FEZANA’s new five

"Volunteerism and partnership lie at the soul of our organization and have set a hallmark for excellence throughout its history. I thank those among our members who have made this organization what it is today and reach out once again to our members to give of themselves to FEZANA (Federation of Zoroastrian Associations of North America), helping it advance the cause of our community and the integral preservation of our role in the North American mileu,” stated Homi Gandhi, newly elected president of FEZANA in his inaugural speech on May 1, 2016 at the 29th annual general meeting in Michigan. He succeeds Katayun Kapadia who having completed her second two-year term was "lauded for her excellent leadership and stewardship of FEZANA.”
Gandhi has been active with FEZANA activities for over a decade, serving as its advisor on interfaith activities, co-chair of its UN-NGO (United Nations-Nongovernmental Organization) subcommittee when he participated in several meetings of national and international leaders, and a four-year term as FEZANA vice president that ended in 2016. He was also president for six years of the Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York (ZAGNY), trustee of the Dar-E-Mehr Zoroastrian Temple, New York and organizing committee member of the XVI North American Zarathushti Congress (NAZC) in New York.

(From left): FEZANA office bearers Arzan Wadia, Afreed Mistry, Homi Gandhi, Nilufer Shroff and Percy Master

(From left): Katayun Kapadia (third from left) with some delegates at the 29^th AGM in Michigan

Having initiated the concept of "Zarathushti Youth Without Borders” he has been keen to see a new generation assume leadership roles. As Gandhi stressed, "This is not going to happen overnight. We have to invite them, co-opt them, engage them at higher levels in meetings, conferences and world leadership events. We have many such individuals and I am very happy to note that some of them have decided to join the executive leadership...
"We are few in numbers and each one of us has other family responsibilities. I appreciate and applaud not only those who make time, but the people behind them — the family members who help with home and hearth so our volunteers can make time. I understand how much you juggle your daily activities to make your voluntary commitments as I myself was one of you before I retired from active corporate life.”
For 20 years Gandhi was in public accounting and for 25 years in the financial services industry regulation at the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. At the NYSE he had the honor of ringing the opening bell in 2004 "in recognition of significant service to the local community.” He understands well the financial implications of FEZANA running an annual average budget of over $100,000 to support youth activities like Zoroastrian Games, Return to Roots (RTR), congresses, scholarship in different domains, plus welfare assistance, interfaith activities and publication of FEZANA Journal and other books, more so when membership dues and donations average under $10,000 per year. "We have to wake up and smell the coffee. This can’t go on,” he declared categorically, urging individuals "to apportion a part of their charitable donations for FEZANA.”
The vice presidential seat vacated by Gandhi was filled by fellow New Yorker Arzan Wadia who with his wife Shirrin runs an architectural and interior design practice and also an information technology consulting business. As chair of FEZANA’s information technology committee he would oversee and monitor the body’s digital and online presence, assist member associations set up their web presence and has even designed the website for the North American Mobeds Council. He takes pride in having co-founded Parsi Khabar, "the oldest internet news aggregator website about Parsis and Zoroastrians worldwide.” Currently serving his third three-year term as ZAGNY board member, he was part of the core organizing team for the XVI NAZC and on the building committee involved with fund-raising and construction of the new Dar-E-Mehr that was inaugurated this March. He has also served as core coordinator for the RTR program and was national coordinator for the Good Life Program that is one of the electives for the Eagle Scout Badge of the Boy Scouts of America. He avails of every opportunity "to enhance FEZANA’s presence in the local, national and global community.”
FEZANA secretary Percy Master has been an active member of the Zoroastrian Association of Houston (ZAH) for nearly two decades including six years as secretary and had briefly served as vice chair of the Zoroastrian Association of the Rocky Mountains for a year. He was actively involved with the XV NAZC in Houston in 2010 as also the Seventh World Zarathushti Congress in Houston in 2000. He works for Hewlett Packard Enterprise.
The other newly elected FEZANA office bearers, treasurer Nilufer Shroff and assistant secretary Afreed Mistry did not send Parsiana their brief introductions.
Nearly 100 delegates attended the three-day AGM at the Holiday Inn Farmington Hills in Novi, Michigan from April 29 to May 1, 2016 notes the FEZANA website. The AGM was preceded by the North America regional meeting of the World Zarathushti Chamber of Commerce presided over by global president Edul Daver. Additionally two pre-AGM sessions were organized: the first conducted by Navaz Merchant and Dr Dolly Dastoor presented the findings of their survey on "Seniors 55+”; the second was on "Funds and Finances” by Ratan Mistry, co-chair of the Funds and Finance Committee, who discussed ways and means of fund-raising for FEZANA activities. On the second day the local Michigan community organized a gala banquet with a gara raffle and an entertainment program performed by the children. Over 220 people registered for the event.
ZAH will be hosting the 2017 FEZANA AGM and the California Zoroastrian Center will be hosting the next World Zoroastrian Youth Congress in 2019, as reported on the website.