culturally wired for
culturally wired for business How culture has influenced our entrepreneurial efforts By Vanessa Denha Garmo When describing the Chaldean culture one would be sure to mention the fact that Chaldeans have close family ties and are entrepreneurs. But what most people may not have studied or even realized is how the two are intertwined. At least no one has studied this until now. Charles (Chuck) Spurlock, a professor at Oakland University, in 2003 began to research the Chaldean community for his Ph.D. program in sociology at Michigan State University. He first connected with Chaldean Americans Reaching and Encouraging (CARE). Through CARE he met several Chaldeans and interviewed 56 men and women for his study. “The Chaldeans I spoke with mentioned the importance of taking care of parents or helping siblings,” said Spurlock. “This obligation is carried so far as to place the family first and the person second. Fathers and older brothers often delayed their personal interest to foster the welfare of the family. Sometimes this meant foregoing potentially lucrative professional careers. And in many cases, the collective efforts entailed the cooperation of all family members, who supported family businesses with long hours of hard work.” The entrepreneurial lifestyle of the community is not surprising. According to a study commissioned by the Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce and conducted by Walsh College and the United Way, more than 60 percent of Chaldeans own at least one business. However, the connection between culture and business success is not widely known. Spurlock listened as Chaldeans talked him through their Iraqi life stories as they relayed their personal accounts about business-building efforts from Telkaif to Baghdad. He discovered that this entrepreneurial zeal remains a vital component to their personal identity, which paid huge dividends in maintaining their cultural roots in the United States. By being great at business, Chaldeans have contributed to the founding of their churches, social organizations and political clubs in the Detroit metropolitan area. “It is hard not to have a place to be strictly Chaldean,” said Spurlock. He studied the social networks of the Chaldean community and how families meet endlessly. “It became clear to me that Chaldeans rely on family or kinship ties to accomplish what is perhaps an impossible task — to maintain a distinctive community for 100 years in the United States without losing their ethnic identity to the pull Photos by David Reed of American mainstream culture. I was simply amazed.” Mark Kassa is not surprised by Spurlock’s findings. His family’s entrepreneurial roots were planted by his grandfather, David Kassa, who partnered with his brother Jack to open a store called 2nd and Brainard Market. In 1952, David opened another store, Shop Rite Market in Detroit, which he operated for more than 10 years. In 1966 David’s two sons, George and Joe, carried on the tradition by partnering with the purchase of K & G at Gercheval and Garland in Detroit. The two brothers met Chaldean women and married, had Above: Heartland Market’s Mark Kassa chats with Sam Baillo Left: Raad and Ryan Kathawa at Ryan’s Foods. their own children, and their children are today partners with each other. Mark is partners today with Dave Kassa, Phillip Kassa, Paul Kassa and Christopher Kassa — all grandchildren of the elder David Kassa. The Chaldean News caught up with him at Heartland Market in Farmington Hills. “We are a team,” said Kassa as he explained the reason for the family’s business success. “Our biggest attribute is trust.” They may not always agree just like siblings, cousins and partners, but their mutual respect for their family, their culture and their identity is what binds them. “We know there is an ultimate BUSINESS continued on page 28 26 CHALDEAN NEWS JULY 2010
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