They say it all starts with a dream. Since college Karen’s dream was to have a company of her own. In 1984, one year after she got her MBA degree, she formed Macro International Company with $10,000 saved from tuition for being a TA in graduate school. In a small, tiny office less than 200 square feet, Karen got her first order of neoprene rubber sheets. Without any acquaintances, networking or capital, but with the right vision and persistent hard work, Karen has built Macro into one of the key suppliers of neoprene rubber sheets, servicing the entire United States of America, Canada and Mexico from her Irvine warehouse. Since then, the product lines have expanded to include not only neoprene rubber sheets, but also OEM of neoprene finished goods in the versatile sports accessories, orthopedic and sports medicine fields.
Karen believes that “The purpose of life is to serve”. Therefore, besides running her business, public and social work have always played a big part in her daily life. From 2001 to 2005 she dedicated herself to the construction of the South Coast Chinese Cultural Center (SCCCC) and the Irvine Chinese School (ICS). ICS has been the largest weekend Chinese school in the US since 1976, and the building was to be 45,000 square feet on a four acre parcel of land. By being a donor and holding the position of construction chair, Karen was actively involved in design, public hearings, bidding, and all construction-related decisions. Construction is extremely hard work.
Construction for the public sector, which involves many people’s opinions, is ten times harder. This was an exhaustive project that lasted five years, because of not only the differing opinions but also the limited budget. Karen, together with her architect and many volunteers from ICS had to overcome the challenge of over 250 RFIs (Request for Information), and many change orders so that the construction could proceed smoothly. On top of that she still had to make sure the budget was under control. Karen persisted through it with one thought in her mind-there will be many children and adults who will benefit from this building for many, many years to come. She calls this kind of work “social work with roots” because it will develop far reaching effects and continuously benefit others even when her work is physically done.
In addition to her work with ICS, another instance of Karen’s “social work with roots” is to provide scholarships to the underprivileged but promising high school graduates for their college education. Karen believes that teaching these students “how to catch fish” by helping them receive the education they need is the best way to help them and their families prosper in the future. From 2016-2021, Karen dedicated six years as the founding President of Orange County Chinese American Chamber of Commerce Foundation (OCCACCF). After a successful fund-raising effort, Karen was able to kickstart an initiative that has always been on her mind- a meaningful scholarship program. Each year Karen and her Board select 10 recipients (OCCACC Scholars) and award them $5,000 per person per year for their four years in college (total $20,000 per recipient). As the scholarship has a four-year commitment, there will be 40 recipients (10 current + 30 from previous years) in any given year, so currently it is a fund of $200,000 ($5,000x40) that OCCACCF needs annually. The selection process is fair and thorough; it includes home visits, panel interviews and a final vote by all judges. Karen established the standard operating procedures for Operations, Fund Raising, and Scholar Relations so that the program could run smoothly. As a result of these procedures, the program continues to earn the trust of more and more donors including Mr. David Sun from the Sun Family Foundation. The ripple effect of helping these worthy students fulfill their dream can be very profound, because they can keep benefiting more and more people around them.
Last among Karen’s “social work with roots” and closest to Karen’s heart is her weekend teaching of ancient Chinese philosophy (Confucianism and Daoism) to children and adults for the past 25 consecutive years (since 1996). Instilling the virtues of kindness, righteousness, manners, wisdom, credibility and naturalism into the hearts and minds of others can create far-reaching effects in their lives. She has also preached Buddhism in her Los Angeles and San Diego temples since 1992. Karen believes that having the right value system can help people make better decisions and bring health, wealth and happiness to their life. To Karen, the most valuable thing that we can leave to our children is virtue, and this is the kind of meaningful work she likes to contribute her life to. Therefore, no matter how busy and tired she is, Karen continues to dedicate her time to it without any regret.
Karen’s husband Jong, whom she met during her MBA program at University of San Diego, owns a vertically integrated real estate company that develops, constructs, and manages affordable housing since 1998. Karen and Jong have two sons: Michael graduated from Dartmouth College (undergraduate) and University of Pennsylvania-Wharton School of Business (MBA), and Ryan graduated from NYU (undergraduate) and Cornell University (MBA). They are both tall (especially Ryan at 6'7''), love to play sports, and are currently taking on the succession of the family businesses.
