CIOGC held its board elections during a House of Representatives meeting Saturday, November 17 at Islamic Foundation in Villa Park. The newly-elected board, who will begin their tenure on January 1, 2017, consists of leaders from different Islamic organizations across Chicago who all have one common goal: To work together to make CIOGC and its efforts better for the Chicagoland Muslim community. CIOGC invites you to learn more about its newly-elected board:
Dr. Bassam Osman, Chairman
Dr. Bassam Osman is one of the founders of CIOGC and as the Chairman of two CIOGC Committees (By-Laws and Membership) and a board member of two CIOGC member organizations (Mosque Foundation and the Mecca Center) brings with him has several years of experience working with the Council.
In addition to his work with CIOGC, Dr. Osman is also Chairman of Allied Assets Advisors, President of Sana Financial and a member of ISNA Shura. He is a former Chairman of the North American Islamic Trust (NAIT) and President of the Dow Jones Islamic Index Fund. Dr. Osman received his M.D. from Damascus University in 1973 and received his diploma in Neurology in 1980. He has taught at the University of Illinois School of Medicine and Cook County Graduate Medical School and is currently Chief of Neurology at Mercy Hospital. His vision for CIOGC is to increase cooperation among member organizations by encouraging joint activities and projects.
Br. Syed Shahnawaz Khan, Vice Chairman
Brother Syed Shahnawaz Khan is the new Vice Chair of CIOGC. He’s no stranger to CIOGC as he has previously served as Secretary and Treasurer. Khan served as a board member of the Mecca Center in Willowbrook and still serves as a member of MECCA’s Construction Committee. Br. Shahnawaz has been a fixture for the Muslim community, devoting more than 30 years to serving Muslims across the Chicagoland area. Khan acquired a Master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois and works as a project engineer at a consulting engineering company. His vision for CIOGC is to consolidate our base and develop understanding between member organizations.
Sr. Karen Danielson, Secretary
Sister Karen Danielson represents MAS (Muslim American Society) in Chicago and has served as CIOGC’s Board Secretary in the past. She is also a member of CIOGC’s Interfaith, Intra-faith Committee, and Illinois Muslim Action Day (IMAD) Committees. Sr. Karen has also been a part of MAS-Chicago’s HR, Muslim World and Youth Mentor/Coordination Committees. Furthermore, she serves as a member of the Mosque Foundation Board of Directors and chairs their Interfaith Committee.
In 1990 she obtained a BA-Biology from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL and an MA-Islamic Studies from University of Jordan, Amman in 2011. Currently, she is an Islamic Studies Instructor at the Universal School. Her vision for CIOGC is to seek to promote youth leadership development. She hopes interfaith coordination will become a leading institution through the CIOGC as well as additional civil/community coordination and evolution of civic engagement. She is also very encouraged to see women in leadership positions at CIOGC.
Sr. Tasneem Osmani, Treasurer
Sr. Tasneem Osmani is the current Treasurer of the Council, managing the financial well being of the organization. In her over thirteen years of association with CIOGC, she has held positions ranging from Vice Chairman to Board Director. She has also chaired the Annual Dinner Committee since 2004. She is on the Treasury Board and a Board of Trustees member of Benedictine University.
Sr. Osmani is affiliated with other organizations such as ISNA- serving as Chairman of Matrimonial Service and a member on the Steering Committee. She holds a MBA in finance from DePaul University and has been in the banking industry for over 25 years. Currently, Osmani Vice President, Asset Management Technology at Northern Trust. Her vision for CIOGC is to ensure that the organization is financially stable and has the infrastructure in place that would allow it to grow and meet its goal and objectives.
Br. Halil Demir, Board Member
Br. Halil is the Executive Director of Zakat Foundation of America, a Chicago-based global humanitarian relief organization established in 2001. Br. Halil has two Master’s degrees – one in Nonprofit Administration from North Park University and the other in History from Chicago State University. He obtained his BS in Developmental Sociology from the University of Basel, Switzerland. Br. Halil has also served on the Board of Directors of ARISE-Chicago since 2014. His vision for CIOGC is to strengthen the organization’s core and excel in terms of outreach and networking within the Muslim community. He foresees CIOGC serving as a direct link between organizations, services and the Muslim community.
Br. Saleem Shaikh, Board Member
Br. Saleem Shaikh previously served as a CIOGC Board Member and Treasurer during the Chairmanships of Dr. Malik Mujahid and Dr. Zaher Sahloul. He has also been a member of the Human Resources committee and representative to Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR). At Islamic Foundation, Villa Park, Br. Saleem chaired the Education and Finance Committees. In addition, Br. Saleem is a founding member of the full time school and was a teacher at the weekend school.
Shaikh obtained his B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Engineering and Technology in Lahore, Pakistan. His M.S. was in Industrial & Systems Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology and is currently a real estate investor. He plans to work on making CIOGC strong financially and is focused on building a Muslim American identity for our next generation while creating a truly Islamic example of highest respect for those who are true servants of Allah (SWT) and humanity – irrespective of race, color or national origin.
Dr. Zahid Mohsin, Board Member
Dr. Syed Zahid Mohsin is a current member of the Board Directors for the Council. He is also a member of ICNA Shura and represents that organization in the CIOGC House of Representatives (HR). While maintaining a full time schedule in medicine, Dr. Mohsin served as the President of the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA) Chicago Chapter for four years.
While with ICNA, his work focused on family services and disaster relief through ICNA’s relief sector. Br. Mohsin graduated from medical school in Bangalore, India and completed his residency and fellowship at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago. Dr. Mohsin’s specialty is in geriatrics and palliative care medicine. His vision for CIOGC is to strengthen it financially, expand its reach to other cities in Illinois, increase Human Resources, and make it more relevant to member organizations.