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Manzoor Memon was born on
August 9, 1951, at Shikarpur, Sindh province of Pakistan. His father,
Karamullah Memon, was a civil servant who served as a Deputy Commissioner,
Secretary of the Revenue Board, and held many high profile positions in the
Sindh Government. His uncle, Abdul Fateh Memon, was the General Secretary of
the Sindh Muslim League in 1948. He served as Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi
Arabia from 1963 to 1968. His uncle, Nizamuddin Memon, was a political
advisor and Campaign Manager for the Late Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. His cousin,
Ali Nawaz Memon, a decorated economist from World Bank, has served as the
Chairman of NEPRA, Government of Pakistan, along with several other
assignments. His other cousin, Khalid Iqbal Memon, is presently a Member of
Pakistan’s National Assembly. He has four brothers: Shabir Ahmed, a
professor of electrical engineering at Mehran University of Engineering; Dr.
Muzafar Hussain, a dentist and assistant professor Liaqat Medical College;
Shahid Hussain, an engineer at Hyderabad Development Authority; and Aamir
Hussain, a financial advisor in Houston Community College.
Manzoor Memon graduated from
Sindh University Engineering College in 1973, with a degree in Electrical
Engineering (Third position). He worked as an engineer in Karachi Shipyard
and later in Pakistan International Airlines before migrating to the USA in
1980. In the USA, he worked as an engineer in Bechtel Power Corporation,
Mississippi Power & Light Co., Ebasco Construction Co., Daniel Flour Co.,
and Stone and Webster Co.
He switched from engineering
to entrepreneurship in 1987. Since then he has successfully established,
operated, and managed a good deal of business ventures. These businesses
include MARS Carpets and Tapestries, Universal Postal and Travel, Amber
Travel Inc. (three branches), Pasadena 1-hour photo, Prime Time Video, Dairy
Queen, Baskin Robbins, Blimpee Sandwich Shop, M&M Dry cleaners, M&M Food
Mart/Chevron Station, and A.K. Construction Co., a venture to build and
develop single dwelling houses and sub divisions.
Manzoor Memon has been very
active in community service and has served as a member of the Finance
Committee, Political Advisory Committee and Mayor’s Transition team for
Houston’s Mayor Lee Brown. Also, for two years – from June 2002 to July 2004
– he served two mayors: Mayor Brown and Mayor Bill White as Advisor to the
Mayor for South Asian affairs. He also worked as a member and liaison for
the Mayor’s Advisory Board for International Business Development South
Asia. During his tenure, he initiated a tradition to hold the Mayor’s Iftar
Dinner hosted by the Mayor of the City of Houston for the Muslim community;
this tradition has been observed for the last seven years. Also, he worked
tirelessly with the India Culture Center to install the Mahatma Gandhi
statue at Rose Garden Herman Park, located in Houston, Texas.
He was elected as President
of the Pakistan Chamber of Commerce USA for the term of 2005-2007. He served
as a Trustee and Coordinator for the Pakistani American Community Center
(Pakistan Center) from 2001-2007. Here, his major contribution was to
volunteer his time and resources to build the first Pakistani American
Community Center in the USA located in Houston, Texas. He also served as
Chairman of the Democratic Party Precinct 695 from 2002 to 2003; Democratic
Party Election Judge in 2003; Vice President and founding member of the
Battle Ground Democratic Club in Deer Park/Pasadena; Vice Chairman and
Financial Director, Endeavor Foundation for Handicapped Children; Chairman
Advisory Council Houston Chapter of Pakistan People’s Party; Member of
Advisory Board for International Business, University of Houston, Downtown.
He is the founder and Executive Director for American Muslim Chamber of
Commerce USA (AMCC).
Manzoor Memon was a radio
and TV Host in Pakistan. He produced and acted in a weekly program that
broadcasted from KTV from 1975 to 76. He served as an editor of the first
Sindhi digest, Mehran Digest. He published 12 issues in the year 1967. He
was also the editor of an engineering magazine published from Sindh
University Engineering College from 1971 to 1973.
Manzoor Memon is married to
a highly dignified lady, Amber, a gifted face reader and photo analyst. He
is blessed with two children: Rakib, now managing Manzoor Memon’s
businesses, and Sana, studying to be a doctor of pharmacy at the University
of Houston.
Manzoor Memon is
self-educated in homeopathy medicinal treatment and has a laboratory at his
house. His family and he treat themselves with the natural medicines. He
also enjoys playing tennis three to four times a week and likes to walk in
the open air. |