Multicultural Philanthropist guided by Faith
Steeve Kay (郭忠信; born 1943) is an enlightened and actively involved philanthropist with an international outlook. His multi-pronged approach to charitable giving supports programs with lasting impacts to unleash human potentials and strengthen communities. An innovative technologist, entrepreneur, and inspired business executive, Mr. Kay engages every situation with his trademark total-immersion and holistic involvement, integrating business and philanthropy with quantum theory, Eastern & Western philosophies; and most importantly, all endeavors are guided by a profound sense of spirituality. Evidently, his perception of the world is viewed through the prism of his multicultural upbringing, and his lens extends to the universe with which we are connected. Mr. Kay is keenly interested in connectivity and connections - from the connection of individuals with the community to spiritual connections, from global connections to the relationship of humankind to the universe at large. At age 78, Steeve Kay exudes intellectual passion, quick wit and an easy air of self-assuredness that comes with his deep sense of faith and a conviction of philanthropy as a force of moral imperative.
On this balmy spring day in May, as Mr. Kay gazes out to the seemingly endless sage-clad canyon just beyond his garden, smartly dressed yet relaxed in a navy Nehru jacket with matching trousers, and donning a tweed Ivy cap, it almost seems as though he is inviting his visitors to listen to the birdsongs and insect trills in his natural environs. As he momentarily communes with nature, his keen glances quickly return indoors into the elegant drawing room to recount his multi-faceted philosophy, and his fascinating and eventful life journey - the scope of which merits a biopic.
“Why is it more blessed to give than to receive?” Steeve Kay asks rhetorically. “Because in giving to others and serving God’s purpose, it makes one happy. You receive multi-fold in fulfillment than you extend to others.”
Eventful Life Journey from Bai Qi to Irvine: Legacy as a predictor of the future
Mr. Kay’s journey began as a child of two wars, first World War II and then the Chinese Civil War. Three hard-bound tomes detailing 19 generations of his ancestry occupy a prominent position in his stately living room. Born in 1943 in Baiqi, Quanzhou, a famous historic city in Fujian province situated on the Maritime Silk Route, Mr. Kay’s ancestors were Muslims (as were the majority of the citizenry in the community); his courageous Great-grandmother converted to Christianity. At age 6, the family escaped civil strife and left for Yangon, Myanmar, where Mr. Kay was immersed in the multicultural influences of the Burmese society in the then British territory, and where he completed his primary and secondary education in Chinese school, assimilating Chinese history and culture, followed by earning a six-year B.S. (EE) degree from Rangoon Institute of Technology (RIT). Steeped in the fundamental scientific and technological knowledge from the West, and armed with a solid foundation in the English language gleaned from the U.S. Information Service (USIS) English Language Institute, Mr. Kay handily passed the high level “GCE” examination of the University of London. As an adolescent, while studying English at the USIS, Steeve Kay had harbored the dream of immigrating to the U.S. Following the devastating Burmese coup d’etat when the parliamentary republic led by the civilian government was usurped by the socialist military regime, the Kay family’s adopted country was plunged into socialism. Overnight, private assets were seized and schools were nationalized. The ensuing diaspora saw Mr. Kay emigrating to the US in pursuit of the American dream of his adolescence.
Due to his academic excellence, Steeve Kay was admitted to Stanford University where he furthered his studies and obtained an MSEE. He then joined Siliconix in Silicon Valley and invented the world’s first group of Power MOSFETs (see Technological Breakthrough below). He relocated to Irvine to take on the technical management responsibilities at Hughes Aircraft in Newport Beach while earning his MBA at Pepperdine University. In 1981, with his sister Dr. Lay Kay (M.D.), Mr. Kay founded QTC Management Inc., a medical services enterprise.
