Eren Ozmen
Courtesy Photo
Forbes this month named Eren Ozmen, chairwoman president and owner of Sparks-based Sierra Nevada Corporation, a member of its inaugural “50 over 50” class.
The list is dedicated to shining a light on 50 women over the age of 50 who have achieved significant success, often overcoming formidable odds, according to a June 8 press release.
Selected from a pool of more than 10,000 nominees, the inaugural class of entrepreneurs and leaders represent nearly all sectors of the American economy — venture capital, education, politics, major league sports and more.
Ozmen is recognized alongside iconic women including Vice President Kamala Harris, Madeleine Albright, Arianna Huffington and Cathie Wood.
“It’s a true honor to be recognized among such remarkable women on the Forbes ‘50 over 50’ list,” Ozmen said in a statement. “My driving passion is to pay it forward and inspire the next generation. I hope to inspire women everywhere that you can rise from humble beginnings to achieve great successes–so long as you have the courage to dream beyond your circumstances and the tenacity to push past obstacles in your way.”
Forbes created the “50 over 50” list to inform and inspire women across the nation especially at a time when the global pandemic has disproportionately forced women out of the workforce.
Ozmen’s vision for making a positive impact extends beyond the walls of the SNC. Through the Ozmen Foundation, she supports a variety of causes including STEM initiatives and cancer-related medical research. She also founded the Ozmen Center for Entrepreneurship and the Ozmen Institute for Global Studies at her alma mater, the University of Nevada, Reno. Ozmen also received an honorary doctorate degree from UNR in 2016.
Ozmen is consistently ranked among Forbes “Most Successful Self-Made Women.” She was also included in Forbes’ “Most Successful Couples” list with husband Faith Ozmen.
In related news, Ozmen this month launched Sierra Space, a new commercial space company under the SNC umbrella.
The company’s “space-as-a-service” business model will leverage cutting-edge technologies, such as Dream Chaser spaceplanes and expandable LIFE habitats, within the fast-growing new space economy, which is projected to grow to $1.4 trillion by 2030.
“Sierra Space is building and delivering the future of space transportation, destinations and infrastructure,” Ozmen said in a statement. “It’s truly exciting to be at the forefront of innovations in space, blazing a new path to deliver services in space that will make space more accessible for all.”
