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Mahan Tavakoli on connecting and networking in Our Town region~\n\nLeadership Greater Washington . . . brings people from different backgrounds, different industries, and different parts of our region together. But there's also a connection to meaning . . . All of us want to connect and network, want to do good and have meaning in our work lives, in our networking. So Leadership Greater Washington allows for the senior leaders in the region to address those issues and have meaning in terms of their involvement.\n\nMahan Tavakoli, Servant Leader, Strategic Leadership Ventures and Leadership Greater Washington, and host Andy Ockershausen in-studio interview\n\nAndy Ockershausen:\tThis is Andy Ockershausen. This is Our Town, and I have the opportunity to talk to a wonderful, wonderful man who means so much to this community, to Our Town. He was one of the leading business executives in my estimation. Mahan Tavakoli, welcome to Our Town.\nMahan Tavakoli:\tAndy, thank you very much. I am super excited to be here with you as your guest.\nAndy Ockershausen:\tWell, yeah, I know you've been telling me that and I am so flattered because you're an important man, Mahan. You've made a tremendous impact on this town. So let's talk about pre WMAL, and pre Washington D.C. What was Mahan doing? Are you a native of D.C.?\nMahan Tavakoli - A Washingtonian from Iran\nMahan Tavakoli:\tYeah, so Andy, my parents are from Iran and the first few years of my life I actually lived in Iran.\nAndy Ockershausen:\tOh, you did?\nMahan Tavakoli:\tI did. Yes and-\nAndy Ockershausen:\tOf all these years, Mahan, I never knew that. I never knew that. That's wonderful, I think for your parents.\nMahan's Dad - A Servant Leadership Attitude\nMahan Tavakoli:\tIt is. It is. And we settled. My Dad traveled a lot for his work, but we settled right here in Bethesda on Wilson Lane.\nAndy Ockershausen:\tWow, a thoroughfare. What business was your dad in?\nMahan Tavakoli:\tHe was with ITT when ITT was more of a telecommunications company. So he-\nAndy Ockershausen:\tITT Worldwide.\nMahan Tavakoli:\tThey were worldwide. One of the best that eventually lost some traction. I tend to believe post my dad, they lost some traction.\nAndy Ockershausen:\tI heard a story about the man that was the president of ITT used to drive himself to work and brought his lunch. That's when he made that company great. I'll think of his name, very famous name, head of ITT, International Telephone and Telegraph. Nobody has a telegraph anymore, do they, Mahan?\nMahan Tavakoli:\tNo, they don't and Andy, what you mentioned is actually one of the things that had a big impact on my life. My dad also had a servant leadership attitude with respect to the role of the leader to the organization. So I think that had a big impact for me, as I ended up getting into the business community, I try to emulate a lot of what my dad had done.\nAndy Ockershausen:\tWhat a great role model though. Listen Mahan.\nAndy Ockershausen:\tWhen did you move to D.C.? You spent the first four years of your life in Iran?\nMahan Tavakoli On Growing Up in Our Town\nMahan Tavakoli:\tYes. So right about middle school, right before middle school moved to D.C. Went to Washington International School right out there on Macomb Street.\nAndy Ockershausen:\tOh yeah, that's right.\nMahan Tavakoli:\tFrom there to Whitman, Maryland, Georgetown. So-\nAndy Ockershausen:\tA real local guy.\nMahan Tavakoli:\tAbsolutely. I said I'm not moving anywhere else for the rest of my life. I love it here.\nAndy Ockershausen:\tAll these years I've known you, I never knew that, but I know you were involved in everything. So your dad must have taught you that to get involved and you have done that to a fare thee well. You brought so much to the table.\nOur Town Business Leaders Espouse Responsibility to Give Back to Community\nMahan Tavakoli:\tYeah, there's a big sense of responsibility, Andy, that I have. There is a great privilege that all of us have living in this region,