MEET THE LEADERSHIP
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Shahram Yaghoubzadeh
Chairman
Shahram is the President of KMR Information Systems, Inc., an Information Technology (IT) consulting firm in New York City that he founded in 1991 after a successful twelve-year career at IBM. His firm provides IT consulting to Fortune 500 companies to assist in design, development and maintenance of their application software.
He began his community activities at a young age and served as a Trustee and Treasurer of Beth Hadassah Synagogue in Great Neck, NY from 1992 till 2001, and served as a Trustee of Sephardic Heritage Alliance (SHAI) from 1999 to 2002.
He serves as a Board member of Friends of the IDF (FIDF), a $100+ million organization supporting the needs of IDF soldiers, and is a former Board member of UJA Federation of New York.
Shahram and a group of like-minded and prominent members of the Iranian American Jewish Community established The Iranian American Jewish Federation of New York in 2001. He served as its President for twelve years (2003-2015) and since then as its Chairman.
He received his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Southern California (USC).
Shahram lives in New York with his wife Yvette and has three children and five grandchildren
Robert Kahen
Vice Chairman
Robert Kahen is the Vice Chairman of the Iranian American Jewish Federation of New York (IAJF), elected to the position in 2021. Robert had previously served on the IAJF Board starting in 2006 as a Board Member and later Vice President. Robert was then elected as President of IAJF in June of 2015 and stepped down in December of 2019. As President, Robert was instrumental in securing record amounts of fundraising, engaging new members of the Jewish community with IAJF’s mission, and introducing new and innovative ideas to make IAJF’s annual galas more dynamic and welcoming.
As Vice Chairman, Robert leads the Community Assistance Fund, which helps the needy in the Jewish community of the New York area.
Outside of IAJF, Robert is the President of Dastech International, Inc., an importer of chemical and pharmaceutical raw materials, which he founded in 1980.
In addition to his time serving IAJF, Robert also sat on the board of Temple Israel of Great Neck for six years.
Robert lives with his wife, Simone in Great Neck, NY, and they have five children and one grandchild.
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Steven Khadavi
President
Steven was elected President of the Board of Trustees of the Iranian American Jewish Federation of New York (IAJF) in January of 2020. Having joined the IAJF Board in 2007, he served as an active board member, Secretary, and Vice President, prior to his current position. He has also been a well-known and beloved staple of IAJF’s annual galas, serving as the MC for many years.
Soon after Steven stepped into his new role as President, he was faced with leading the organization’s response to the challenges of COVID-19. He dedicated many hours to ensuring that community members in need received assistance quickly and with dignity.
In addition to leading IAJF, Steven is the managing partner of the New York offices of Troutman Pepper, a top-50 U.S. law firm with over 1,100 lawyers in 23 cities across the country. He has more than two decades of experience in corporate finance and securities law, as well as mergers and acquisitions. He regularly advises boards of directors, investment banks, and companies on securities matters, corporate governance, and fairness and solvency opinions. Steven represents clients in the United States and abroad in various sectors, and advises Israeli clients operating in the U.S. and companies and investors doing business in Israel.
Steven also sits on the boards of UJA Federation of New York and Friends of MadaTech – The Israel Institute of Science and Technology.
Steven lives with his wife and three children in Great Neck, NY.
David Emrani
Vice President
David is a founding member of the Iranian American Jewish Federation of New York (IAJF) and has been actively involved since its inception in 2001. He served as the first elected President, followed by Co-Chairman, and has served as Vice President of the Board of Trustees since 2015. His mission has always been to support our Jewish brethren in Israel, Iran, and New York through philanthropy, education, and community empowerment.
In addition to his leadership on the IAJF board, David has also served on the boards of a multitude of Jewish organizations, including Beit Hadassah: Iranian Jewish Center, Sephardic Heritage Alliance, Inc. (SHAI), and Jewish National Fund of Long Island (JNF).
Presently, David is the founder and President of Emrani Group, a real estate investment firm on Long Island, NY. In 1983, he founded Pride Products Corporation, one of the largest importers and distributors of general merchandise in the US, and led the company for 36 years as President. Simultaneously, he owned and operated Dollar King Stores, a chain of discount retailers on Long Island.
David obtained his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in electrical engineering from the University of Texas in Arlington and Southern Methodist University, respectively. Following the completion of his coursework, he worked for several major US companies as an electrical engineer, designing and constructing airport radar surveillance systems. He was also a senior test engineer for Litton Industries, supporting the team responsible for testing intercontinental ballistic missile systems for the US Air Force.
David and his wife, Roya, live in Kings Point, NY, and have three children, Dustin, Ashley, and Monica. In his free time, David enjoys riding Harley Davidson motorcycles.
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In Memoriam
Tribute to IAJF’s Co-Founders and Community Pillars
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IAJF recently lost two of its co-founders, Elias Kalimian z”l and Yosef Shahery z”l. Both men were devoted to IAJF, Israel, and the Jewish community at large, and their loss is felt very deeply. These two leaders had a great impact not only by leading IAJF for years, but by enhancing the lives of people in our own community and thousands around the world. May their memories be a blessing for all.
Mr. Elias Kalimian z”l
Chairman Emeritus
IAJF Chairman Emeritus, Elias Kalimian z”l, passed away December 19, 2020. Mr. Kalimian was a visionary, a philanthropist, and one of the pillars of our community. He founded and shepherded IAJF and was involved in numerous other charitable causes. Mr. Kalimian had a deep connection to the Jewish homeland and was an ardent supporter of Israel. Most of all, he was a warm and generous soul who cared deeply about the Jewish community.
Mr. Yosef Shahery z”l
Chairman Emeritus
IAJF Chairman Emeritus, Yosef Shahery z”l, passed away April 9, 2021. Mr. Shahery epitomized our shared values of tzedakah, education, love of Israel, and Kol Yisrael Areivim Zeh LaZeh (all Jews are responsible for one another). An active member of IAJF to his last days, Mr. Shahery served as a mentor and role model, inspiring the next generation of leaders and philanthropists. His focus on helping the needy changed countless lives in the community.