SPECIAL ISSUE

Iftekhar Shareef — a community activist who has no foes

By J.V. Lakshmana Rao

Chicago: Iftekhar Shareef, founder, president and chief executive officer of National Bankcard Corporation, and immediate past president of Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) Chicago, is an ardent community activist, a liberal donor for any right cause, a committed nationalist, a sports enthusiast, and an interfaith promoter.
His success in various businesses, including the biggest bankcard corporation in the State of Illinois, has not made him proud. In fact, it has humbled him to serve the community.
He has, as member who had held a series of positions and finally becoming its president, he has brought order into the working of squabbles-ridden FIA Chicago.
He is known as one who has only friends and no enemies. He keeps his cool even under very tiring and testing times. He is always composed and no one can provoke him.
Iftekhar Shareef can be friendly with a small school-going kid to highest political leaders like Barack Obama of the US, or Sonia Gandhi of India.
Besides all these qualifications and achievements, Iftekhar Shareef is the highest distinction of being the first person to be honored with Overseas Citizen of India by India’s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during Pravasi Bharatiya Divas in Hyderabad, which is his hometown.
Iftekhar Shareef is a strong believer in hard work. The initial difficulties, which he faced immediately after his immigration to the US, have not deterred his enthusiasm from makeing a mark in life.
He learnt his first lesson from an initial job in a McDonald’s facility in Chicago. As having not been exposed to spoken American English, he faced a real threat to retain his job there. Since he could not understand what is meant by “mop” and “Pine Sol,” he was sacked. Though it was a setback, it was the first lesson for him to succeed in life. Today his National Bankcard Corporation has an annual sales volume of $100 million. By his sheer hard work he has risen from a daily wage earner to head an empire of several companies.
Iftekhar Shareef is also founder president and CEO of Secure Check USA, one of the largest check guarantee and processing companies of the Chicagoland area. He is the founder, president and CEO of Skincare Systems, Inc., a company that manufactures Revitalight Skin Care Systems - LED light therapy for youthful looking skin care. He is the founder, chairman and managing director of NBC Credic Card Solutions, founded in Hyderabad. He is also the founder and managing director of IGS Group India Pvt., LTD. The company owns and operates multiple shopping complexes, multiple motels, commercial and residential real estate in Chicago and Hyderabad.
Iftekhar Shareef is a great host. He hosted receptions to many visiting dignitaries from India in Chicago irrespective of their political affiliations, including the senior BJP leader L.K. Advani to budding congress leader Rahu Gandhi. He also held several rounds of discussions about NRI issues with UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi. He hosted many visiting Central and state ministers and secretaries, including Jaswant Singh, Yashwant Sinha, Pramod Mahajan, Somnath Chatterji, and Shatrugan Sinha. He also hosted the Chief Ministers, members of parliament, film stars, sports personalities and artists.
He has used his public service position as FIA president to support and honor high political offices of India and the USA, film stars, artists and also celebrate national annual events like Republic Day and Independence Day. Besides his personal contributions, he raised funds for helping the poor here as also in India.
He currently holds the honorary positions of chairman of Asian Advisory Council of Secretary of State of Illinois; chairman of Advisory Board of Care and Share USA; member of Asian Advisory Council of Lt. Governor of State of Illinois, member of Asian Advisory Council of Illinois Senate President; member of Asian Advisory Council of Cook County Clerk, Illinois; member of Board of Directors of Northeastern Illinois University Foundation, vice-president of All Saints High School Alumni Association; and founder president of Andhra Pradesh Association of North America.
In the past, he was a co-chair of many events for presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama; co-chair of many events for presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinbton; and chairman for the fundraiser for the US presidential candidate Senator Joseph R. Biden Jr; chairman for fundraiser for presidential candidate John Kerry; chairman for fundraiser for Mayor Richard Daley; chairman for fundraiser for Lt. Governor of Illinois Pat Quinn; and chairman for numerous fundraisers for the attorney general of Illinois, and the secretary of State of Illinois.
He was also member of Board of Directors of Indo American Democratic Organization.
He received many prestigious awards, including 2006 Appreciation Award for Community Service and Leadership from City of Chicago, presented by Mayor Richard M. Daley; US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce “2006 Community Leader-ship Award;” National Integra- tion Award presented by International Federation of Cultural Organizations, Hyderabad, India and Vamsee Arts International Hyderabad; Interfaith Amity Award for creating communal harmony and providing common platform to various religions presented by India TV Chicago; Gandhi Peace Award 2004 presented by Sapna USA, Gandhi Memorial Trust, and Vamsee Arts, Businessman of the Year Award 2004 presented by Telugu Association of Greater Chicago, Asian Businessman of the Year Award 2001 presented by Rev. Jesse Jackson; and Humanitarian Award 2001 of Indo American Democratic Organization Chicago.
As a sports enthusiast, he conducted limited overs one-day cricket match between the teams of Indian immigrants and Pakistani immigrants.
He holds a BS (Hons) degree each from Osmania University Hyderabad and Northeastern Illinois University, Chicago.
Iftekhar Shareef has been married and has four children — two sons and two daughters.

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