Ekrem Bardha Explained

Ekrem Bardha
Birth Place:	Kolonje, Albania
Businessman

Ekrem Bardha (born 13 May 1933) is an Albanian American businessman, co-founder of the National Albanian American Council (NAAC), and former owner of Illyria Newspaper.^[1] He is currently serving as Albania's Honorary Consul in Michigan^[2] and is regarded as one of the most successful Albanians in America.^[3]

Early life

Bardha was born in the southern village of Radanj in Kolonjë District, Albania. Having escaped from the strict Albanian communist regime in 1953, after one of his brothers was jailed for political reasons, he settled in the Detroit area and went into the restaurant business. He eventually became the owner of 18 McDonald's fast-food franchises, which grossed over $25 million a year.^[4]

He is the author of 2 books: Far Yet Near Albania, and The Albanian-American Diaspora and the Independence of Kosova, 2023.

References

5. https://exit.al/en/2022/04/01/to-this-british-albanian-success-story-hats-off-to-you-all/

Notes and References

1. Web site: Illyria – The true voice of the Albanians in America . 5 June 2010 . Seven years later, Ekrem Bardha, another activist and businessman, became the owner of the newspaper. . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100527193214/http://www.illyriapress.com/about_us.php . 27 May 2010 .
2. Web site: Consular and Other Offices: The Embassy of the Republic of Albania . embassy.org . Stapleton-Gray & Associates, Inc. . 18 December 2015.
3. Web site: Ekrem Bardha biznesmen në Amerikë. 21 May 2008. 5 June 2010. BBC. Albanian.
4. Web site: Golden Arches to Rise in Tiranë. 29 September 1995. 5 July 2010. Bardha, the owner of McDonald's restaurants in the Detroit area, wants to see the Golden Arches tower over Tiranë as well.. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031613/http://www.luxner.com/cgi-bin/view_article.cgi?articleID=614. 4 March 2016. dead.