Image: Morad Shaker at age 22 in Iran in 1992, in a portrait from his early sporting years.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-iran-1992-age-22-portrait.webp

Morad Shaker at age 22 in Iran, 1992. An archival portrait from his early sporting years.

A LIFE IN PHOTOGRAPHS

Morad Shaker Biography

EARLY YEARS IN IRAN. A LIFE OF ENTERPRISE AND SERVICE.

Founder & President Shaker International Enterprises

This biography follows Morad Shaker’s early years in Iran, his life and work in Hawaii, and the experiences that shaped his continuing commitment to service.

IN HIS OWN WORDS · MORAD SHAKER

A Life Rebuilt, A Fragmented Archive

Morad Shaker

More than three decades ago, I left Iran amid political upheaval, leaving behind tens of thousands of photographs and film recordings from my youth. I arrived in the United States without them and began building a new life.

In the years that followed, I had the privilege of meeting and forming friendships with many prominent and influential people from around the world. Many photographs documenting those encounters, along with images from other chapters of my life, were later lost or became inaccessible.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we closed our multi-million-dollar business. In the upheaval, additional photographs and records were lost with the phones and computers where they were stored. A few images have since reached me from Iran or been recovered from older computers.

This page preserves a small selection from a much larger archive. It offers glimpses of the experiences and relationships that shaped my life, while many others remain unseen because their photographs are no longer available.

IRAN · SPORT & EARLY RESPONSIBILITY

Early Sports Leadership in Iran

The surviving coaching credential states:

“Coach of Junior National Baseball Team.”

Image: Morad Shaker, age 22, in Iran; National Olympic Committee member
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-iran-olympic-committee.jpg

OLYMPIC COMMITTEE MEMBERSHIP

Morad Shaker, age 22, in Iran. He was a member of the National Olympic Committee of Iran.

Image: Morad Shaker’s archival credential identifying him as coach of Iran’s junior national baseball team
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-junior-national-baseball-coach.jpg

JUNIOR NATIONAL BASEBALL

Morad Shaker served as physical coach for Iran’s junior national baseball team. He recalls being announced at the time as the youngest national coach in Iran’s history.

Image: Archival record relating to Morad Shaker’s appointment as chairman of the Cricket Association in Tehran
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-tehran-cricket-association-record.jpg

CRICKET LEADERSHIP IN TEHRAN

Morad Shaker was named chairman of the Cricket Association in Tehran. He recalls being its first chairman.

Shaker recalls being among the pioneers who helped establish baseball, softball, cricket, and chogho federations in Iran.

THE PERSONAL ARCHIVE

PRODUCTION · MANAGEMENT · COMMERCE

An Early Start in the Family Business

Morad Shaker grew up around his father’s Behnam potato-chip factory, one of the early factories of its kind in Iran. From the age of four, he visited the factory and watched its daily work. At ten, he began helping his father; by fourteen, he had taken on a managerial role and helped expand the business.

Shaker was well known among his friends and was invited to gatherings nearly every day. He often brought a large bag of potato chips from the family factory—so large, he recalls, that it could feed about a hundred people. This photograph shows him at age 18 with one of those bags.

His experience later extended to international trade. Shaker recalls arranging the first export of potato chips from Iran to the United Arab Emirates, with one or two shipments before he left the country. The family business gave him an early, practical education in production, management, and commerce.

French fries and potato chips have long been among his favorite foods. After moving to the United States, he stopped eating potato chips because he became concerned about the oils and ingredients used in them.

Image: Morad Shaker at age 18 in Iran, holding a large bag of potato chips from his family’s Behnam factory
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-age-18-iran-behnam-potato-chips.jpg

BEHNAM · THE FAMILY BUSINESS

Morad Shaker, age 18, at a gathering in Iran with a large bag of potato chips from his family’s Behnam factory.

IRAN · THE SPORTING YEARS

SPORT & RESPONSIBILITY

Football, Friendship, and Service in Iran

Morad Shaker was a devoted supporter of Esteghlal, Tehran’s blue-clad football club. Although he could not continue as a player or pursue an official playing career, he remained close to football and developed friendships with some of Iran’s leading players.