(Written by Karen Kuo-Limb)
「活出自我,造福人羣」是郭秀梅對生命永續的追求。
生於台南,長於台北,從北一女中到政大銀行系畢業,帶著在台灣三年貿易的實戰經驗,於 1981 負笈美國留學,最終以 Beta Gamma Sigma 殊榮(top 20%)拿到 University of San Diego 企管碩士(MBA)學位,完成了郭秀梅求學的歷程。
郭秀梅的父親郭明松是一位非常傑出的土木工程師,一輩子修橋舖路,對台灣的道路、高速公路和經濟起飛貢獻卓越,曾獲得總統蔣經國先生所親授的景星勳章(1978 年)。因此父親常掛在嘴邊上講的「人生以服務為目的」早就根深柢固地烙印在郭秀梅的心中。從 2001 年起,當事業發展小有成就之後,郭秀梅開始投入社區的公益活動。首先,從 2001-2005 年, 她以捐款人和工程總監的身份,統領許多志工們,一起完成了爾灣中文學校暨南海岸中華文化中心的興建工程 。爾灣中文學校占地 4 英畝,建築物 45,000 呎。建築工程本來就是耗資耗時,曠日持久的事,更何況公共建築工程!當時已經有 26 年歷史的爾灣中文學校對這棟建築的意見從四面八方湧來,光是綜合這些意見得到共識就是很大的挑戰;再者資金的不足,郭秀梅與建築師和志工們合作解決 250 個以上的建築疑點(Request for Information,RFI)和許多的變更單(Change Orders),以利工程如期進行,最難的是必須同時控制預算。為了完成這棟建築郭秀梅可以說是不眠不休,幾至拋家捨業的程度。
郭秀梅一向喜歡「有根的社會工作」,也就是所做的社會工作是有根的,它的效果得以綿延不斷。所以除了以上爾灣中文學校暨南海岸中華文化中心的建成,還讓郭秀梅津津樂道的就是橙縣華人商會基金會的高額清寒獎學金。雖然橙縣華人商會從 1995 年開始就一直在發放獎學金,但因郭秀梅的關係在 2015 年募款有成,讓她得以將之前商會已申請通過但一直沒有成立起來的基金會正式組閣運作。也是從這一年基金會開始每年選十位清寒但具領袖特質的學子,獎勵他們連續四年、每年 $5,000、直至他們大學畢業。這要感謝許多善心人士年復一年的認同,商會理事們許多都事業有成,慷慨解囊不手軟,尤其是得到孫大衛先生 Sun Family Foundation 長期持續的贊助。
此外,讓郭秀梅生命的篇章與眾不同的,是她在週末的義務教學。她受邀贊化書院大智慧經典讀書會及崇中、聖道佛堂講解儒家四書、老子道德經和六祖壇經。郭秀梅認為我們可以留給後代子孫最珍貴的東西,就是美德和正知正見。而這些正確的思想,並非一蹴可即,除了學習,還需要高度自覺地在生活上驗證。郭秀梅常以儒商自許,並希望在有生之年活出自我,迸出生命的火花,繼能利益眾生、造福人群。
郭秀梅的先生 Jong 是她唸 USD 時 MBA 的同學,他是位十分能理解和配合的另一半,讓郭秀梅能放心地闖天下。而且因為她事業的成功,也鼓動了Jong 躍躍欲試的心,最終他也成立了 Newport Partners(1998)。這是一家從開發、建築到管理市民住宅(affordable housing)垂直整合的不動產公司。他們兩人自1983 年結婚至今,各有自己成功的事業,各有自建的辦公大樓,兩人互為參謀,互為彼此最堅強的後盾。他 們 有兩個高大的兒子Michael and Ryan, Michael 是 University of Pennsylvania- Wharton School of Business 的 MBA, Ryan 是 Cornell University 的MBA。兩個兒子都酷愛運動,有自己的專長。在兒子們成長的過程中,全家每晚必定一起吃晚餐,借此分享各自的想法,因此孩子們很習慣和父母無所不談。在一些大公司歷練過之後,目前他們都回到爾灣,開始與父母一起工作,慢慢地即將接手家庭事業。再回首,郭秀梅的心中充滿感恩,經由在事業、家庭和公益上的努力,一步步地實現她「活出自我,造福人羣」的心願。(郭秀梅撰文)