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Past Messages from Presidents
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President’s Profile
Jay C. Kim 1979-1982
Jay C. Kim was the principal owner and president of JayKim Engineers, a civil engineering firm based in the City of Diamond Bar. Over time, the firm had several locations in California and Idaho. His major clients were city, county, state, and federal government. As a preferred “8-a” firm, JayKim Engineers had many military contracts.
Jay Kim’s objective as ABA president was to get more Asian-owned businesses into the government purchasing system. That meant educating ABA’s members on the products and services government buys; and how to become a “capable and qualified” potential vendor. Jay’s motto was: “Just get on the bid list.” Many ABA members learned the “system.” With their newly-found sophistication in how business is done in the public and private sectors, their own small business were able to grow and progress.
Jay’s next challenge was to educate ABA members on the value and benefits of “teaming up” with other small companies to secure large contracts. He invited government purchasing agents to give “training sessions” to ABA members with smaller firms. Soon ABA members were networking to find other minority-owned firms to form teams.
Public service beckoned and Jay Kim was elected to the Diamond Bar City Council and served as its mayor. Jay Kim became the first-ever Korean American elected to the House of Representatives in Washington, DC.
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