Haithem Sarafa

Last updated
Haithem K. Sarafa
Born (1957-09-10) September 10, 1957 (age 64)
Baghdad, Iraq

Haithem K. Sarafa is an Iraqi-American lawyer and executive. He was born in Baghdad, Iraq, in 1957 and immigrated with his Chaldean family to the United States in 1963.

Contents

Sarafa is notable for his purchase and reopening of the historic Frankenmuth Brewery in Frankenmuth, Michigan, in July 2009. As Michigan's oldest brewery, it was founded in 1862.

Haithem Sarafa, along with Scott Lorenz, are credited with sending out the first electronic Christmas card in 1995, as stated in Robertson's Book of Firsts-Patrick Robertson. [1]

Education

Sarafa attended Gesu in Detroit, Michigan, for grade school and St. Michael's in Southfield for middle school before attending Brother Rice High School. Haithem Sarafa graduated from Brother Rice in 1975. While at Brother Rice, he received a three-year varsity letter in bowling. [2]

Haithem Sarafa attended the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and received a BBA in accounting from the Ross School of Business in 1979. He then went to work at Bendix Corporation as a staff accountant in 1979 and attended the University of Detroit Mercy School of Law's night program along with his father. In 1980, he was admitted to the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business MBA program. He completed his MBA in finance in 1982. He returned to Bendix Corporation as Director of Management Accounting and supervised a nine-person staff team. In the evening, he continued his legal education and received his Juris Doctorate in 1985, specializing in corporate, real estate, and tax law. [2] Sarafa also holds a Real Estate Brokerage License in Michigan.

Career

After receiving his law degree, Sarafa worked for a private law firm specializing in investments and Regulation D filings. He then joined Domino's Farms in Ann Arbor, Michigan, as Controller in late 1987. Haithem then served as President of Domino's Farms, where he supervised the construction and leasing of 1 million square feet of office space. He also headed a hotel, petting zoo, and The Frank Lloyd Wright Museum of classic cars. He also oversaw the expansion of Domino's Lodge on Drummond Island, including a golf course and many such ventures. He left Domino's after its sale in 1994. He then joined his brother, Anmar K. Sarafa, at an independent investment firm, Zaske, Sarafa, and Associates. Later, that firm became known as Steward Capital Management, specializing in managing money for individuals, pension plans, foundations, and endowments.

Anmar and Haithem Sarafa purchased and reopened the historic and renowned Frankenmuth Brewery in Frankenmuth, Michigan, in July 2009. [3] As Michigan's oldest brewery, it was founded in 1862. Sarafa expanded in 2015 to include a 275-person banquet facility.

Sarafa played a key role in resurrecting the Domino's Farms annual Christmas Light show in 1993 through an organization called Christmas Celebration. [4] He was named Ann Arbor Ambassador of the Year in 1994 for his involvement in Ann Arbor's community. [5]

Sarafa has remained an active member of Brother Rice's Alumni Association for over 30 years, and has served as the Alumni Association President at Brother Rice as well. Sarafa is one of the founding members of Boxing Night, which is the Alumni Association's largest fundraiser for student scholarships.

In 2020, Sarafa was inducted into the prestigious Brother Edmund Rice Society. [2]

In addition to coaching baseball for all three of his sons, he served as president of the NFWB (North Farmington West Bloomfield) baseball/softball organization for about ten years. At its peak, the NFWB fielded over 100 teams and over 1,250 players in house baseball, travel baseball, and girls’ softball. [5]

Sarafa was also one of the original inductees in the Chaldean Flag Football Hall of Fame. [6]

Haithem Sarafa and Scott Lorenz are credited with sending out the first electronic Christmas card in 1995, as stated in Robertson's Book of Firsts-Patrick Robertson. [1]

Sarafa has written and produced numerous songs, including performing one called “Detroit City,” where he performed live at the Fox Theater in Detroit, and appeared on the television show Stars of Tomorrow in 1983. [7]

Sarafa also started and currently manages Clearview Lighting and Follow My Food Trucks (FMFT). [8]

Personal life

Haithem Sarafa met his wife Charlotte while practicing law in Farmington Hills, Michigan. Haithem and Charlotte married in June 1986. They are the parents of three Brother Rice Warrior and University of Michigan Ann Arbor graduates, Vinnie (2006, 2011), Nick (2010, 2014), and Andrew (2015, 2019). [2]

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References

  1. 1 2 Robertson, Patrick (11 November 2011). Robertson's Book of Firsts: Who Did What for the First Time. ISBN   978-1596915794.
  2. 1 2 3 4 https://brrice.edu/haithem-sarafa-75-2020-spirit-of-blessed-edmund-society/
  3. ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/in/haithem-sarafa-0703a1b/ [ self-published source ]
  4. ↑ https://pcstorage.s3.amazonaws.com/projectcamp/production/messages/projectfiles/christmas%20celebration%20fundraising%20article-1644002555.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
  5. 1 2 "Haithem Sarafa: A Profile of Giving". Chaldean News.
  6. ↑ "Keeping Up With The Chaldeans: With Haithem Sarafa - Pay It Behind You" – via www.youtube.com.
  7. ↑ "1983 "Stars of Tomorrow' TV Dancers with "Hathem Sarafa"" – via www.youtube.com.
  8. ↑ "Food Trucking | Home". followmyfoodtrucks.com.
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