Dear Sayas and Colleagues,
One young alumnus from abroad wrote to me some time back: "We'd like to know how the 'older' RIT alumni are doing in the US and elsewhere." Like a normal distribution, most of the alumni are in the middle; they have reasonably good day-time jobs. A few (e.g. Ko Kyaw Oo [Mech 67]) succumbed to failing health. But there are several people who were able to show their mark -- as successful business enterpreneurs, competent CEOs, and leaders for social cause.
The following is a reprint of "the [struggle and] success" story of two RIT alumni:
Thanks to Ko Maurice Chee (Publisher), Ko Henry Lim (Chief Editor) and Ko Edison Paw (Author of "BAPS Member Profile" series, former Vice President) of BAPS for permission to reprint the articles. With metta, Hla Min =============================================================== DAVID KO By Edison Paw ===============================================================
Mr. David Ko (a) U Tin Myint (Mech 68) has a successful mechanical components manufacturing firm in Union City. He co-founded the business back in 1978 with a partner from Croatia. The two partners have since expanded their business. With approximately 100 employees, they currently occupy 72,000 sq. feet of space for their warehousing and manufacturing operations. The company is continuously growing at a rate of 5-25% per year. Ninety percent of their employees started out as trainees in their shop. BAPS [and RIT Alumni International] would like to congratulate Mr. Ko for his hard work, his dedication to his employees and his contribution to the community.
Besides his successful business, David and his late wife, Daw Sein Yone, have three wonderful and promising children, two daughters and one son in all. The eldest daughter is working on her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology at the University of California at Santa Barbara and is expected to start her internship this year. Their second child is in his second year at the Stanford University Medical School studying for his MD and Ph.D. program. Their third daughter is studying hair design at the Vidal Sassoon Academy.
Mr. Ko emigrated to the U.S with his family in 1973 and they have been living in Fremont since 1976. He worked at the Raychem Company for five years before opening his own business. His interest in machining and tools started early in his life when he read Popular Mechanics and Mechanics Illustrated. He graduated in mechanical engineering [in 1968] from the Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT) in Burma. He is one of a few Asian Americans who are not only trained machinists but also professionals in their own right. Inspired by their keen interests in mechanical devices and accessories, they learned, for the most part, on their own and developed their skills. However he had to overcome many obstacles that other minorities and immigrants encounter. In the late seventies, there were few Asian American machinists. David was constantly asked by his customers whether he was a machinist, if he knew how to operate a machine, and where he acquired the skills.
David and his partner continue to thrive in this very cyclical business mainly because they take good care of their employees, re-invest their earnings into their business, re-invent themselves, and expand their business cautiously. Competition in the mechanical components business continues to be fierce because of new improvements in technology. In many ways, David compares technological advances in the machine industry to those of the software industry. Every year new models come on the market. These new products work faster and give you a whole lot of functions and features. Just as David manages his family and nurtures them carefully, he manages to nurture his business relationship with his partner and his employees quite successfully.
David [Ko Tin Myint], Congratulations to you and your family!!! You are a role model to everyone! It shows that the United States is truly a land of opportunities. Hard work and perseverance can and do lead to success. David and his company are always looking for trainees. Editor's note: Mr. David Ko has donated $1000 to the general fund of "RIT Alumni International". This fund will be used for the maintenance of the http://www.ex-rit.org web site, and for other activities by the RIT Alumni International. Mr. David Ko has sponsed "ya-han-khan" (ordination) ceremonies for his employees [which includes several RIT graduates]. He has donated to the general and building funds of various monasteries in the Bay Area. =============================================================== BENNY TAN By Edison Paw ===============================================================
Benny Tan (a) Tan Yu Beng (Mech 70) is a successful businessman [in Corporate America]. Born and raised in Burma, Benny graduated from the Rangoon Institute of Technology in 1970 and received his Master of Science degree in mechanical engineering from UC Berkeley in 1973. Mrs. Tan, better known as Angelina, attended the Rangoon Arts and Science University and the City College of San Francisco. They have two children, Tim and Tina. Tina is completing her Master's degree in Neurobiology at USC and will attend a medical school next year. Tim is currently studying at St. Mary's College in Moraga.
Benny and Angelina started out as a small business operator running a single soap and lotions wagon at the San Francisco International Airport. Initially, they kept their full time jobs, managing their business on the side. Their business soared. They sensed the opportunities that would come along with the Airport's non-stop expansion to meet the demands of the increasing air traffic from the Pacific Rim countries and the rest of the world. The next good thing that happened to Benny was the United Airlines' decision to make the San Francisco International Airport one of its three regional bases in the western region. Convinced that they would succeed, against all odds, they decided to quit their jobs and get into business full time. In retrospect, Benny said, "It was really scary to give up our comfortable salaries and go into business for ourselves." Their friends and relatives were skeptical of their plan and tried to talk them out of it.
However, they had already made up their mind and went ahead with their plan. As was proved later, with their determination, courage and business acumen, the husband-and-wife team weathered through successfully and prospered in the business world.
Their hard work and perseverance over the years have allowed the Tans to branch out and add new businesses, eventually realizing the "American Dream." Since their tiny operation in 1983, the Tans have been busily acquiring more hotel gift shops and airport concessions. Benny attributed their success to new "concepts" in buying and turning around unprofitable businesses. Their specialty retail operations include a seafood gift store and a number of other stores. These businesses are conveniently located in and around the San Francisco International Airport, the Clarion Hotel, San Francisco's Union Square, the Sunset district and in other prime retail locations.
The Tan Enterprises that Benny and Angelina founded was nominated by the Chamber of Commerce consecutively in 1993 and 1994 for its prestigious "Excellence in Business" award. Also, their company was recently featured in the "Team Licensing Business Magazine."
In their spare time, they travel around or entertain their business associates, close friends and relatives in their spacious home. When she is not too busy, business savvy Angelina tends to her garden of exotic plants and flowers.
If you have a business plan, show it to Benny! He will offer you his insights for free. On behalf of BAPS [and RIT Alumni International], we wish Benny, his family and their retail operations the very best in all their present and future endeavors and thank Benny for his continued support in BAPS [and RIT Alumni International] activities. Editor's note: Ko Benny is the current President of BAPS and [together with Ko Maurice Chee (Mech 75) are the co-chairs, Executive Committee, Reuion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe].
He previously served as one of the Vice Presidents under Saya U Nyo Win (Mech). Benny probably had good training from the Boys Scouts [I believe he is an Eagle Scout], from his parents [who ran a top beauty salon back in Myanmar], RIT [one of his favorite courses is "Industrial Management"], and University Training Corps (UTC) [many remembered him as a sharpshooter].
Prior to the days of xerographic copiers, Angelina was Benny's real-time copier [and first love]. It's true that behind every successful man, there's a prominent, strong, and dedicated woman. Angelina is known for excellent cooking. Her dishes and desserts that are served at the meetings of the "Reunion and SPZP" organizing committee are voted as one of the best.
Benny spent long nights designing the text and pictures to be put on the memorabilia [mugs, T-shirts, etc.] for the "Reunion and SPZP". He also managed to convince numerous friends [some of them are RIT Associates] to buy tickets to the Reunion.
Benny is not only a hardworking organizer but also a golden sponsor for RIT Alumni International.
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