DETROIT — An Arab American businessman from Detroit was elected as the new chairman of the board of directors of World Medical Relief, an international humanitarian charity, headquartered in Detroit. It is the first time that an Arab American chairs this 18 member board in the agency’s history. WMR’s involvment in the Middle East goes back to as early as 1967 when relief was sent to the war ravaged region.

Mike Baydoun, who grew up in Dearborn, holds a master’s degree in International Relations from San Diego University. In 1994, he was appointed honorary consul general of the Republic of Liberia. He was introduced to World Medical Relief in 1995 by a local missionary, while in Liberia. Beginning in 1997, he began shipping the first equipment and supplies to Liberia. Since then, Baydoun has built and equipped fifteen hospitals and clinics.

World Medical Relief was founded in 1953, just after the Korean War, when a 57 year old housewife named Irene Auberlin in northeast Detroit responded to an appeal to help an orphanage in Inchon, South Korea, resulting in the launch of the organization. More than 100 developing countries have received close to $2 billion in aid from the medical humanitarian organization.

Baydoun’s election coincides with the organization’s 60th anniversary, which will be celebrated in a ceremony at Laurel Manor in Livonia on Oct. 19.

“I have heard many stories where people around the globe advise their poor governments or non-profit entities to seek help from World Medical Relief. Every time I hear those stories, I am honored and glad to be a volunteer and board member of this wonderful organization,” said Baydoun.