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2020 & 2022 New American Hero Award Dinner2020 & 2022년 이민자 영웅상 시상 만찬 안내. June 18, 2022 6PM.
American Korean Friendship Society • May 18, 2022
INVITATION
The American Korean Friendship Society cordially invites you and a guest to
our 2022 New American Hero Award Dinner
Date and Time: Saturday, June 18, 2022, 6 p.m.
Location: Cherokee Town Club, 155 West Paces Ferry Road NW, Atlanta, GA
(Free valet parking is available at the main entrance)
Dress: Business Attire
Guest Speaker: Dr. Andrew Young, Former U.S. Ambassador to the U. N.
2022 New American Hero Award Recipient
Dr. Victor Cha
Chair in Asian Studies in School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), former Director for Asian Affairs in the White House’s National Security Council.
2020 New American Hero Award Recipient
Mr. Henry Cho
An American comedian for over three decades famous for his unique brand of clean comedy. His work can be heard nationwide at comedy clubs, SiriusXM Radio, and the Grand Ole Opry. (Mr. Cho was previously slated to receive the 2020 award, which was canceled due to the pandemic.)
2022 Lifetime Achievement Award
Mr. Baik Kyu Kim
Mr. Kim is the President of the Korean American Grocer’s Association, former President of the Korean American Association of Greater Atlanta, and successfully led the fundraising campaign to purchase and build the country’s largest Korean American Community Center.
RSVP to Sharon Woodson at PresidentialOfficePark@gmail or 770-458-7000
Cost: Complimentary for invited members & guest
Since 2000, the American Korean Friendship Society (AKFS) has held an annual dinner presenting its New American Hero Award (NAHA). Awardees of the New American Hero Award are Americans of Korean ancestry who have made significant contributions to the United States, thereby serving as role models and encouraging and empowering Korean Americans to serve their communities, neighborhoods and country.
Past Awardees of the New American Hero Award
- Dr. Tom Kim of Knoxville, Tennessee, who founded the Free Clinic for the Working Poor and has been operating the Clinic for over two decades.
- US Army Lieutenant Colonel John Oh , a medical doctor and retired U.S. Army general surgeon, for his heroic service for his country including his service in Afghanistan where he performed emergency surgery removing an unexploded rocket propelled grenade (RPG) protruding from a wounded soldier’s body.
- Dr. Samuel “Sammy” Lee , the first Asian American to win an Olympic Gold Medal for the United States, and the first man to win back-to-back gold medals (1948 and 1952) in Olympic platform diving.
- US Army Captain Jason Pak, West Point graduate, Captain of the U.S. Army (Ret.) and an elite Ranger, who was wounded by an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan and serves as an inspiration for veterans and civilians alike.
- US Navy Seal James Suh (March 2, 1977 – June 28, 2005), U.S. Navy SEAL, who was part of a dedicated Naval Special Warfare team fighting the Taliban and volunteered to go on a mission to rescue his fellow SEAL members who were trapped by insurgent fire. He was one of 16 troops killed when his MH-47 Chinook helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan.
- US. Army Colonel Young-Oak Kim (January 29, 1919 – December 29, 2005), a highly decorated U.S. Army combat veteran of World War II and the Korean War, a civic and community leader and humanitarian. He was a member of the U.S. 100th Infantry Battalion and 442nd Regimental Combat Team, and a combat leader in Italy and France during World War II.
- Dr. Peter Meong Rhee, c hief of acute care surgery and medical director of the Marcus Trauma Center, an American surgeon, medical professor, and military veteran. During his 24 years in the U.S. Navy, Dr. Rhee served as a battlefield casualty physician in Afghanistan and Iraq.
- Mr. Steve Stirling , the president/CEO of the Medicine Assistant Program (MAP) International, a Christian global health organization that provides medicine, prevents disease and promotes health in some of the world’s poorest countries. MAP International has provided more than $6 billion in medicine and health supplies to communities in need since its inception in 1954.
- Mr. Byung J. “BJay” Pak , former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia, which includes 46 counties in Georgia, including the cities of Atlanta, Gainesville, Rome, and Newnan. Mr. Pak previously served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Georgia and a three-term member of the Georgia General Assembly.
- US Marine Corps Major General Daniel Yoo , Commander of the U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Special Operations Command, or MARSOC, former commander of Special Operations Command Pacific (SOCPAC) and Marine Expeditionary Brigade – Afghanistan (MEB-A), the highest ranking Korean American general officer in the United States military.
Past Awardees of the Lifetime Achievement Award
- The late Mr. Han Choi , former partner at Ballard Spahr in recognition of his leadership, service and passion for the Korean American community over two decades. Han assisted the State of Georgia by encouraging Korean companies to invest in Georgia. Han’s community service included serving as the President of the Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association. the College Football Hall of Fame, Atlanta International Women’s House, Georgia Center for Nonprofits, and Decatur Education Foundation.
