John Ilhan
Encyclopedia
John Ilhan was the founder of Crazy John's
mobile phone retail chain
and the richest Australian under 40 years of age in 2003. He was an Australian Muslim
of Turkish origin.
, Turkey and migrated to Australia
with his family when he was five. He grew up in working-class Broadmeadows
in Melbourne's north-west. Here he attended Jacana Primary School and then Broadmeadows High School. Whilst at Jacana Primary he played in the school Football, Soccer and Water Polo teams.
, Ilhan took a sales job at the phone and electrical retailer Strathfield Car Radio
. He left in 1991 to set up his own mobile-phone shop, right across the road from Strathfield's store in inner-city Brunswick
. After expanding the business into Australia's biggest Telstra
mobile dealership, with 18 stores in Victoria, Ilhan opened a handful of stores in Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.
He was ranked first in Business Review Weekly
s Australia's Young Rich List 2003, with a fortune of $200 million. In the 2007 Rich List, he came in as the 126th richest man in Australia with a fortune of $310 million.
In 2006 Ilhan founded the Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to promoting research and educating the public about the issues and causes surrounding anaphylaxis
.
in the Australian Football League
. He made bids for the board and even offered to buy out Terry Wallace
's contract in a bid to improve the team's performance by recruiting Kevin Sheedy.
Ilhan was able to make these donations through his self-established Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation. The Foundation was established primarily from Ilhan's $1 million donation towards it, and was inspired by his daughter's severe allergy to peanuts.
During his lifetime, the Charity's that the Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation was able to contribute towards include: the Richmond Football Club
, Kids Under Cover, The Alfred Hospital
Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, and Murdoch Children's Research Institute Allergy and Immune Disorders Research Group Department of Allergy and Immunology.
on 2368753 October 2007, aged 42 but an autopsy later revealed that he was felled by a hereditary heart condition that also claimed the life of his older brother. He left behind a wife Patricia and four children. His final interview was shown on Today Tonight the day before his death. A traditional Islamic funeral
was held at the Broadmeadows Mosque on 26 October 2007. Among the approximately 3,000 mourners were Ahmed Fahour
and Eddie McGuire
.
Crazy John's
Crazy John's is a mobile phone retail chain in Australia started by late Turkish/Australian businessman John Ilhan. Crazy John's is the largest independent phone retailer in Australia, employing more than 700 people with over 120 retail stores. Following his death, Mr Ilhan's wife Patricia sold...
mobile phone retail chain
Chain store
Chain stores are retail outlets that share a brand and central management, and usually have standardized business methods and practices. These characteristics also apply to chain restaurants and some service-oriented chain businesses. In retail, dining and many service categories, chain businesses...
and the richest Australian under 40 years of age in 2003. He was an Australian Muslim
Islam in Australia
Islam in Australia is a small minority religious grouping, but fourth largest after all forms of Christianity , irreligion and Buddhism , excluding 11.2% who failed to answer at the last census...
of Turkish origin.
Early life
Ilhan was born in 1965 in YozgatYozgat
Yozgat is a city and the capital district of Yozgat province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. According to 2009 census, population of the district is 113,614 of which 73,835 live in the city of Yozgat.-History:...
, Turkey and migrated to Australia
Immigration to Australia
Immigration to Australia is estimated to have begun around 51,000 years ago when the ancestors of Australian Aborigines arrived on the continent via the islands of the Malay Archipelago and New Guinea. Europeans first landed in the 17th and 18th Centuries, but colonisation only started in 1788. The...
with his family when he was five. He grew up in working-class Broadmeadows
Broadmeadows, Victoria
Broadmeadows is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 16 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Hume...
in Melbourne's north-west. Here he attended Jacana Primary School and then Broadmeadows High School. Whilst at Jacana Primary he played in the school Football, Soccer and Water Polo teams.
Career
After just one year at university and a short time as a salesman at FordFord Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
, Ilhan took a sales job at the phone and electrical retailer Strathfield Car Radio
Strathfield (retailer)
Strathfield is an Australian retailer that sells car stereos, car alarms, home entertainment, small office/home office items & mobile devices . It had 87 stores in all mainland states and territories in March 2005....