One of his closest friends was Abdol Ali Changiz, a star of Iranian football and a leading player in Asia at the time. Their friendship extended to their families. Changiz was eleven years older than Shaker, but Shaker regarded him as an older brother. He remembers their friendship and the opportunity to travel with leading players as a special privilege.

Shaker and Changiz also took part in a football match in a small town in northeastern Iran to support local residents and raise funds for the community.

Image: Morad Shaker in an IR Iran shirt with footballer Abdol Ali Changiz
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-abdol-ali-changiz-iran-football.jpg

WITH ABDOL ALI CHANGIZ

Morad Shaker in an IR Iran shirt with Abdol Ali Changiz, a star of Iranian football and a leading player in Asia during that era.

Image: Morad Shaker with Behtash Fariba in a photograph dated 1990
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-behtash-fariba-1990.jpg

WITH BEHTASH FARIBA

Morad Shaker with Behtash Fariba of Tehran’s Esteghlal FC, in a photograph dated 1990 in his personal archive.

Image: Morad Shaker and Abdol Ali Changiz at a community football match in northeastern Iran
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-abdol-ali-changiz-northeastern-iran-match.jpg

A COMMUNITY FOOTBALL MATCH

Morad Shaker and Abdol Ali Changiz at a football match in a small town in northeastern Iran, held to support local residents and raise funds for the community.

Football, friendship, and service in Iran.

THE TEAM PHOTOGRAPHS

Sporting Diplomacy in Iran

Bringing embassy and international company teams together through sport

At age 22, Morad Shaker was entrusted by the Secretary General of Iran’s National Olympic Committee with an honorary, volunteer role organizing and managing sporting tournaments for embassy teams and foreign residents in Iran. He arranged a tournament for Japanese company teams, including Toyota, Marubeni, Mitsubishi, and Sumitomo. Shaker recalls it as the first tournament of its kind in Iran.

He carried out this responsibility in an honorary and voluntary capacity, not as a paid employee of the National Olympic Committee, a sports federation, or Tehran’s sports organization.

Image: Morad Shaker with a Japanese company team at Azadi Stadium in Tehran
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-japanese-company-team-azadi-stadium-iran.jpg

JAPANESE COMPANY TEAM

Morad Shaker with a Japanese company team at Azadi Stadium in Tehran during a company tournament he managed.

Image: Morad Shaker with the Marubeni team at Azadi Stadium in Tehran
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-marubeni-team-azadi-stadium-iran.jpg

THE MARUBENI TEAM

Morad Shaker with the Marubeni team at Azadi Stadium. Dr. Zolfagharian, Secretary General of the Iran Baseball Federation, and the President of Iran’s Softball Federation are also pictured.

An honorary, voluntary sporting role.

MEMORIES FROM THE TEAM YEARS

A CHAPTER IN PHOTOGRAPHS

Ahead of His Time: Leading Iran’s Cricket Team to Sharjah

An honorary sporting role that brought an Iranian team to an international friendly in 1994.

In 1994, at age 25, Shaker took Iran’s national cricket team to Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates for a friendly match. Cricket was still at an early stage in Iran, and the team he assembled included only one or two Iranian players. Most were Indian, Pakistani, and South African businesspeople and diplomats living in Iran, brought together to represent the country. The match was played at 1 a.m. in Sharjah.

Shaker recalls serving as the first chairman of the Cricket Association in Tehran and carried out his sports work in an honorary, voluntary capacity. He was not a paid employee of the National Olympic Committee or a sports organization. For him, organizing the team and representing Iran through sport was a source of pride for himself and his family.

Image: Morad Shaker, age 25, with the Iran national cricket team in 1994; Dr. Zolfaghari stands behind him
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-iran-national-cricket-team-1994.jpg

IRAN TEAM · 1994

Morad Shaker, age 25, with the Iran national cricket team in 1994. Standing behind him is Dr. Zolfaghari, identified in Shaker’s archive as Secretary-General of Iran’s Baseball, Softball, Cricket, and Chogo federations.

