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Kambiz Aharon Cohen Merabi (born January 21, 1959, in Tehran, Iran) is an American business executive, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He began his career in his family's real estate business which focused on middle-class mixed used rental in Manhattan upper eastside at the age of 19 while he was still in college.

Kambiz is a self-confident and extravagant businessman that has made him instantly recognizable in the real estate field. He was extremely succesful in making profitable deals working with his grandfather and father for over 18 years.

Early life
Kambiz was born into a wealthy noble Persian family (Cohen & Merabi). He is the second child of three, and the second grandchild of twelve from maternal grandparents, and 16 of 22 grandchildren of paternal grandparents.

He moved to the United States of America in 1979 and he speaks with the faintest trace of his native Persian language accent. He is fluent in Farsi and English and he also speaks Hebrew, Italian and Spanish.

His interests include real estate, philtanthropy and philosophy. Hobbies include fatherhood, charities, politics, history, reading, spiritual studies, travelling, music and chess as well as sports: polo, volleyball, soccer, tennis, swimming, water polo, horseback riding and ping pong (table tennis).

Education

 * 1979 - 1981 - Queens College & Touro College
 * 1984 - B.A. in History at Suffield University
 * 2004 - Double B.A., political Science & Architecture at Rochville University
 * 2005 - Grade Master Law at Belford University
 * 2006 - Honorary Doctrine in Law at Berkley University

Family History
His maternal family history reaches back over 500 years to Spain when his family fled in the wake of the Spanish inquisition (1478) because they were Jewish. His paternal family history reaches back over 2500 years to Queen Ester (Hadassah) in The Empire of Achaemenid Dynasty (550-333 BCE).

The family's business began in Persia over 280 years ago.

In 1730, Yacob Cohen opened a Persian rug business and a century and a half later, Yacob's company had become a Persian business empire. Over the next century, marriage partnerships to the Merabi family offspring, brought real estate and oil interests to the company.

Wise planning and family unity saved the family business from collapse through the economic hardship of World War I and World War II.

In the 1970s, the Cohen family banded together again to keep their business holdings afloat until the political and economic storms battering the Persian oil, real estate and retail industries could pass. But the revolution in Iran in 1979 marked the end of any hope for a safe business over there. Mrs. Mousa Cohen & Mr. Nasser Merabi decided to move with the family to the United States where they could conduct business freely without persecution. Sadly, most of the family's assets in Persia had been seized, with the exception of some cash holdings and solid business bonds built over many years. Mousa & Nasser had to start from scratch, but he was confident that he would be able to return the family business to its former glory by applying the principles and ideologies passed down from his forefathers.

Mr. Merabi talks about his late grandfather in an interview with the Persian editor of an Iranian daily newspaper based in Los Angeles, published not long after his grandfather’s death: "He was truly the greatest inspiration of my life… He was my mentor, I was his protégé. If you talk about a person with style, generosity, loyalty, trustworthiness and true elegance, my grandfather is the one, not me. But I'll tell you, there was no one like him. I am so grateful to God, because among all my cousins and my brother and sister I was the luckiest one to have known him so well, and worked with him so closely for so long, I miss him tremendously.”

Career
Kambiz took over his family's business in 1998. Armed with his BA in architectural design, he quickly used it to his best advantage. He created a real estate empire in the premium real estate market in the United States of America, which gave him public recognition. His father, spoke on his son's success by saying: "He doubled the family's assets in less than four years of being solely in charge of the company." Acquiring the business skills from his great grandfather, grandfather, father and brother in mid-80's, Kambiz, with the help of his eldest brother, went on to acquire some of the class A mixed use properties in New York City.

Real estate development
In 1998, Kambiz took over his family’s business and became involved in larger building projects and utilized attractive architectural design with class A luxury services to win public recognition.

Kambiz created a real estate company in the premium real estate market in the United States. His father commented on his son's success by stating, “ He doubled the family’s assets in less than four years of being solely in charge of the company.” After gaining the necessary business skills in real estate from his great grandfather, grandfather, father, and brother, in the early and mid-eighties Kambiz, together with his elder brother, went on to acquire some of the class “A” mixed use properties in New York City.

With Kambiz’ background in real estate development & investment ranging from residential to commercial, shopping centers, and also conversions, made Merabi and Sons a well-known company name in New York City. He has extensive background in real estate management, negotiation, and deal closures in real estate, and has super lease negotiation skills.

