Golden Aggie

Young-Chul Hong arrived in Logan from Korea for his MBA not knowing anyone in town. He did not know where Logan was when he landed at the Salt Lake City Airport and relied on the kindness of a stranger at the airport to make his way to Logan. On campus, he formed a bond with roommates Harry Miller, Richard Hall and Steve Gonzales, and faculty mentors Alan and Eugene Kartchner, who all played a critical role in helping the young student from Korea adjust to life in Cache Valley. Upon receiving his MBA in 1973, he travelled back to Korea to begin work for the KISWIRE, the steel cable company his father had founded in 1961.

Mr. Hong rose quickly, standardizing production and leading the expansion of the company outside of Korea. He became CEO in 1988, and chairman in 2001, a title he retains to this day. The company that hit its production target of 1,000 metric tons of steel per month in 1971 today produces 1.3M tons of steel per year and has 65 production plants in 45 countries.

Throughout the half-century since his graduation from Utah State University, he has remained steadfast in his love for USU, hosting student groups and faculty, serving as the president of the Korea Chapter of the USU Alumni Association, and supporting students and programs in the Huntsman School and in the Sociology Department. In 2004, he was recognized with the Professional Achievement Award from the Huntsman School and received an honorary doctorate from USU in 2007.

In 1995, Dr. Hong was awarded the Gold-Tower Industrial Contribution Decoration by the president of South Korea. It is the highest honor given by the South Korean government for contributions to the economic welfare of the country. 

In an earlier interview with the Huntsman School, Dr. Hong shared some advice about succeeding in business and in life:

• Leadership is not something that a person is born with. It comes with continued practice and endless effort.
• Leaders need to think about the big picture and long-term goals. They need to have a global mindset.
• Don't make decisions on instinct alone. Always think ahead and list the potential problems that may arise before proceeding with a decision. Think scientifically