Image: Morad Shaker with Iran’s national cricket team in Sharjah during a 1 a.m. friendly match in 1994
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-iran-cricket-team-sharjah-1994.jpg

THE SHARJAH FRIENDLY

Morad Shaker with Iran’s national cricket team in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, in 1994. The team included Indian, Pakistani, and South African businesspeople and diplomats living in Iran. The friendly match was played at 1 a.m.

HAWAII · THE BUSINESS YEARS

ROYAL HAWAIIAN LIMOUSINE

Royal Hawaiian Limousine: The Work of My Heart

Gold and black were more than colors to me; they were a culture.

For nearly 20 years, Royal Hawaiian Limousine was more than a business to Morad Shaker—it was a creation of the heart. He built the company into a distinguished luxury transportation service with a substantial fleet and a 35,000-square-foot office, serving diplomats, international stars, prominent business leaders, and other high-profile clients.

The company closed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Losing a business he had built over many years was one of the most painful chapters of Shaker’s life. These photographs preserve a glimpse of the company, its people, and the work he cared deeply about.

Image: Royal Hawaiian Limousine logo created for Morad Shaker’s company
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/royal-hawaiian-limousine-logo-morad-shaker.jpg

THE COMPANY LOGO

Royal Hawaiian Limousine’s logo, created by Morad Shaker.

Image: Two Royal Hawaiian Limousine team members in company attire
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/royal-hawaiian-limousine-team-members-hawaii.jpg

THE TEAM MEMBERS

Two Royal Hawaiian Limousine employees.

Image: Royal Hawaiian Limousine Mercedes-Benz on Oahu’s North Shore
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/royal-hawaiian-limousine-mercedes-oahu-north-shore.jpg

OAHU’S NORTH SHORE

A Royal Hawaiian Limousine Mercedes-Benz on Oahu’s North Shore.

Image: A portion of the Royal Hawaiian Limousine vehicle fleet in 2010
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/royal-hawaiian-limousine-fleet-2010.jpg

THE FLEET · 2010

A portion of the company’s fleet in 2010.

Image: Royal Hawaiian Limousine poster featuring a company sedan and chauffeur
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/royal-hawaiian-limousine-vip-service-poster.jpg

VIP & DIPLOMATIC SERVICE

Royal Hawaiian Limousine service for diplomats and VIP clients.

Image: Royal Hawaiian Limousine chauffeurs standing beside a company vehicle
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/royal-hawaiian-limousine-chauffeurs-standby.jpg

CHAUFFEURS ON STANDBY

Chauffeurs chatting while on standby.

Image: Bright-gold metal Royal Hawaiian Limousine business card
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/royal-hawaiian-limousine-gold-metal-business-card.jpg

THE GOLD COMPANY CARD

The company’s first gold metal business card.

Image: Royal Hawaiian Limousine supervisor standing beside a company sedan
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/royal-hawaiian-limousine-supervisor-sedan.jpg

THE SUPERVISOR

A Royal Hawaiian Limousine supervisor on standby.

Image: Royal Hawaiian Limousine wordmark in gold
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/royal-hawaiian-limousine-gold-wordmark.jpg

GOLD COMPANY BRANDING

A Royal Hawaiian Limousine logo, created with care by Morad Shaker.

THE BASKETBALL ARCHIVE

Aloha Among Friends: Morad Shaker and the Lakers

As president and owner of Royal Hawaiian Limousine, I was fortunate to build friendships with remarkable people from around the world. Among them were members of the Los Angeles Lakers, including basketball icons Kobe Bryant and Robert Horry. These photographs, taken at Hilton Hawaiian Village in Honolulu around 2010, preserve a few personal memories from my years in Hawaii.

Image: Morad Shaker pictured with a group of Los Angeles Lakers players in Honolulu, circa 2010.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-lakers-friends-honolulu-2010.webp

FRIENDS FROM THE LAKERS

Morad Shaker with friends from the Los Angeles Lakers in Honolulu, circa 2010.

Image: Morad Shaker standing with Robert Horry in Honolulu, Hawaii, circa 2010.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-robert-horry-hawaii-2010.webp

WITH ROBERT HORRY

Morad Shaker with his friend Robert Horry at Hilton Hawaiian Village.

