APRIL 2006

changes in store
for CFA
Umbrella organization seeks relevancy
While celebrating its 25th anniversary,
the Chaldean Federation of America
(CFA) is in the midst of change.
Bishop Ibrahim M. Ibrahim appointed West
Bloomfield resident and Farmington Hills businessman
Michael George as interim chairman in
mid-2005, after the CFA’s General Assembly
voted last June to ask His Excellency to assist in
overhauling the federation.
Founded in 1981, the non-profit CFA is a
national umbrella organization of Chaldean entities
that supports its members in meeting the
needs of the Chaldean community. Once considered
a dominant force, the CFA has been dormant
in recent years. Former CFA Vice
Chairwoman Rosemary Antone offered a candid
explanation.
“I have to be blunt,” said Antone, who is now
vice president of the Chaldean American Ladies
of Charity and chair of the Chaldean Community
Cultural Center. “I think different leadership
started turning the [CFA] objectives to
BY KEN MARTEN
scope of a revamped CFA. “I’ve met with many
people in the community, including former [federation]
presidents and chairs,” George said. “I
don’t want to duplicate the efforts of other organizations.
That doesn’t make any sense.”
GEORGE’ S VISION
George has identified six objectives for the CFA,
but acknowledges that they’re his personal interpretations
and that they could change once a board
of directors is appointed. They are:
• Public relations: “We want to make sure people
outside of our community understand us in the
right light,” George said. “With anything that
involves the Chaldean community, we want to be
able to communicate.”
• Civil rights: Chaldeans are not a minority as
recognized by the U.S. government. But George
wants the CFA to represent Chaldeans and ensure
that they’re afforded equal rights according to the
U.S. Constitution.
their own needs, and it started going downhill.
It was not as effective as it used to be.
EXECUTIVE SEARCH
The Chaldean Federation of America is seeking to
It doesn’t have the full strength and power
hire an executive director and a secretary. Both are
as it once did.”
paid positions with benefits. Those applying for the
Jane Shallal, a former CFA president, executive directorship must speak English and
said the federation was spread too thin. Chaldean. Those applying for the secretarial position
must speak English, Chaldean and Arabic.
“In the past, I think it tried to undertake
Send resumes to Michael J. George, 30777
too many goals,” said Shallal, now the president
of the Associated Food Dealers of Hills, MI 48334.
Northwestern Highway, Suite 300, Farmington
Michigan. “I think they were trying to do
way too much. I don’t think the support was
there for such an expansive range of services.”
George, 73, owns George Enterprises, primarily
a food distribution and meat manufacturing
company. He and several family members are the
former owners of Melody Farms, a well-known
dairy company. Housekeeping chores have included
moving the CFA headquarters to the George
Enterprises office in Farmington Hills to save
funds. George is also seeking to hire a CFA executive
director and a secretary, and to appoint a
volunteer board of directors.
He’s analyzed the objectives of other
Chaldean organizations in order to narrow the
• Advocacy: George thinks the CFA should
promote issues important to the Chaldean community
and make sure the general public knows not
only that Chaldeans exist, but that it has the correct
understanding of Chaldean ethnicity. “This is
something I’m continuously doing,” he said.
• Government lobbying: “This is important
especially in the areas of immigration and
human rights,” George said. “We have a lot of
people here from Iraq that don’t want to leave.”
George also believes the CFA should promote
the Chaldean point of view on events in Iraq.
• Act as a referral agency: George thinks the
CFA should be able to help members of the
community by directing their concerns to the
proper organization, entity or professional service.
Again, he stressed that the CFA shouldn’t
duplicate the efforts of other Chaldean organizations.
For example, he said, it’s pointless to
have two groups that maintain referral lists of
Chaldean professionals like doctors, attorneys or
accountants.
• Continue the scholarship program: The
CFA has awarded scholarships to college-bound
Chaldeans for the past 20 years. George wants to
continue the program under co-sponsorship with
the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce.
Antone said George is on the proper path, but
for the CFA to again prosper, those selected for
leadership positions will have to share his views.
“He’s being very objective, very honest,” Antone
said. “He can’t do it all by himself. Unless we get
some new people included, we just cannot make
it go. He’s searching for the right people to bring
it about and I think it can happen. It can’t get
worse. Let’s face it.”
Shallal is also optimistic about George’s efforts
thus far. “I think it’s a good vision,” she said. “The
federation will be the voice of the Chaldean community,
and the focal point for referrals and services.
I think that’s an excellent way to develop it.”
7 Mile and
Woodward,
known as
Chaldean Town,
was a CFA
project whose
future is
uncertain
PHOTO BY LENA YONO
32 CHALDEAN NEWS APRIL 2006