Amer Abdullah

Alongside his father and brother, Amer Abdullah launched the Cedars restaurant in 2001. Shortly thereafter, a fast-casual child of Cedars named Mezza Mediterranean Grill was born, where Abdullah heads the marketing strategy. From 2002 to 2012, Abdullah was an executive director at JP Morgan in the investment bank, focusing on rates and derivatives products. He received an AB in economics from the University of Chicago. Beyond business, he is a founding member of the Chicago Community Trust's Pillars Fund, a donor-advised fund that targets a better understanding of the Muslim-American culture. He also performs and produces various improvised theater pieces and, during his career break, worked with the US Consulate in Jerusalem to articulate his personal story to audiences of Palestinian businesspeople and entrepreneurs.