Image: Morad Shaker pictured with a Lakers player in Hawaii.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-lakers-friend-hawaii-2010.webp

A PERSONAL MOMENT

A personal moment with a Lakers friend during Morad Shaker’s Hawaii years.

Image: Morad Shaker standing with Kobe Bryant in Honolulu, Hawaii, circa 2010.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-kobe-bryant-honolulu-2010.webp

WITH KOBE BRYANT

Morad Shaker with his friend Kobe Bryant in Honolulu, circa 2010.

Image: Morad Shaker pictured with a Lakers player in a photograph from his personal archive.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-lakers-friend-personal-archive.webp

A FRIENDSHIP REMEMBERED

A friendship remembered from Morad Shaker’s years in Hawaii.

PEOPLE & OCCASIONS

Hawaii: A Chapter of Friendship and Community

During nearly three decades in Hawaii, I was privileged to form friendships with public servants, community leaders, artists, and families throughout the islands. These photographs preserve a few personal moments from that chapter of my life.

These photographs document personal encounters and do not imply endorsement.

Image: Morad Shaker and Alex Shaker pictured with Duke Aiona, then lieutenant governor of Hawaii.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-alex-shaker-duke-aiona-hawaii.webp

WITH DUKE AIONA

Morad Shaker and Alex Shaker with then-Lieutenant Governor Duke Aiona of Hawaii.

Image: Morad Shaker and his wife pictured with Linda Lingle, then governor of Hawaii.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-wife-linda-lingle-hawaii.webp

WITH LINDA LINGLE

Morad Shaker and his wife with then-Governor Linda Lingle.

Image: Members of the Shaker family pictured with U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/shaker-family-senator-daniel-akaka-hawaii.webp

WITH DANIEL K. AKAKA

The Shaker family with U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka.

Image: The Shaker family with Senator Daniel K. Inouye and Marjaneh Shaker at a family gathering.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/shaker-family-senator-daniel-inouye-hawaii.webp

WITH DANIEL K. INOUYE

The Shaker family with U.S. Senator Daniel K. Inouye and Marjaneh Shaker, Morad’s daughter and Ambassador of Goodwill Hawaii.

Image: The Shaker family pictured with Duke Aiona, lieutenant governor of Hawaii.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-family-duke-aiona-hawaii.webp

A FAMILY FRIENDSHIP

The Shaker family with Lieutenant Governor Duke Aiona.

Image: Morad Shaker pictured with Chelsea Clinton at a public gathering in Hawaii.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-chelsea-clinton-hawaii.webp

WITH CHELSEA CLINTON

Morad Shaker with Chelsea Clinton, daughter of former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

Image: The Shaker family pictured with Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell during a visit with Alex Shaker.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/shaker-family-mayor-kirk-caldwell-honolulu.webp

WITH KIRK CALDWELL

The Shaker family with Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell; Alex Shaker, age seven, was honorary mayor for 30 minutes.

Image: Morad Shaker pictured with Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-carly-rae-jepsen-hawaii.webp

WITH CARLY RAE JEPSEN

Morad Shaker with Canadian singer Carly Rae Jepsen.

THE WIDER PERSONAL ARCHIVE

EXPERIENCES & OCCASIONS

An Unforgettable Shark Encounter in Hawaii

A rare moment in open water.

Among the greatest experiences of my life has been encountering animals in their natural environment. In Hawaii, an open-water encounter with a shark—without a cage—became unforgettable. Work left little time for surfing, swimming, or fishing, but this moment remains close to my heart.

Image: Morad Shaker underwater during an open-water shark encounter in Hawaii.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-open-water-shark-encounter-hawaii.webp

AN OPEN-WATER ENCOUNTER

Morad Shaker during an open-water shark encounter in Hawaii, without a cage.

HAWAIʻI · TOURISM & EDUCATION

SKÅL INTERNATIONAL HAWAIʻI

Connecting University Students with Hawaiʻi’s Tourism Industry

As a board member of Skål International Hawaiʻi, I took part in connecting university students with professionals in the travel and tourism industry. These experiences brought students into contact with hospitality and tourism leaders and gave them opportunities to learn about the industry.

Skål International is an established global professional association for travel and tourism leaders. Its Young Skål program connects students and young professionals with experienced members and the wider industry.