. He left in 1991 to set up his own mobile-phone shop, right across the road from Strathfield's store in inner-city Brunswick
Brunswick, Victoria
Brunswick is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km north from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Moreland...
. After expanding the business into Australia's biggest Telstra
Telstra
Telstra Corporation Limited is an Australian telecommunications and media company, building and operating telecommunications networks and marketing voice, mobile, internet access and pay television products and services....
mobile dealership, with 18 stores in Victoria, Ilhan opened a handful of stores in Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.
He was ranked first in Business Review Weekly
Business Review Weekly
BRW is an Australian weekly business magazine published by the Fairfax Media group. It regularly compiles lists which rank corporations and individuals according to various criteria, similar to Fortune magazine in the United States.BRW provides news and commentary on the economy, business and...
s Australia's Young Rich List 2003, with a fortune of $200 million. In the 2007 Rich List, he came in as the 126th richest man in Australia with a fortune of $310 million.
In 2006 Ilhan founded the Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation. The Foundation is dedicated to promoting research and educating the public about the issues and causes surrounding anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis
Anaphylaxis is defined as "a serious allergic reaction that is rapid in onset and may cause death". It typically results in a number of symptoms including throat swelling, an itchy rash, and low blood pressure...
.
Football
Ilhan was a vocal supporter of the Richmond Football ClubRichmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. He made bids for the board and even offered to buy out Terry Wallace
Terry Wallace
Terry Wallace is a former professional Australian rules football player and coach.As a player, his career spanned three VFL/AFL clubs; most notably Hawthorn where he played in three premierships as well as achieving All-Australian selection, and two Best and Fairests with the Footscray Football Club...
's contract in a bid to improve the team's performance by recruiting Kevin Sheedy.
Philanthropy
Having amassed over $300 million by the young age of 40, John Ilhan became inspired to become a philanthropist, and contribute a large percentage of his earnings to charity. Before his death at the age of 42 in October of 2007, he was recognized as one of the country's most generous philanthropists, having had provided regular donations to a wide range of charitable organizations.Ilhan was able to make these donations through his self-established Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation. The Foundation was established primarily from Ilhan's $1 million donation towards it, and was inspired by his daughter's severe allergy to peanuts.
During his lifetime, the Charity's that the Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation was able to contribute towards include: the Richmond Football Club
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
, Kids Under Cover, The Alfred Hospital
The Alfred Hospital
The Alfred, also known as Alfred Hospital or The Alfred Hospital, is a major hospital in Melbourne, Victoria. It is the second oldest hospital in Victoria, and the oldest Melbourne hospital still operating on its original site...
Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, and Murdoch Children's Research Institute Allergy and Immune Disorders Research Group Department of Allergy and Immunology.
Death
Ilhan died of a suspected heart attack, during a morning walk in Brighton, VictoriaBrighton, Victoria
Brighton is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 11 km south-east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Bayside. At the 2006 Census, Brighton had a population of 20,651...
on 2368753 October 2007, aged 42 but an autopsy later revealed that he was felled by a hereditary heart condition that also claimed the life of his older brother. He left behind a wife Patricia and four children. His final interview was shown on Today Tonight the day before his death. A traditional Islamic funeral
Islamic funeral
Funerals in Islam follow fairly specific rites, though they are subject to regional interpretation and variation in custom. In all cases, however, sharia calls for burial of the body, preceded by a simple ritual involving bathing and shrouding the body, followed by salah...
was held at the Broadmeadows Mosque on 26 October 2007. Among the approximately 3,000 mourners were Ahmed Fahour
Ahmed Fahour
Ahmed Fahour is a business executive currently serving as the Managing Director and CEO of Australia Post and was formerly the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian operations of the National Australia Bank .- Early life and career :...
and Eddie McGuire
Eddie McGuire
Edward Joseph "Eddie" McGuire AM is an Australian television presenter and businessman known for his long association with Australian rules football and the Channel 9 television network....
.