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Korean Alums Welcome Brown

President meets with leaders of business, government, higher ed

| From Commonwealth | By Cynthia K. Buccini

President Robert A. Brown with members of the BUAAK at the prime minister’s residence during his trip to Korea. From left: Patty Lam, BU’s senior director of East Asian relations; Yu Sang Chang, a former faculty member at BU’s School of Management; Scott Nichols, vice president for development and alumni relations; SungEun Han-Andersen (CFA’85), a member of the BU Board of Trustees; Soja Hong (SED’92), wife of Korean Prime Minister Han Seung-Soo; Beverly Brown; Brown; Young Jae Han (GSM’79), BUAAK president; and Young-Chun Cho (SMG’80, GSM’86,’86). Photographs courtesy of BUAAK

President Robert A. Brown met with the University’s most active alumni association last spring when he traveled to Seoul, South Korea, to visit prominent alumni, government officials, leaders of institutions of higher learning, and members of the press. The Boston University Alumni Association of Korea (BUAAK) is the only University alumni network to meet weekly, and members sing the BU song, “Clarissima,” at large gatherings, such as a BUAAK spring general meeting, a BUAAK forum, or an international event.

Brown and his wife, Beverly, attended a tea hosted by Soja Hong (SED’92) and her husband, Prime Minister Han Seung-Soo, at their residence. Hong, who earned a bachelor’s from Korea University, an M.S.W. from the University of Pittsburgh, and an Ed.D. in educational administration from BU, is a former principal of Hye Won High School.

Takayoshi Shimada (CFA’67) and Jai-Sook Lee (CFA’83) lead the BUAAK members and guests in the singing of “Clarissima,” the University’s song.

Brown was an honored guest at an elegant banquet hosted by the BUAAK, which has launched a pan-Asia initiative to engage

University alumni from across the continent. More than 200 alumni, parents, and students attended the banquet, as well as alumni leaders from throughout Asia. The official host for Brown’s visit was Young Jae Han (GSM’79), chair and CEO of DPI Holdings Company and BUAAK president. Han, a 2008 recipient of the BU Graduate School of Management Distinguished Alumni Award, will be honored with a Boston University Alumni Award at Alumni Weekend 2009, in October.

Other prominent alumni and academic leaders who met with the president include Yu Sang Chang, a former faculty member at BU’s School of Management and a professor at the Korea Development Institute School of Public Policy and Management in Seoul; Suk Chae (GSM’90), president of Tonghae Elec­tronics Industries and the incoming BUAAK president; Dong Soo Chin (GRS’81), chair of Korea’s Financial Services Commission; Young-Chun Cho (SMG’80, GSM’86,’86), CEO of KOLON BENIT Company; Choong Bae Kim (CAS’86), president and CEO of Bogo Investment & Development Company; Jae Ho Kim (SMG’88), CEO of Dong-A Ilbo, a major Korean newspaper; Suk Chae Lee (GRS’77,’82), president of KT Group; and Sung-Keun Ryu (GSM’80), presi­dent of Samhwa Printing Company.

Joining Brown on the trip was SungEun Han-Andersen (CFA’85) of New York, New York, a BU trustee and president of G. C. Andersen Family Foundation; Scott Nichols, BU vice president for development and alumni relations; and Patty Lam, BU’s senior director of East Asian relations.

President Robert A. Brown presents an Award of Appreciation to BUAAK president Young Jae Han (GSM’79), who will be honored with a Boston University Alumni Award at Alumni Weekend 2009.

“Boston University has strong ties and history throughout Asia,” says Nichols. "The BUAAK is one of our strongest alumni clubs in the world. Their amazingly warm reception was a reminder of how special our ties with our international alumni are in general and with Korea in particular.”

Brown also met with Nam-Pyo Suh, president of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, and with Moon Ho Suh, president of Ajou University. And he sat down for interviews with Jane Han (COM’04), a reporter with the Korea Times, and with Dae-whan Chang, chair and publisher of Maeil Business Newspaper.

In November, the third annual BU Asian Alumni Festival will take place in Bangkok, Thailand, where alums will tour the city, play golf, and attend a gala.

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