Maryland Entrepreneur and Distinguished Philanthropist Dr. Jeong H. Kim to Receive 2016 Horatio Alger Award

Horatio Alger Association names 13 exceptional corporate and civic leaders, each of whom has triumphed over adversity to achieve success, to its Member Class of 2016

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Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc.

Dec 02, 2015, 10:00 ET

WASHINGTON, Dec. 2, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging youth to pursue their dreams through higher education, today announced that Dr. Jeong H. Kim, executive chairman and co-founder, Kiswe Mobile Inc., and president emeritus, Bell Labs, has been selected for membership in the prestigious organization. Dr. Kim joins 12 other accomplished business and civic leaders from across North America in receiving this honor in 2016. Since its establishment in 1947, the Horatio Alger Award is annually bestowed upon recognized leaders who have succeeded, despite facing adversity, and who are committed to both philanthropy and higher education.

Dr. Kim was born in Seoul, Korea. His parents divorced when he was very young, and he was raised by different relatives as well as his father and stepmother. At age 14, he and his family immigrated to the United States and settled in Maryland. Speaking little English, he found the transition to a foreign culture difficult, but was fortunate enough to have teachers who recognized his ambition and took a personal interest in him. Although Dr. Kim was an excellent student, he quarreled with his father and left home at age 16, working the night shift at a convenience store to support himself through high school. He attended Johns Hopkins University on a scholarship, obtaining his degree in only three years. Post-graduation, he spent seven years as a nuclear submarine officer in the Navy. He went on to earn a master's degree in technical management from Johns Hopkins University and a doctorate in reliability engineering from the University of Maryland. In 1992, he started Yurie Systems, Inc., which soon became a world leader in advanced data transmission and one of the fastest-growing companies in America. He took the company public in 1997, and a year later he sold it for more than $1 billion. In 2005, Dr. Kim became the 11^th president of Bell Labs and the first person recruited for this position from outside the Labs in its 80-year history. In 2013, Dr. Kim co-founded and became chairman of Kiswe Mobile, a company focused on interactive mobile video that promises to extend his legacy of bringing new technology to the market.

"We are proud to welcome Dr. Kim as a Member of the Association," said Byron Trott, president and CEO of Horatio Alger Association and 2011 Horatio Alger Award recipient. "From overcoming the challenges that stem from moving to a new country as an adolescent to his unwavering determination to pursue his educational and professional dreams, Dr. Kim's life exemplifies a true Horatio Alger story. He sets a wonderful example for our Scholars and I am confident that all will benefit from hearing his story."

Dr. Kim has been recognized as "Entrepreneur of the Year" by both Ernst & Young and KPMG. He has also been awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, elected as a member of the prestigious National Academy of Engineering, inducted into both the University of Maryland Innovation Hall of Fame and the Washington Business Hall of Fame, and most recently named a Chevalier de la Legion D'Honneur, France's highest decoration. He has made considerable contributions to his alma maters, the Johns Hopkins University and the University of Maryland. The Jeong H. Kim Engineering Building at the University of Maryland bears his name and the Dr. Jeong H. Kim Scholarship Endowment provides annual partial scholarships to engineering students who are pursuing degrees in information technology. Dr. Kim has often served as an advisor on matters of national security. He has served on the U.S. Presidential Commission on Review of U.S. Intelligence, the External Advisory Board of the CIA, and the Award Committee for the U.S. National Medal of Technology and Innovation. He currently serves on the President's Advisory Council of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and is a founding partner of Venture Philanthropy Partners, a group that funds innovative programs for inner-city children.

In receiving this award, Dr. Kim commented, "I am grateful and humbled to be inducted into Horatio Alger Association. Through my immigrant journey, I've learned the importance of believing in your dreams against all odds and always moving forward with confidence and determination, in spite of challenges. I look forward to assisting the Association in helping its young Scholars navigate a path to success and supporting them in their triumphs."

Through its Members, Horatio Alger Association educates young people about the limitless opportunities afforded to them by the free-enterprise system. To further this goal, the organization awards scholarships to outstanding high school students who are committed to pursuing higher education and giving back to their communities. Like Association Members, Horatio Alger Scholars have faced numerous challenges and have displayed unmatched resilience in overcoming them. Since the scholarship program was established in 1984, Horatio Alger Association has provided more than $110 million to students in need. Scholarships are funded solely through the generosity of Association Members, Life Partners and friends.

Dr. Kim and the Member Class of 2016 will be officially welcomed into the organization during the 69^th Annual Horatio Alger Award Induction Ceremonies in Washington, D.C., from March 31-April 2, 2016. In addition to recognizing these tremendous leaders, Horatio Alger Association will also honor its 2016 National Scholarship recipients, affording both groups the opportunity to meet and learn from one another.

For more information about Horatio Alger Association and a full list of its Class of 2016, please visit www.horatioalger.org.

About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:

Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. is dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The Association honors the achievements of outstanding leaders who have accomplished remarkable successes in spite of adversity by bestowing upon them the Horatio Alger Award and inducting them as lifetime Members. Horatio Alger Members support promising young people with the resources and confidence needed to overcome adversity and pursue their dreams through higher education. Thanks to their generosity, the Association awards more than $11 million annually in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships across the United States and Canada and provides college support and mentoring services to its Scholars. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $110 million in college scholarships to more than 22,000 deserving young people. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.