Born in Izmir, Turkey in 1952, Ergün Kırlıkovalı earned a B.S. in Chemistry from Bogazici University, Istanbul, in 1974. He interned in Austria (1973) and Holland (1974) before completing an M.S. in Polymer Science at the University of Manchester, England, in 1975. Kırlıkovalı worked for polymer companies in San Francisco (1978-1981), New York (1982-1985), and Los Angeles (1985-present). In 1985, he founded his own company specializing in polymer coatings for stealth technology in fighter aircraft like the B2 and F35. Active in the community, he was president of the Assembly of Turkish American Associations (2011-2013) and received numerous awards, including “Exemplary Turkish-American Citizen of the Year” in 2018. His hobbies include folk dancing, travel, and historical research. He is married with one son and resides in Southern California.