A. Umit Taftali joined the Foundation Board in 1999
A native of Turkey, Taftali came to Muncie to play for Ball State's volleyball team on a scholarship. He earned his bachelor's degree in finance from Ball State in 1985, and went on to complete his MBA at the University of South Carolina in 1987. He began his investment banking career at Merrill Lynch. He also worked at Balentine & Company (now Wilmington Trust) and Bankers Trust Company in Atlanta, New York, and London. He then moved to Goldman Sachs International as Executive Director and Country Head to build and manage the firm's business in Turkey. Between 1999-2001, he was a founding partner of Cesmig & Taftali, a private equity investment partnership in London. In 2001, he joined Koc Holding in Istanbul and founded the Suna Kirac (Koc) Family Office, which he is managing. Taftali is a member of Ball State's Fellows and Quadrangle societies.