- Mr. Jay Eun , co-founder and CEO of Golden Stella and one of the most respected leaders in the Korean American community. Former Chairman of the Korean American Association of Greater Atlanta, and served as a board member, volunteer and supporter of AKFS since 2002.
Board Members and Staff
- Honorable Yoonjoo Park, Consul General, Republic of Korea ( ex officio )
- General Burwell B. Bell, Commanding General, US Forces Korea (Ret.)
- Mr. Frank Blake, Chair, AKFS , Chair, Delta Air Lines
- Mr. Don Chapman, Chair, ChapCo. Investments
- Robert Hall, CEO, HRH Recruiting, Former District Governor, Rotary International
- Honorable Miles E. Davis, U.S. Magistrate Court Judge, Pensacola, Florida
- General Larry Ellis, Commanding General, US Army Forces Command (Ret.)
- Mr. Jay Eun, Chair, Golden Stella, Inc.
- Mr. Paul Kim, Vice President/Secretary, AKFS , Sr. Attorney, U.S. SEC.
- Mr. Bartow Morgan, CEO, Georgia Banking Company
- The Honorable Sam Olens, Dentons, Former Georgia State Attorney General
- Byung “Bjay” Pak, Partner, Alston Bird, former U.S. Attorney, Northern District GA
- Dr. Stanley Shin, Cardiologist, Statesboro Cardiology
- Dr. Roger Tuttero, Economist/Professor, Kennesaw State University
- Mr. Sunny K. Park, President, AKFS , CEJ, General Building Maintenance
Staff
David H, Kang, Program Director; Jessica Ahn, Event Director; Sharon Woodson, Coordinator
Founders
In April 1996, on the eve of 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, the following founding members, concerned citizens of both the U.S. and the Republic of Korea, sought to promote the extraordinary relationship between the peoples of these two countries: founding committee chair, Marine Corps General Raymond G. Davis (Ret.), Medal of Honor recipient; Dr. James Laney, US Ambassador to the Republic of Korea; Dr. Sang-Chul Kim, former Mayor of the City of Seoul; Dr. William Chace, President, Emory University; U.S. Army General William Livsey (Ret.); Mr. John Hemby, Executive Vice President, Southern Company; Dr. Wan-Kyu Cho, former President, Seoul National University; and Mr. Sunny K. Park, CEO, General Building Maintenance, Inc.
Chair Emeritus and Past Chairs
Chair Emeritus: Dr. James Laney, former US Ambassador to Korea
Chair 1996-2000: Dr. William Chace, President, Emory University
Chair 2000-2004: Dr. Wayne Clough, President, Georgia Institute of Technology
Chair 2004-2009: Dr. Betty Siegel, President, Kennesaw State University
Chair 2009-2016: General Larry Ellis, Commanding General, U.S. Army Forces Command (Ret.)
AKFS is a nonprofit and nonpolitical organization www.USKorea.org.
Thanks to Our Sponsors
The Blake Family Foundation
American Korean Friendship Society recognize Americans of Korean heritage for their volunteer works and efforts for Korean American community's advancement with Lifetime Achievement Award each year. The recognition is to appreciate their selfless contributions and encourage other members of the community to also volunteer for the community. AKFS Board unanimously honors Dr. Edward Chang (장태환), professor, the University of California at Riverside for 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award. AKFS recognize Dr. Chang's remarkable contributions and voicing tirelessly for the Korean American community in the past nearly three decades. The Award comes with $5,000 prize from Good Neighboring Foundation which to contribute to a nonprofit organization of the Awardee's choice. Dr. Chang is Professor of Ethnic Studies and founding Director of the Young Oak Kim Center for Korean American Studies at the University of California at Riverside. He earned his B.A. (1982) in Sociology and Ph.D. (1990) in Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley and M.A. (1984) in Asian American Studies at UCLA. Dr. Chang is author of eight books, seven edited volumes, and numerous articles. Professor Chang has studied and been a voice of the Korean community for more than 25 years. He is a leading expert on the Los Angeles Riots, race relations between Korean and African American communities, and Korean Americans. Professor Chang lectured on the topics of Korean-African American Relations and the Los Angeles civil unrest and its impact on the Korean American community at many universities around the country.
AKFS presents the New American Hero Award (NAHA) each year to Americans of Korean ancestry who have made a significant and noteworthy contributions to the United States and have made the immigrant community proud. Immigrants from Korea and Asian countries are well contributed ethnic group in America but seldom recognized as patriot as actual. Since 2005, has recognized thirteen (13) American patriots of Korean heritage with the NAHA. The Board of Directors of the American Korean Friendship Society (AKFS USKorea.org) honors former United States Ambassador Sung Yong Kim for 2024 New American Hero Award. The Award comes with $25,000 prize that will be presented to an American non-profit organization of the honoree's choice on March 15, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. AKFS recognize Ambassador Kim's remarkable contributions made to the United States as a senior diplomat. Ambassador Kim's patriotism and passionate services for the United States enhanced the status of all Americans immigrated from Korea and Asian countries particularly. Sung Yong Kim (김성용) is an American diplomat of Korean ancestry serve the United States as the US Special Representative for North Korea Policy since 2021, and previously from 2014 to 2016. He has also served as the acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. In 2008, Kim was appointed by President George W. Bush as the U.S. Special Envoy for the Six-party talks. He later served in the Obama and Trump administrations as the Ambassador to South Korea from 2011 to 2014 and as the Ambassador to the Philippines from 2016 to 2020. In 2020, Kim was appointed by President Donald Trump as Ambassador to Indonesia. Ambassador Kim retired November 2023 and joined Hyundai Automobile Group as senior advisor.
