The Ceremony Honouring General Khademi

On April 8, 2000 a significant and lengthy ceremony was arranged by former Iran Air personnel to honor General Khademi. The event was held in Los Angeles, California. A large number of Iran Air employees and their families, the general’s many friends, acquaintances and family as well as some journalists and member of Iranian community in California attended the ceremony. At the honouring ceremony, the guest speaker, Dr. Farhang Mehr, an internationally renowned Iranian dignitary, the former Chancellor of Shiraz Pahlavi University and presently a professor at Boston University as well as nine other speakers talked about Gen. Khademi and paid him their tributes.

The Comments by dignitaries about Gen. Khademi

The Following are some of the comments and messages received from dignitaries on the occasion of General Khademi honoring ceremony:

"I admired him [Gen. Khademi] for his zeal and courage to speed up the building of a modern airline in Iran. I hope that the coming event in Los Angeles shall live up to your expectations and that it will revive the General’s outstanding contributions to the development of aviation in Iran. He deserves so much."

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"He was one of the truly global airline chief executives of the period when he was the head of Iran Air and he exemplified the best in the international air transportation safety field. The world will long remember his many contributions to the safety and efficiency of international air travel.

I extend to you and all those present at his tribute my sincere compliments and best wishes."

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"First of all it is quite rare to find more than a few truly competent managers in any organization, it is even more difficult to find them in Iran, and it is almost impossible for any Iranian government organization. I believe the greatest achievement of Gen. Khademi is that he has found, selected and developed a cadre of truly competent managers and he essentially let them run Iran Air over time. That is the sign of a truly great leader - the quality of people working for him."

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"Good name doesn't come inexpensively, it takes self-sacrifice. One has to be ready to invest with his life and to be in love with his purpose. This is exactly who Gen. Khademi was. He loved Iran, loved his work and achievements, respected values and friendship. He was alive by love."    

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"General Khademi was a leader blessed with vision, purpose and concern. He saw the world that was, as well as the world that could be. He used his talents and abilities to develop better understanding and cooperation in a world of change.

People in aviation see the world much differently than earthbound individuals. Airplanes like birds are not bound by national boundaries. The skies are shared and airplanes bring nations closer to sharing knowledge and expertise among the people of the world. I was privileged to share some of General Khademi’s hopes and dreams for the country of Iran. He was sensitive to educational needs and supportive of programs that improved the opportunities for growth and development of Iran National Airlines' personnel. To me he was a leader committed to his family, his nation and the continued excellence of Iran Air. He was a gracious host and a valued friend."

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"General Khademi was a great mentor of the World Economic Forum and contributed substantially, from the beginning, to give us strong international dimension. I will remember him as an exceptional man."

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"Some of Gen. Khademi's outstanding characteristics were his real love for Iran and his fellow Iranian, his extraordinary ability to remember, his enormous intelligence and knowledge, but above all his humane qualities."   

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"To honor and remember the personality and services of a man that Iran is grateful for his knowledge, capability, dedication, sincerity and honesty is the most appropriate and praiseworthy action. General Khademi’s productive life was exemplary for those who knew him and the memory of his services will remain with the Iran's real nationalists. May his soul be in piece."

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General Khademi was one of the few Iran’s competent managers who could easily sparkle in the highly advanced western countries. He used to manage powerfully yet with absolute good manners. He loved Iran and served it with complete honesty and discrete.

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"Honesty, sincerity, transparency and sensibility in friendship were clearly outstanding characteristics of General Khademi’s personality. Beside possessing a strong management skill and talent, he was a great paradigm of exceptional morality and humanity. His capabilities resulted in making Iran Air one of the world’s first class airline where its name was synonymous with safety and comfort."

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"General Khademi took office as President of IATA for 1970-1971 at the opening of Plenary Session of 26^th Annual General Meeting in Tehran on October 27. That meeting – at which he and his people showed their guests and visitors an unsurpassable friendship and generosity, will never be forgotten by those who attended. And indeed Ali Khademi made many friends in the aviation community and when I say friends, I mean real friends. …… Under General Khademi’s vigorous leadership, Iran Air has become a leading and successful member of the international aviation system."

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"I first met him and became familiar with General Khademi during his tenure as president of the Iran Management Association. The General took his position seriously because he truly believed in the importance of modern management for development of Iran. … I do recall that the Association’s programs (speakers and seminars) became more relevant to the members and membership did increase significantly. My relationship with him deepened when plans for the formation of Iran Center for Management Studies (established in cooperation with the Harvard Business School) progressed. The General was one of the most enthusiastic supporters of the Center. He gave financial support, sent his brightest managers to the MBA Program and the Executive Development Programs, he employed graduates of our school at Iran Air and invited our faculty to write cases and conduct research project at his company. Consequently, he was admired and respect by every faculty member who had the good fortune of meeting him."

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