Nawzad Othman

Nawzad Othman was born in Ebril into a Kurdish family with deep connections to the history and evolution of the Kurdistan region. Nawzad emigrated to the US when he was 18. Nawzad earned his Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from South Dakota State University; and his Master of Urban and Regional Studies from Mankato State University and gained considerable experience as a transportation engineer, bridge and airport design engineer in the Midwest and Oregon, including serving as director of Public Works and Planning for the City of Lake Oswego before striking out on his own.

Nawzad cofounded Otak, Inc., in 1981, one of Oregon’s largest and most respected architecture and engineering firms, with over 300 employees in Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Colorado, and Abu Dhabi, UAE and served as CEO of the company for 30 years until his retirement this year. Under Nawzad’s leadership, the firm developed a reputation for excellence in smart growth planning, sustainable design and  development, and innovative transportation solutions. In 2012, Nawzad created The Othman Group to assist clients in the Pacific Northwest and the Middle East with business strategies, investment opportunities and sustainable practices. The firm’s associates work from offices in Portland, Oregon, Erbil, Iraq, and Abu Dhabi, and the United Arab Emirates.

His father Ahmed Uthman was the first governor of Erbil after independence and his portrait continues to hang today in the “ Saray “ of the present governor. His father was also the first Kurd to become a senator in Baghdad in 1929.