BOARD OF TRUSTEES

The USACC Board of Trustees is a group of Americans and Azerbaijanis interested in promoting friendship, cooperation and commerce between the American people and the people of Azerbaijan. The Board of Trustees offers its recommendations to the USACC Board of Directors on all matters related to the Chambers programs and activities.

Hafiz Pashayev

Ambassador Hafiz Pashayev is the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Rector of Azerbaijan Diplomatic Academy. Ambassador Pashayev was the first Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United States. He assumed his official duties in November 1992, and presented his credentials to President Clinton on April 14, 1993. Prior to his diplomatic career, he taught physics at Baku State University and served as Director of Metal Physics Laboratory at the Academy of Sciences in Azerbaijan.

Ambassador Pashayev received his degree in physics from Baku State University in 1963, and his Ph.D. in solid state physics in 1971 from the Institute of Atomic Energy in Moscow. From 1975 to 1976, he undertook research at the University of California at Irvine.

Ambassador Pashayev is the author of more than 100 scientific articles and books. His articles on Azerbaijan affairs and Azerbaijan - U.S. relations have appeared in New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, etc. His most recent books are "Racing Up Hill" (2006) and "Manifesto of One Ambassador" (2007). Ambassador Pashayev is Trustee of U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce.

He has two children and four grandsons. His wife, Dr. Rena Pashayeva, is a scholar and professor of Arabic literature and history.