Narbeth, PA 1974

Alvar Soosaar volunteers in numerous organizations, including active roles in the Estonian Students Fund (aka Eesti Üliõpilaste Toetusfond USAs), 2012-present, as a board member, investment committee member and scholarship reader; the Racquet Club of Philadelphia, Executive Committee, 2014-present; as an elected member of Eesti Rahvuskomitee Ühendriikides ERKÜ (EANC, former board member), 2014-present. He is currently also a US delegate to Rotalia Fond Eestis, 2015-present, and a delegate to ÜEKN (the Estonian World Council) and Acting Treasurer, 2018-present. Previously, Alvar has been a teacher at the NY Estonian School, and a board member of the N.Y. Estonian House (NY Estonian Educational Association).

Work experience includes his current position as Director of US Investment and Trade at the Estonian Embassy, 2020-present; and Former portfolio manager, RAIT Financial Trust

Former advisor to multiple Estonian companies and investment funds.

Education:
BA, University of Virginia
MBA, University of Oxford (UK).

I would be honored to continue my service with ERKÜ, where I have previously served on the Board, and currently on the Investment Committee, the Strategy Committee, the Elections (Recruitment) Committee, the Mentorship group, and as delegate and acting treasurer to ÜEKN (aka Estonian World Council). ERKÜ has a crucial role as the representative voice of Estonian-Americans in many ways:

to the federal and state governments (particularly via JBANC),

to other ethnic organizations in the US (eg. other Baltic-American groups), - to the Estonian government,

to other countries' Estonian communities either directly or via ÜEKN, et al. I also see we can do more on the business side of Estonian-American relations by building out mentorship of young Estonian-Americans, strengthening networking and investment opportunities for Estonian companies (which in turn bring new Estonians into our community), and working with Baltic and Nordic business organizations to further commercial ties between Northern Europe and North America.

I have attended every annual meeting except one in my time on the Council, and all but two of the monthly meetings when I was serving on the Board. I continue to serve on the Investment Committee (quarterly meetings plus periodic meetings with the external investment manager) and as delegate to ÜEKN (Estonian World Council), where I am acting treasurer. For ÜEKN, the monthly meetings occur during the workday, so I have been able to attend a bit more than half of them.