More than 200 people attended the Yemeni American Chamber of Commerce’s first annual dinner. Members of the group are pictured here with  19th District Court Judge, Mark Somers; Wayne County Executive, Robert Ficano; Paul Abbate, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit Division; Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon; Hamtramck Mayor Karen Majewski; Dearborn Mayor John O’Reilly; Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad; State Representative, George Darany and Hamtramck Police Chief Maxwell Garbarino.

DEARBORN — The Yemeni American Chamber of Commerce (YACC) held its first annual dinner on Friday, Aug. 8 at Dearborn Manor with more than 200 in attendance. 

According to YACC Chairman Bandar Bawazir, metro Detroit is home to the largest concentration of Yemeni Americans in the entire country, about 80,000 residents. 

The local chapter of the Arab American Chamber of Commerce (AACC) has been serving businessmen in the community for more than two decades.  The YACC was formed this year to cater specifically to the needs of Yemeni American business owners, and address the challenges they face. 

“Yes, there is a need for the Yemeni American community to have its own chamber of commerce,” Bawazir said. “Within the last five or six years we have witnessed a noticeably high increase in the number of Yemeni American gas station and restaurant owners, especially in the city of Detroit.” 

YACC Executive Director Nabil Hizam said a lot of Lebanese Americans who own the majority of gas stations in Detroit are now leaving the city and either selling or leasing out their small businesses to Yemeni Americans. “We want to help the businesses owners in Detroit and offer them some guidance and assistance,” Hizam said. 

The YACC is a member of the AACC and Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce. Bawazir said the group also plans on becoming a member of the Washington D.C. based National U.S. Arab American Chamber of Commerce. The YACC will be working with different groups for the benefit of its members. 

“We invite everyone to join the YACC, not just Yemeni Americans. It is open to all,” Bawazir said. Some of the YACC’s members include companies that are not owned or operated by Yemeni Americans, as well as individuals who joined the group because of their interest in the Yemeni business community. 

Bawazir said the establishment of the YACC will make it easier for groups and people to reach out and connect with Yemeni businessmen. 

The Yemeni American community also has a lot of professionals working in fields such as medicine, engineering, law, education, and pharmacy. Bawazir said one of the YACC members owns about 24 pharmacies. The dinner was attended by several elected officials, community leaders and law enforcement officials, including 19th District Court Judge, Mark Somers; Wayne County Executive Robert Ficano; Paul Abbate, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Detroit Division; Wayne County Sheriff Benny Napoleon; Hamtramck mayor, Karen Majewski; Dearborn Mayor John O’Reilly; Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad; State Representative George Darany and Hamtramck Police Chief Maxwell Garbarino. 

“The Yemeni American community is growing and we have a lot of business owners, that is one of the reasons we need this chamber,” Hizam said. 

Some of the group’s plans and initiatives include working with the Yemeni American government for the benefit of its members who are interested in investing in Yemen. 

“We want to make sure these opportunities are available to investors,” Bawazir said. The YACC plans on making efforts to increase exports from Michigan to Yemen. Over the decades, hundreds of Arab and Chaldean Americans in metro Detroit have been killed while working at small businesses to support their families. The issue has impacted several families in the Yemeni American community. Bawazir said the chamber wants to help educate Yemeni American small business owners in Detroit on how to stay safe in dangerous situations and plans on holding security workshops. The YACC is also looking into connecting individuals who need jobs with some of its members who are seeking new employees. “Our new members are so excited they are welcoming the idea,” Bawazir said. “They are willing to work with us, and we are listening to them about what they need and trying to see how we can work together and have a strong voice.” 

For more information about the Yemeni American Chamber, visit www.yachamber.org or call 313.759.7594.