Book description
John Ilhan: A Crazy Life
tells the fascinating story of John Ilhan -- a working-class immigrant
who overcame incredible odds to become one of the richest men in
Australia. Founder of phenomenally successful mobile telephone company
Crazy John's, Ilhan tragically passed away in 2007 at the age of
forty-two.
As told through the eyes of his family, friends and
colleagues, this poignant biography reveals new insights into the man
behind Crazy John's, the wife and four children he left behind and his
David and Goliath battle with Telstra.
Ilhan's inspirational journey shows how self-belief, passion and a
never-say-die attitude can see you achieve your dreams.
"When you share your life with a true achiever it's hard to
fully comprehend the impact they can have on the broader community.
Unfortunately for my family, I learned about that impact the day John
passed away."
-Patricia Ilhan, co-founder, Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation
"When John passed away we lost a truly wonderful person who was
a giant at everything he did and a truly free spirit. The amazing
thing was he'd only just started to make his mark on the wider community."
-Brendan Fleiter, Chief Executive Officer, Crazy John's
"...he was a migrant from Turkey who grew up in Broadmeadows and
rose to a very senior position in our community. To my mind John lived
until he was 100; he just did it in forty-two years."
-Eddie McGuire, President, Collingwood Football Club
Stephen Dabkowski is a former business editor of
The Age, having worked in the media for almost fifteen years
for various publications including The Sunday Age, the
Herald Sun and The Herald. Stephen is Chief Executive
Officer of the Ilhan Food Allergy Foundation. He also works as a
communications consultant to various companies.
Annie Reid is a Melbourne-based writer. She has written for
The Australian, the Herald Sun, The Age, Leader
Community Newspapers and various property and lifestyle magazines.
Annie also works with a number of corporate clients and non-government organisations.