The Four Pillars of KFF’s Philanthropy: Faith, Education, Medical Research, and the Arts
In 2005, after QTC Management Inc., the company he had founded was acquired by a private equity firm, Mr. Steeve Kay established the Kay Family Foundation (KFF) to benefit society and the communities with which the Kay family interacts; and together with his loving wife Helen and their children, he has since worked tirelessly to donate funds in four major areas: Faith-based institutions, Academic institutions in the US and in Asia, Medical research projects, and Arts organizations. The unifying basis for all KFF donations is to share God’s love and serve society. KFF’s primary focus is to invest in programs that unleash human potential and strengthen communities and is less interested in the naming of edifices. One of the Kay Family Foundation’s core values is that everyone has a God-given purpose in life, leading to personal growth and reaching their full promise. STEM education unlocked a world of possibilities for Mr. Kay, as he immigrated to Silicon Valley from China via Myanmar at the height of the IT revolution. His gratitude for the opportunities the United States had afforded him drives KFF’s approach in assisting others to acquire a high-quality education. Steeve Kay has attained his own American dream since adolescence and he wishes to lead the younger generation to achieve their own American dreams as well.
As with all endeavors, Mr. Kay delves into every donation with care and gusto. Grantees receive far more than the needed funding; they also receive invaluable advice in the form of management know-how as well as the ability to bring fresh ideas vis-à-vis global connectivity. Some of his Board memberships include serving on the Board of Trustees at UC Irvine and as a member of the President’s Cabinet of Chapman University. He is the founder of the Center for E-Health Research and a member of the Kay Health Information Research Center at the Claremont Graduate University. He is also a visiting professor at Yangon Technological University in Myanmar as well as at Xiamen University in Amoy, China. Mr. Elim Kay, the youngest son of Mr. Steeve Kay, currently serves on the board of Trustees at UC Irvine, and is the co-sponsor of the “AI for Good” summit of the United Nations at ITU, Switzerland. In all, KFF provides the requisite training for thousands of elite talents with impressive results.
To date, KFF has funded a tad over $30 million of donations to various causes. Some of the grantees selected thus far include Mr. Kay’s Alma maters, Stanford University and Yangon University of Technology, Myanmar. Other higher education institutions which have received substantial donations are: University of California, Irvine, University of California, Riverside, University of California, Los Angeles, Claremont Graduate School, Chapman University, Tsinghua University, (Beijing, China), Xiamen University (China), Biola University, Evangelical Theological Seminary, Singapore Theological Seminary, Concordia University, Irvine, and World Vision, etc. Significant patronage to the local community includes contributions for the construction of the Irvine Senior Center, Irvine Chinese School /South Coast Chinese Cultural Center. Mr. Kay finds it gratifying to witness that the Chinese-Americans have been interwoven into the City of Irvine’s social fabric.
Technological breakthrough in the semiconductor industry
A recognized “Father of the Power MOSFETs”, Mr. Kay is regarded as one of the pioneers in the early information revolution. His imprint in the semiconductor industry can be felt in all the large-scale data centers today. In the 1970s, while working as a design engineer at Siliconix in Silicon Valley, Mr. Kay first redesigned and then invented the first generation of power MOSFETs (Metal-Oxide Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistors) that powered each and every desktop personal computer produced and used in the ‘80s and ‘90s. He then developed a power MOSFET that can amplify megawatts of power in a NASA-funded project, for which he was awarded the NASA Science & Technology Innovation Award.
Entrepreneurial / Managerial Prowess
In 1981, Mr. Kay, joined by his sister Dr. Lay Kay (M.D.) founded a medical services enterprise, QTC Management Inc., to provide national disability benefits evaluations. In his capacity as the CEO of QTC, Mr. Kay inspired his colleagues to achieve excellence with all the available motivational tools, including personally writing catchy jingles for company Christmas parties. QTC’s proprietary integrated information systems transformed the complex & unwieldy disability benefit market. Under Mr. Kay’s leadership, QTC garnered 8 patents for disability evaluation software, and enabled tens of thousands of doctors and medical staff to perform the “disability appraisal” throughout all 50 states in the US. For his outstanding leadership skills, Mr. Kay was bestowed the 2003 “Ernst & Young Enterprise Leadership Award”.
