Yusuf Ziya Yılmaz

Yusuf Ziya Yılmaz (born August 28, 1951) is a Turkish engineer and politician who served as the mayor of Samsun Metropolitan Municipality between 1999 and 2018. Yılmaz succeeded Muzaffer Önder, who served as mayor between 1989 and 1999. Yılmaz is remembered for his leadership during a time of significant reform and development in Metropolitan Samsun.

Early life Yılmaz was born in the Çarşamba district of Samsun in 1951. After completing his primary, secondary and high school education in Samsun, he graduated from Yıldız Technical University Mechanical Engineering Department, which was then called Istanbul State Engineering and Architecture Academy. Yılmaz started his career as a highway engineer in 1975. After working in Samsun for six years, he was appointed to the 17th Regional Directorate of Istanbul Highways. Yılmaz, who also presided over Samsunspor for 1.5 years during his first term as mayor. He resigned from his the Motherland Party before the 2004 elections and joined Ak Party on 18 November 2003. Yılmaz, who was nominated as the Ak Party candidate for the mayorship of Samsun. On February 14, 2004, he was re-elected mayor, receiving 46.30% of votes.

Yılmaz was nominated for the third time for the 2009 local elections on January 12, 2009. He comfortably won a third term with 48.45% of the votes. During this period of his presidency, the 16-kilometer Samsun Tram began service to great fanfare. On December 3, 2013, Yusuf Ziya Yılmaz was nominated for a fourth term during the 2014 Turkish local elections.

Yılmaz's legacy in Samsun is one of rapid economic development, urbanization and public works projects. During his mayoralty, several major boulevards, the Samsun Tram, Piazza Samsun , Samsun 19 Mayıs Stadium, Samsun Stadium, University of Samsun, and Sheraton Hotel Samsun.

Parliament Yılmaz, resigned from his position as mayor on April 26, 2018, in order to become a parliamentary candidate on behalf of Ak Party. He elected to the Turkish Grand National Assembly as a Samsun deputy in the 2018 Turkish parliamentary election.

Personal life Yusuf Ziya Yılmaz is married to Semiha Yılmaz, a former history teacher. The couple has no children.