Young Pakistani Entrepreneur
Makes $1 Million Gift
Philadelphia:
Physician-turned-entrepreneur Dr. Raza Bokhari, 39, started
his “great adventure” 16 years ago when he came
to the United States from Pakistan and took his first job
at a start-up pathology lab in North Philadelphia. Located
at Fifth and Lehigh, the lab wasn’t far from Temple
University, a school he knew little about at the time.
Bokhari later became acquainted with Temple and earned his
Executive MBA (EMBA) from the University in 2001. Recently,
he gave back to his former North Philadelphia neighbor when
he pledged $1 million to the University’s Fox School
of Business.
In recognition of his gift, the suite housing the school’s
Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute (IEI) will be
named after him in the new, state-of-the-art Fox School
facility, Alter Hall. The suite will serve as the hub of
staff, faculty and student interaction for the IEI, the
institute that promotes entrepreneurship at Temple .
At the Nov. 30 groundbreaking for Alter Hall, Temple University
President Ann Weaver Hart characterized Bokhari as “a
young graduate of Fox’s MBA … who captures the
spirit of entrepreneurship that has become Fox’s
and Temple ’s calling card.”
Fox School Dean M. Moshe Porat publicly thanked Bokhari,
saying, “As soon as he graduated with his Fox EMBA,
immediately Raza began giving to The Fox School, not only
of his treasury, but also of his very valuable time.
“I can’t think of anyone who better showcases
the power of a Fox MBA than Raza,” Porat said.
Raza also credits his education for his success. “The
education I received in the MBA program has helped me tremendously
in my career. Through my gift, I hope that many other people
like me will have the same opportunities I had.”
Working 20-hour days during his first years in the United
States, Bokhari immersed himself in learning the business
and eventually was recruited to turn around a small, struggling
pathology lab in New Jersey, Lakewood Pathology Associates.
Not only did he turn it around, he later bought it and is
now the president and CEO of a revitalized company that
has expanded into 25 states and was just named one of the
100 fastest-growing privately held companies in the region
(Philadelphia 100® - 2006).
“Like many Temple students, I didn’t come from
a family of business people, but Temple helped teach me
what I needed to know,” says Bokhari, who is also
chairman of the board of Parkway Clinical Laboratories,
a full-service clinical reference laboratory in Bensalem,
PA.
Immediately after graduating from Temple , Bokhari was named
The Fox School’s “Entrepreneur in Residence”
for the 2001-02 academic year.
“I directed my donation to Temple ’s Innovation
and Entrepreneurship Institute because it’s there
that I gathered the wisdom and strength to transform my
entrepreneurial passion into demonstrated business success,”
Bokhari said. “The institute is an incubator for bright
young people who are tomorrow’s innovators and business
leaders. We need more programs like it so that we can remain
competitive as a city, region and country.”
Widely recognized for his passion, innovation and entrepreneurial
zeal, Bokhari is a past recipient of the Philadelphia Business
Journal’s coveted “40 Under 40” award.
In addition to his business responsibilities, Bokhari is
the president for the Pakistani American Public Affairs
Committee, a national, membership-based non-profit whose
mission is to advance and strengthen United States-Pakistan
relations. He is a much-sought-after speaker and has been
interviewed by media outlets locally, nationally and internationally.
With a 109 percent growth rate over the past three years,
Lakewood Pathology Associates has quickly expanded and recently
received $50 million in venture funding to further fuel
growth from a Chicago-based private equity group, Water
Street Healthcare Partners.
“When I first came to Philadelphia, I didn’t
know a lot about Temple University,” Bokhari said.
“However, I soon came to appreciate the important
educational role Temple plays for students both from the
Delaware Valley and across the country. Later, as I worked
toward my MBA, I learned that Temple has one of the most
highly ranked business schools and MBA programs in the country.
“It’s not only a pleasure to support Temple,
I feel as if it’s my obligation,” he continued.
“I have been very successful in the United States,
and Temple played a large role in that success.”
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