Spiritual thinker exploring 3-D Quantum Human Model
As a thinker, Mr. Kay founded the Cuberint Institute. The mission of the Institute is to develop a 3-D Human Model utilizing the quantum concept to crack the code of spirituality mystic --- thus enabling every human to realize his/her God-given potentials. To ensure the long-term impact of the Cuberint Institute, Mr. Kay has laid the foundation for its continuing success. A recent endowment in March 2021 illustrates that strategy - the Cuberint Institute funded $1.3M in the “CHC – Cancer Health Coach Program” being developed by Dr. Jafari, Professor at UCI.
American Dream - Legacy for future generations
Looking toward the future, Mr. Steeve Kay is full of hope. Mr. Kay places his trust in the central tenet of the American creed: The commitment to provide everyone with a fair chance to develop their own talents to the fullest extent. The current discourse on racial inequality notwithstanding, Steeve Kay firmly believes that America is still the land of opportunity where every person has a fair shake in realizing their own God-given talents to achieve exceptional results. Socialism has convinced him that the doctrine of providing equal outcome a priori for everyone is deeply flawed and is counter to human nature. By dint of hard work and the strong foundation of faith, Steeve Kay himself has realized his own American dream. Life’s voyage may be full of travails, but with preparation and skill, anchored in faith, our future generations will sail through tempestuous waters to reach their American Dream. By his example, Mr. Kay inspires us all and leads the way forward.
(English version written by Gloria Dahlberg)
郭公忠信和夫人蒲海倫及郭氏第二十一代孫子、孫女、外孫樂享天倫 (2019年7月)
Mr. and Mrs. Kay with grandkids
從白琦到爾灣
出生
郭公忠信，乃中國泉州白琦九鄉郭旅美第十九代開基祖。1943 年生於中國歷史名城，海上絲綢之路發源地 - 福建泉州。祖上本信回教，宋尚傑傳道時代， 曾祖母馬山姆歸信耶穌基督，郭公即第四代基督徒。出生後父母命其名為「忠信」，寓「忠於所信」，他額大頭尖，乳名「尖頭信」。其時，英殖東印度公司管制緬甸，郭公令尊郭公修松，字鶴年，于仰光經營布匹。1949 年，6 歲的郭公隨母紀氏明宮背井離鄉，旅居緬甸仰光，長大成人。
成長
