Fouad Ashkar

Fouad Ashkar was the Manager of Public Affairs – Community Outreach at DTE Energy. Ashkar is responsible for developing and creating strategic relationships with Multicultural, Faith Based, Community & Business organizations, as well as making strategic connections with influential leaders and business customers. While in his previous position as Manager of Economic Development, Ashkar provided comprehensive economic development services to site consultants, developers, realtors, and business owners in facilitating site selection, and other energy services through the development of retention campaigns and strategies.

Ashkar has more than 40 years of progressive general management and international business experience. He is skilled in Sales & Marketing, Manufacturing Operations, Product & Business Development, and Long-range Planning. Big–picture strategist with attention to detail, results-oriented and decisive leader with proven success.

During his career, Ashkar worked extensively in the Middle East. From 1982 to 1998 he served as a group general manager for a major industrial company in Saudi Arabia. Prior to 1982, he worked as a manufacturing engineer/industrial engineer for General Motors.

Ashkar was born in Lebanon. He arrived in Michigan in 1970 to attend college at Western Michigan University where he earned an undergraduate degree in Industrial/Mechanical Engineering. Later he earned an MBA from Davenport University in Detroit.

Ashkar is the recipient of many awards from community organizations and institutions, including 2015 Heritage Hall of Fame from the International Heritage Foundation.

He is active in several community-based and business organizations. Ashkar is currently on the Board of Directors of the Arab American Chamber of Commerce, Council of Asian Pacific Americans (CAPA) and many others. While in the past he served on Dearborn Area Chamber of Commerce, Global Ties Detroit (formerly International Visitors Council of Metropolitan Detroit Tejara global Business Development Center. Also in the past he served on Garden City Hospital, American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, National Advisory of the Arab American National Museum, US Army Metro Detroit Grassroots Advisory Board, Detroit Regional Chamber Economic Partnership, Michigan Economic Development Association (MEDA).

Ashkar lives in Dearborn Heights, Michigan.