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| Dr. Ki-Hyun Chun grooves to the song performed by Silver Moon Rising |
by Susan Palmes-Dennis
IT was entertaining to look at the leader who started the Asian festival 14 years in the Carolinas dancing up a storm yesterday.
Dr. Ki-Hyun Chun of Chun Industries whose businesses include the Asian Herald was dancing to Silver Moon Rising's rendition of that classic disco song “I Will Survive” inside a makeshift building along with many others.
Chun wore a white polo-shirt with tie and black pants and sat with a friend when a lady got him to join the others in dancing to the disco tune.
Dr. Chun, Ph.D., LL.D., CCIM, CPA, is the founder, president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Chun Group, Inc. Dr. Chun is also a practicing Certified Public Accountant (CPA) who started his practice in April of 1983.
The Chun Group, Inc. has two additional subsidiaries, one of which is the Asian Herald newspaper that he founded in July 1993 and is printed in English, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese.
Dr. Chun came from Seoul, South Korea and studied history at Korea University then arrived in the US on a Rotary Ambassadorial scholarship.
He graduated from Lenoir-Rhyne University in 1974 with a B.A. in Business Administration, received his M.A. in Business from Appalachian State University in 1975, his CPA license in April of 1983, a Ph.D. from La Salle University in 1986, and received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree (LL.D) from Lenoir-Rhyne University in May 2000.
These dreams and ambitions became a reality through his key philosophies which are "Live for Others" and "Knowledge is Power."
The good doctor espouses these fundamental principles through his work and his community service.
He held teaching posts as Adjunct Professor for two years at Pfeiffer University and seven years at Johnson C. Smith University and won teaching awards.
Dr. Chun taught accounting, federal taxation, business, economics, and auditing.
He and Roberts were on hand during the Asian Festival to distribute awards to various persons and groups that extended assistance to the Asian community.
Dr. Chun organized the first Asian festival at Marshall park at uptown Charlotte in 2000. The festival's purpose then and now is to unite the Asian communities in the Carolinas and celebrate Charlotte's Asia-Pacific heritage in May.
Since then, in Roberts' words, the festival has become “bigger and better in attendance.”
The festival venue also changed from uptown Charlotte to Wachovia Atrium and finally to Ramsey Creek where the popular Dragon Boat festival continues to become a major Asian tourist attraction.
This year the Asian festival featured a cultural presentation, dragon boat race, Asian food and crafts and vendors booths. The day was both sunny and cool for everyone who attended the event.
Everyone had a grand time and it was good seeing Dr. Chun celebrating it with the Asian communities that attended the event.
To quote a beautiful Chinese lady who I met at the designated parking area of the bus that would lead us to our own ride “Xie-xie (Thank you)” - see you next year.”
(Susan Palmes-Dennis is a veteran journalist from Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental, Northern Mindanao in the Philippines who works as a nanny in North Carolina. This page will serve as a venue for news and discussion on Filipino communities in the Carolinas. Visit and read her website at www.susanpalmes-dennis.simplesite.com. Read her blogs on susanpalmesstraightfrom the Carolinas.com. These and other articles also appear at http://www.sunstar.com.ph/author/2582/susan-palmes-dennis.
You can also connect with her through her Pinterest account at http://www.pinterest.com/pin/41025046580074350/) and https://www.facebook.com/pages/Straight-from-the-Carolinas-/494156950678063)
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