多元文化的英國屬地緬甸社區是郭公青春體性發育之環境所在。學業上，郭公在仰光完成中文小學和中學，並獲得仰光理工大學學士學位。他受惠於母親私塾教育，熟悉中國歷史文化，並啟蒙天文地理。又於仰光美國新聞處（USIS）英語學院勤學苦讀，打下堅實英文基礎，學習歐美科技文明，擴大國際心胸視野 - 美國夢的種子也生根發芽。憑藉深厚英文功底和數理化水準， 參加英國倫敦大學年度GCE會考，考取普通級和高級課程文憑。在緬 20 年，郭公培養理性和感性成熟同時，也奠定靈性信仰的根基。
高壓電晶體
1960 年代，緬甸政變軍政府奪權執政，推動社會主義。一夜之間，私人資產和學校都收歸國有， 眾多僑民流落他國。1971 年，為追求少年時期的美國夢，郭公啟程離緬來加州矽谷。考進史丹福大學（ Stanford University）深造，獲電機碩士學位，隨即在矽谷 Siliconix 半導體公司工作 10 年。專業上，借鑒前人經驗，設計發明世界第一組 POWER MOSFET 高壓電晶體，是資訊時代網路資料中心（Data Center）運作，不可缺少的積性電量放大器電訊零件（Active Power Amplification Device）。其科研論文獲美國國家航天局（NASA）科技創新獎。因此，郭公被稱為「高壓電晶體之父」, 亦可算是早期資訊革命元老之一。
QTC 年
1981 年，郭公移居南加州爾灣市，和妹妹郭麗琴醫師，以 3 萬美元創立QTC殘障鑒定公司，以科技軟體革新了美國龐大蕪雜的殘障福利市場。公司擁8 項殘障鑒定軟體專利，25 年後，業務遍及全美 50州，涵蓋醫生和醫務人員上萬名，執美國殘障鑒定企業牛耳，為此他獲得 2003 年度Ernst and Young優秀科技企業家獎。作為企業家，郭公歷經創業，營業，結業過程，完美掛冠。
家族基金會
2005 年，公司結業後，為分享神的愛與社會，郭公成立郭氏家族基金會。15 年合計在信仰，教育，醫療和文化四個領域捐款 $3012 萬美金，開啟慈善家之旅。惠及加州Claremont Graduate University、爾灣加州大學（UCI）、史丹福大學、UCLA、河濱加州大學（UCR）、Chapman 大學、中國廈門大學、清華大學、緬甸仰光理工大學 。在信仰方面，郭氏基金會也大量捐助加州Biola 大學、正道福音神學院、新加坡神學院、爾灣 Concordia 大學和World Vision 等。郭氏家族在上述四個領域直接培訓菁英人才數千名，成績可觀。
家庭
郭公忠信結秦晉與蒲氏海倫，緣起第二千禧年。宋末元初時，郭氏蒲氏，俱泉州回族名門，家族歷史現陳列於泉州海交館和回族博物館。蒲海倫外曾祖父徐公裕源，甲午戰爭，中國海軍戰敗，在威海衛歸信耶穌基督，蒲海倫亦是第四代基督徒。故郭蒲婚配，乃 600 年歷史綿延，天造地設，傳奇再續。
2017 年 9 月 3 日，郭氏家族在 The Resort at Pelican Hill 舉行郭公夫婦40周年紅寶石婚慶祝典禮。會上郭公封銜郭夫人為「家政名譽博士」是基於郭夫人40年來對郭氏家庭事務和兒女教養花盡心血，並見果效，表達謝意。
爾灣之情
郭公夫婦在爾灣生活已40年，住在有南北湖的木橋村，兒女都在爾灣讀完小學和中學，也親眼看到爾灣加州大學校園建造過程的始終。 1990 年代，范仲會長領導的爾灣松柏會， 為興建爾灣老人中心 ( Lakeview Senior Center) 籌款，郭公夫婦是主要贊助人之一。郭公夫人蒲海倫，與松柏會賢老建立深情厚誼，愛心幫助，傳為佳話。郭公夫婦也有機會參與爾灣南海岸中華文化中心和華裔社區的發展，目睹華人在爾灣社會活動日見活躍，心感欣慰。
基金會董事
當前，郭公伉儷榮任家族基金會董事局主席和副主席。教養出一女二男，皆列家族基金會董事。長女郭依路，家族基金會監督 （Governor）並掌人事，兼任 Mariner Christian School 董事；長子郭依道掌財務，亦投資幼童教育；庶子郭依靈，乃家族基金會總裁，爾灣加州大學（UCI）校董，亦是聯合國 ITU 在瑞士 “AI FOR GOOD”峰會的聯合發起人。
古白蘭人學院
目前，郭公退而不休，精力充沛。一方面傳繼郭氏家風，一方面傳承家族資產。同時，作為思想家，思考總結一生之經驗和心得，著書立說。創立了“CUBERINT INSTITUTE OF HUMANITY”(古白蘭人學院)，研究發展「立能互應，全人模式」學問，為個人、企業和社會經濟發展模式提供參考建議。
天倫之樂
時光飛逝，轉瞬郭氏在美已至第21代。郭公也屆八旬，兒女各有所長，俱皆建樹。孫兒繞膝，樂享天倫。回顧從中國白琦，經緬甸仰光，到加州爾灣，走遍美國大地，依靠堅定信仰，實現美國夢想。心正所願，感慨萬千。放眼未來，郭公特別寄語：值此新冠肆虐，社會動盪之時。切記美利堅這國家仍乃當初五月花為信仰建立的自由國土，充滿機遇。華人青年要有夢想，更要有信仰。夢想如帆，信仰如舵。心存感恩，忠於所信，持之以恆，人生航船必將長風破浪，直濟滄海。
（趙喬治撰文）