Working in the family business with brokers, architects, and developers at the age of 19 and a vice-president title allowed him to work with the president and the chief executive officer, Mrs. Moussa & M. Cohen, his grandfather, on most business deals especially real estate negotiations.

Kambiz started as assisting the senior vice-president and chief financial officer, Nasser J. Merabi, his father, with financial planning on new developments and to apply for tax credits for the company. He assisted the vice-president and chief operating officer, Nader N. Merabi, his brother, in the management of buildings domestically. Merabi and Sons has been in business for more than 270 years, all operations in the company are now running through Kambiz. He remains a major figure in the field of class A luxury real estate in the United States.

Merabi has several projects under way, with varying levels of success in their progress.

Other business investments

 * Mr. Kambiz Merabi likes to be diverse and invest in other businesses.
 * Mohmaner Modeling & Acting Agency Inc.
 * Kambiz A. Merabi Is the Founder, Chairman, and the investor.

Other business ventures

 * 1370 Realty Corp. President and C.E.O.
 * 14628 Sylvan LLC. Member
 * 232 E. 53rd St. Realty Corp. President
 * 1319 3rd Ave. Realty Corp. President
 * Mohamaner Inc. President
 * Adena Intel Inc. President

The supermodel
For a brief period (1979-1990) Kambiz Merabi was a well-known Male Supermodel. Known to his family as a teenager to be a black sheep of the conservative Merabi family, his youthful rebellious nature guided him to modeling. Having been discovered by the head of the female talent of one of the world’s 3 most well-known agencies in the world at the time, he was repeatedly asked to try modeling. In an effort to stop the persistence of this person he tried a modeling shoot. He enjoyed it so much that he made a short but successful career of it.

It led him in meeting the woman that he eventually married him. In order to respect his marriage, he retired from the modeling scene. He has been seen in Esquire and Men’s Health magazines and in commercials for large companies such as Pizza Hut, American Express, and Double-Mint Gum

Political Activity
Since the 1994 interim election, Kambiz Merabi has made contributions to campaigns of both Republican Party and Democratic Party candidates. Kambiz Merabi is an active Republican, whose main issues are education to pave the way for future generations, humanity, the environment, and world peace. Kambiz was unanimously elected as a Van Nuys Neighborhood Council member in June of 2014.

Philanthropist
Kambiz Merabi has made donations, and gave assistance to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, the American Heart Association, and local charities.

Millennium Agency
Kambiz A. Merabi is the Founder, Chairman, and heads Strategic business development of the Millennium Agency, Inc.

He also serves on its board of directors. He bears responsibility for the strategic and operational leadership of Millennium, and he is chairman of its editorial strategy board.

Millennium™ Agency, Inc. is the largest modelling and talent site online and it is working on being one of the top 10 agencies in the world. Every day, the Millennium™ Agency, Inc. website and database are used by modeling agencies, casting companies, editors, producers, directors, record companies, and other scouts to discover new and existing talent, in addition to their already thriving physical offices.

Millennium™ Agency, Inc. provides models in all the major fashion magazines including Vogue, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Flare, Marie Claire, Harper’s Bazaar, Elle Girl, Modern Bride, Teen Vogue and for the industry's most prestigious clients including Versace, Armani, Chanel, Gucci, D&G, Escada, Prada, Calvin Klein, Valentino, YSL, Revlon, Clairol, L’Oreal, Pantene, Reebok and many more.

Millennium™ Agency, Inc. provides these agents and scouts with one-stop shopping. Their talent database includes models, of course, but also child models, actors for television, film, and theater, singers, dancers, videographers, photographers, agents, managers, directors, filmmakers, producers, writers, makeup artists, hair stylists, athletes, animal models and actors, etc.

Awards

 * [New York] businessman of the year 2003 – 2004
 * Honorary Doctrine in Law at Berkley University

Kambiz is a leader of note in both the New York City and national real estate community. He has held leadership positions with a number of organizations, including the Board of the Committee of Millennium Agency, being the Chairman of the Board of Directors at Mohmaner International, Inc.

He is a member of the organization of the country’s leading young businessmen and CEO's. He was on the board of the Promenade Condominium. He is a board member on the Valley Beth Shalom Temple (VBS) Board of Directors.