Dr. Zafar I. Kayani, Chairman

Dr. Kayani holds a Ph.D in Economics from Washington State University, U.S.A., and has taught at universities in Pakistan, Bahrain, and Canada. He currently teaches at York University, Toronto, and Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario. His main areas of instruction encompass macroeconomic policies, financial markets and Islamic banking and finance. He has authored many scholarly articles and edited books. Dr. Kayani participated and organizing international conferences and workshops in the Islamic banking and finance and economic disciplines in Pakistan, Bahrain, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, U.S.A. and Canada.

Dr. Kayani has served and volunteered in several community forums. He has been serving as a member of the Board of Directors (Majlis) of ISNA Canada. He is a founding member and the Chair of the Board of Directors of the ISNA Housing Co-operative.

Jay Uthman Manoharan, Vice Chairman

Mr. Manoharan, in his current role as Managing Partner of Energy Associates International, is responsible for business development and commodity energy operations practice in North America, Africa and Asia-Pacific.  A graduate in Mechanical Engineering from University of Alberta in 1993, Mr. Manoharan has previous formal training in business from Melbourne University. Prior to his present position, Mr. Manoharan held management positions for over 8 years with various wholesale energy marketer and producers competing in deregulated electricity and natural gas markets in North America. His management responsibility included the profitability of a $2.6 billion energy commodity-trading portfolio billion in highly volatile electricity and natural gas markets. Mr. Manoharan is a registered professional engineer with more than 10-years experience in utility and demand-side load management, and energy efficiency and asset-driven performance contracting, which complement his energy supply management expertise.

Mr. Manoharan is also a director and managing partner of Binoid Equities Corporation, Calgary, which owns operating assets in the oil and gas production sector in Western Canada, and property development projects in North and Central America.       

Abdul Qayyum Vance, Secretary              

Mr. Abdul Qayyum Vance holds two master degrees in Economics, one from the Punjab University Lahore and the second from the Williams College, USA. Presently he is pursuing a CGA. Mr. Vance holds certificates in Islamic banking & finance and in Islamic banking product development.

Mr. Vance has more than 20 years experience in economic research and analysis working as an Economist in different capacities at the State Bank of Pakistan. Working in higher-middle management position, he was member of monetary policy team for four years. He has also written a number of research reports and papers on policy analysis for monetary and fiscal policies formulation. Mr. Vance edited a book on the financial system being used as text handbook by the Institute of Bankers of Pakistan. He also translated a book on Islamic Finance published by the Islamabad office of IIIT Virginia USA. For the past three years, he has been working in the field of education in British Columbia. Mr. Vance is also CEO of a consultancy company and a freelance consultant in education and business management. He has written a series of articles to enhance the Community’s understanding of Islamic financing.

Tauqeer Hassan, Treasurer

Mr. Hassan is a graduate from RCC School of Electronics Technology with an Honours Electronic Engineering Technologist Diploma. Mr. Hassan is currently working with Bell Canada and has been involved with ISNA Canada for the past 11 years. Mr. Hassan is the Treasurer of the Co-operative.

Khalid Tarabain

Mr. Khalid Tarabain is a graduate of Northern Alberta Institute of Technology Telecommunication Department. Mr. Tarabain has worked with and headed various Muslim Organizations including, but not limited to, being a Youth Director of the Canadian Islamic Centre, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Edmonton Islamic School, a Founder of Islamic Funeral Society, Founder of the Inter-Mosques Council of Edmonton, a coordinating body between mosques, such as Eid Prayers, conferences, and other Islamic activities, member of the Islamic Family and Social Services Board, Co-founder of Edmonton Council of Muslim Communities and President of the Canadian Islamic Centre in 1993 and reelected in 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, and from 2005 to the present. Mr. Tarabain formed the Islamic Funeral Society, a society that takes care of all aspect of Islamic burials. The Society purchased 80 acres of land and developed an Islamic Cemetery. Mr. Tarabain served as a Member of Islamic Family and Social Services Board for four years, a society formed to help Citizens in need and was Co-Founder of the Edmonton Council of Muslim Communities, which acts as a lobby for the Muslims and represents all Muslims in Edmonton in the areas of: public policy, education, media, leadership, and interfaith.

Mr. Tarabain is a recipient of Alberta Centennial Gold Medal which honours outstanding Albertans who contributed to the success of their communities. He is also a recipient of Alberta Volunteer Awards.

Dr. Rizwan Tahir   

Dr. Rizwan holds a Ph.D. in Economics from McMaster University, Canada, and is currently teaching at Ryerson University. Dr. Rizwan has taught economics/finance courses at Universities in Canada, Malaysia, Bahrain and Pakistan. He participated in organizing international seminars and workshops on topics related to Islamic banking and finance while associated with the Institute of Policy Studies, Islamabad, Pakistan. Dr. Rizwan was an active member of the executive committee of Thunder Bay Muslim Association from 1998 to 2000, and he has been a member of Islamic Society of North America since 2008.