange , ▁celebrated ▁U . S .- T urk ish ▁financial ▁t ies ▁and ▁hon ored ▁U . S . ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Com merce ▁Pen ny ▁P ritz ker ▁and ▁Turkey ▁Fin ance ▁Minister ▁Me h met ▁Sim se k . ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁Ben ef it ▁G ala ▁held ▁at ▁the ▁Pierre ▁Hotel ▁Ball room ▁in ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁celebrated ▁the ▁phil anth rop ic ▁and ▁human itar ian ▁achiev ements ▁of ▁two ▁hon ore es : ▁Ham di ▁Ul uk aya , ▁founder ▁and ▁CE O ▁of ▁Ch ob ani ▁ ▁of ▁the ▁USA , ▁and ▁Hus nu ▁O zy egin , ▁founder ▁and ▁CE O ▁of ▁F iba ▁Hold ing ▁of ▁Turkey . ▁ ▁In ▁early ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁Mr . ▁Kop r ulu ▁founded ▁and ▁was ▁elected ▁Chair man ▁of ▁The ▁American ▁Im migr ant ▁Society ▁with ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁fellow ▁American ▁imm igr ant ▁citizens . ▁ ▁The ▁American ▁Im migr ant ▁Society ▁en comp ass es ▁every ▁country ▁of ▁origin , ▁every ▁eth nic ity , ▁every ▁culture ▁and ▁every ▁religion , ▁which ▁is ▁of ▁course ▁the ▁“ M el ting ▁Pot ” ▁that ▁has ▁always ▁defined ▁the ▁nation .