Community News (V12-I44)

Mahmud Huq, founder & CEO, MTBC

MTBC is a healthcare IT company specialising in medical billing. It is ranked number 353 on Technology Fast 500 , Deloitte’s ranking of 500 of the fastest growing technology, media, telecommunications, life sciences and clean technology companies in North America. Rankings are based on the percentage of fiscal year revenue growth during the period from 2005-2009. MTBC grew 248% during this period.

The growth is due to the vision and leadership of its founder & CEO Mahmud Huq. Prior to founding MTBC, Mr. Haq served as CEO and President of Compass International Services Corporation from 1997-1999 (NASDAQ:CMPS). From 1985 to 1996, Mr. Haq served as Vice President of Global Risk Management for American Express. Mr. Haq is a graduate of Bridgewater State College (Massachusetts) with a BS in Aviation Management and he has earned an MBA from Clark University (Massachusetts) with a concentration in Finance.

Long Island Muslims worry after vandal attacks

LONG ISLAND,NY–Muslim leaders in Long Island have expressed their concerns after two recent vandal attacks at the Huntington Mosque in a week. Last Wednesday a jar of nails was tossed outside the mosque. Another was tossed this Tuesday.

A mosque official reportedly said that other acts of vandalism have occurred at the mosque in recent months, however Suffolk County police were only contacted after last week’s incident. No arrests have been made.

Hate crimes detectives are investigating the incidents. In the meanwhile local Muslim leaders are holding a series of meetings with law enforcement officials and interfaith leaders.

Temecula mosque finds broad support

RIVERSIDE,CA–Representatives of the Christian, Jewish and Baha’i religions expressed their support for a proposed Temecula mosque during an interfaith gathering Tuesday night.

“Religious intolerance is ugly, it is evil and it cannot happen in Temecula,” said the Rev. Dominic Rivkin of Trinity Lutheran Church, the Press Enterprise reported.

The gathering at the Temecula Community Recreation Center was hosted by the Interfaith Council of Murrieta and Temecula Valley. Called “Getting to Know the Muslims,” it drew more than 100 people to learn about Islam and the Islamic Center of Temecula Valley, which wants to build what would become a 25,000-square-foot mosque near Nicolas and Calle Medusa roads.

The council is a coalition of houses of worship in Murrieta and Temecula dedicated to promoting religious harmony and understanding. The center, which has existed for 12 years and serves more than 100 families, is a member.

Muslim trucker settles lawsuit with company

PHILADELPHIA,PA–A spokeswoman from Schneider National Inc. says a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by a Muslim truck driver has been settled.

In a comment made to  WTAQ, Janet Bonkowski says:

“Schneider National has been and will continue to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.  Schneider is steadfastly committed to its core values and treats people with dignity and respect. We have addressed the claims Mr. Reddy has made as part of such litigation, consistently with these values, and the matter has been resolved.”

In the civil rights lawsuit filed in Pennsylvania, 35-year-old Vasant Reddy claims it’s against his religion to, “consume, possess or transport alcohol or tobacco,” according to the Philadelphia Daily News.
Reddy says he told his supervisors at the Philadelphia branch of the Green Bay-based trucking firm as much when he was hired in May 2009. Company officials told him they could accommodate his beliefs, but then Reddy was assigned to transport a deliver of Miller Lite, according to his attorney Justin Swidler.

After complaining, Reddy’s supervisor allegedly told him that his refusal to transport the beer was an “operational violation” and he would be fired.

Swidler indicates fewer than 5 percent of Schneider’s transports contain alcohol and, therefore, accommodating Reddy’s religious beliefs wouldn’t have been hard for the company.

St.Louis students raise funds for Pakistan flood relief

St.Louis, MO–The devastating floods of Pakistan have almost disappeared from the mainstream media. But to those affected the nightmare cointinues. Muslim students at a St.Louis college, however, have not forgotten the victims and are raising funds to help them out.

“I thought maybe having the flood event/fundraiser would help somewhat, not a lot, but maybe we can help some people who really need food, clean water, medicine, shelter, you name it,” said Abbas Ali, president of the Muslim Student Association at St.Louis College-Meramec.

Proceeds from the event will be sent to Pakistan through the American Physicians of Pakistani Descent of North America. APPNA has supported previous efforts like Haiti, Katrina and Pakistan’s earthquake reliefs.

The Pakistani Flood, which has claimed more than 2,500 lives and affected more than 20 million people has caused approximately $4 billion in structural damage, according to a report done by Ball State University in August 2010.

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