David Ruch, country manager of United Airlines` Korea unit, has been elected as the new chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea.
Ruch will officially assume the one-year position on Jan. 1, 2009. The chairman-elect will be replacing William Oberlin, who heads Boeing Korea.
The incoming chairman has been an active member of AMCHAM since 1981 and served as vice chairman from 2006.
Throughout his more than 30 years of international airline experience, Ruch has taken on postings in the United States, Japan and Korea.
He has worked in Asia for over 27 years, during which he has held numerous leadership positions in Korea`s tourism industry as co-chair of AMCHAM`s Transportation/Tourism Committee, as chair of Korea`s Visit USA Committee, and chair for the Travel Industry of America`s International POW WOW.
The chairman-elect currently sits on the National Advisory Board for the Korean government`s Visit Korea committee. He is also a recipient of the Ministerial Achievement Award from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
"The AMCHAM membership has been blessed with very strong and capable leaders. We want to thank outgoing Chairman Bill Oberlin for his outstanding leadership during a very important time in our bilateral relationship," Tami Overby, AMCHAM president and CEO, said in a statement.
"With Korea`s recent entry into the U.S. Visa Waiver Program as well as Korea`s continuing efforts to attract more tourists and foreign investors, the timing of chairman Ruch`s chairmanship is very significant. His experience and passion for promoting Korea will help further enhance the ever-important Korea-U.S. business relationship."
By Yoo Soh-jung
(sohjung@heraldm.com)
[출처 : 코리아헤럴드]