Image: Morad Shaker seated with 16 University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa students and Hawaiʻi tourism and hospitality professionals at a Skål gathering.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-skal-hawaii-university-tourism-students.webp

A UNIVERSITY GATHERING

Morad Shaker, a board member of Skål International Hawaiʻi, with 16 University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa students and Hawaiʻi tourism and hospitality leaders at a student gathering.

Image: University of Hawaiʻi tourism students stand beside an aircraft at the Pearl Harbor Historic Site during an educational visit organized by Morad Shaker.
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/university-hawaii-tourism-students-pearl-harbor.webp

A PEARL HARBOR STUDENT VISIT

International tourism students, most from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, visit Pearl Harbor on an educational outing organized by Morad Shaker. Royal Hawaiian Limousine operated tours to this historic site.

HAWAII · HOME & FAMILY

PORTLOCK · HONOLULU

A Paradise Called Hawaii

Address: 282 Portlock Road, Honolulu, HI 96825

For nearly three decades, Hawaii was my home. In Portlock, one of Oahu’s most beautiful coastal neighborhoods, my home stood near the water on nearly 17,000 square feet of land, with 5,000 square feet of living space. It had a swimming pool, tennis court, sunset deck, barbecue house, game room, movie theater, and gym. The children loved it so much they hardly wanted to leave. There are many beautiful places in the world, but none can take Hawaii’s place in my heart.

In 2020, the pandemic brought that chapter to a close. I let go of the life I had built and turned toward a larger mission: serving humanity beyond one family, city, community, group, or country.

Save all. Serve all.

Image: Nighttime front view of Morad Shaker’s home in Portlock, Honolulu
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-portlock-hawaii-home-night-exterior.jpg

THE PORTLOCK HOME

The Portlock home in Honolulu, photographed at night.

Image: Illuminated entrance and courtyard of Morad Shaker’s Portlock home in Hawaii
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-portlock-hawaii-home-entrance.jpg

THE ILLUMINATED ENTRANCE

The illuminated entrance of the Portlock home.

Image: Aerial view of the swimming pool and tennis court at Morad Shaker’s Portlock home
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-portlock-hawaii-home-pool-tennis-court.jpg

POOL & TENNIS COURT

An aerial view of the swimming pool and tennis court.

Image: Aerial view of Morad Shaker’s Portlock home with the surrounding Honolulu coastline
Image URL: https://www.moradshaker.com/images/biography/morad-shaker-portlock-hawaii-home-coastal-aerial-view.jpg

A COASTAL HOME

The Portlock home and its coastal surroundings.

THE RECENT YEARS

A MOMENT OF CHANGE

The Turning Point

From building businesses to serving humanity.

In 2020, the pandemic brought the Royal Hawaiian Limousine chapter to a close. After nearly two decades of building the company in Hawaiʻi, I began to consider a different direction for my life and work.

I spent nearly a year in Puerto Rico to reflect, study, and plan. I was away from my family, my children, my friends, and the life I had built in Hawaiʻi.

That period marked a turning point: from building businesses to serving humanity. I turned toward a larger mission of service beyond one family, city, community, group, or country.

TECHNOLOGY & HUMANITARIAN SERVICE

Image: Official Shaker Global Poverty Reduction Ecosystem logo
Image URL: https://www.sgpre.org/images/sgpre-official-logo.svg

TRANSPARENCY OPPORTUNITY SERVICE

A GLOBAL HUMANITARIAN PLATFORM

Shaker Global Poverty Reduction

Shaker Global Poverty Reduction Ecosystem

The Shaker Global Poverty Reduction Ecosystem (SGPRE) is a technology platform designed by Morad Shaker to expand opportunity, improve transparency, and support sustainable poverty reduction on a global scale.

Its focus brings together transparency, equal opportunity, accountability, and innovative digital systems in support of global humanitarian initiatives.

A CONTINUING COMMITMENT TO SERVICE

Ten Initiatives

Education. Integrity. Compassion. Service.

Image: Shaker International Scholarship Programs official logo
Image URL: https://www.shakerinternationalscholarshipprograms.org/images/service-grid/sisp-logo.png