AKFS honors Ambassador Sung Yong Kim with the 2024 New American Hero Award. AKFS also honors Dr. Edward T. Chang, Professor, University of California, Riverside, with the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award.
성 김 전 주한미국대사, '이민자 영웅상' 수상 이민자 영웅상, 성 김 대사, 한미우호협회, 장태한 교수
The Board of Directors of the American Korean Friendship Society (AKFS) honors former United States Ambassador Sung Yong Kim for 2024 New American Hero Award. The Award comes with a $25,000 prize that will be presented to an American non-profit organization of the honoree's choice on March 15, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia. AKFS presents the New American Hero Award (NAHA) each year to Americans of Korean ancestry who have made significant and noteworthy contributions to the United States and have made the immigrant community proud. Immigrants from Korea and Asian countries are well contributed ethnic group in America but seldom recognized as patriots. Since 2005, has recognized thirteen (13) American patriots of Korean heritage with the NAHA. AKFS recognizes Ambassador Kim's remarkable contributions to the United States as a senior diplomat. Ambassador Kim's patriotism and passionate services for the United States enhanced the status of all Americans immigrated from Korea and Asian countries particularly. Sung Yong Kim (Korean: 김성용) is an American diplomat of Korean ancestry serving as the United States Special Representative for North Korea Policy since 2021, and previously from 2014 to 2016. He has also served as the acting Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs from January to June 2021. In 2008, Kim was appointed by President George W. Bush as the U.S. Special Envoy for the Six-party talks. He later served in the Obama and Trump administrations as the Ambassador to South Korea from 2011 to 2014 and as the Ambassador to the Philippines from 2016 to 2020. In 2020, Kim was appointed by President Donald Trump as Ambassador to Indonesia. Dr. Edward Chang honored for 2024 AKFS Lifetime Achievement AKFS Board unanimously honors Dr. Edward Chang, professor at the University of California, Riverside for 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award. AKFS recognizes Dr. Chang's contributions and voicing tirelessly for the Korean American community in the past nearly three decades. Dr. Chang is Professor of Ethnic Studies and founding Director of the Young Oak Kim Center for Korean American Studies at the University of California at Riverside. He earned his B.A. (1982) in Sociology and Ph.D. (1990) in Ethnic Studies at UC Berkeley and M.A. (1984) in Asian American Studies at UCLA. Chang is the author of eight books, seven edited volumes, and numerous articles. Professor Chang has studied and been a voice of the Korean community for more than 25 years. He is a leading expert on the Los Angeles Riots, race relations between Korean and African American communities, and Korean Americans. Professor Chang lectured on the topics of Korean-African American Relations and the Los Angeles civil unrest and its impact on the Korean American community at many universities around the country. The award gala will be held on Friday 6:00 PM March 15, 2024 at Westin Atlanta North Hotel. 7 Concourse, Sandy Springs, Georgia. Tickets are $500.00 per person and encouraged to purchase as a table sponsorship. Table sponsorships for AKFS Award Gala are available at $25,000, $10,000 and $5,000 levels. All proceeds of table sponsorship and ticket sales will be used to pay for the event, prize for the awardees, strengthen the US-Korea Alliance and advocate American patriotism in the Asian American community. The American Korean Friendship Society, Inc. (AKFS) is a non-profit (81-1408283 IRS Code 501-C-3) and non-political civic organization founded in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia. The Society celebrates and strengthens the unique relationship between the peoples of the Republic of Korea and the United States of America. The Society created the New American Hero Award to recognize Korean American patriots. The Society presents the New American Hero Award each year at the annual banquet. The award is to recognize Americans of Korean ancestry who have made significant and noteworthy contributions to the United States and have made the immigrant community proud. original content: https://gasiantimes.com/2024/01/22/american-korean-friendship-society-honors-sung-yong-kim-for-2024-new-american-heroes-award-and-dr-edward-chang-for-2024-lifetime-achievement-award/?fbclid=IwAR3VeFB5kx5FqdNRHj6Z0YV29GTfjJ4fZ4vn0Oh42ubYnOpJsz53BwcUZtA
view original: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/legislation/document/20232024/218431
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Dr. Victor Cha Chair in Asian Studies in the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University, Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS), and former Director for Asian Affairs in the White House’s National Security Council.