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Quality Customers Deserve Quality Products
Hobby farmers, Kim believes, desire an above-average level of quality—and on that accord, KIOTI is eager to deliver.
Says Kim, “I believe what makes KIOTI’s products appealing to hobby farmers and the marketplace in general can be summed up in the quality of the products, the level of engineering and research that goes into each product, the variety of products we produce and the product support provided by KIOTI and our dealer organization.
KIOTI’s line of products appeal to a broad range of people. From the business person involved in landscaping or utility work to the small farmer/landowner and everything in between.
Kim touts the company’s four-year warranty and the fact that many of its products’ features come standard rather than as options and extra cost.
Family Business Carries Him to Success in the U.S.
Kim grew up in Seoul, Korea, where his father was an entrepreneur dealing in imports and exports.
“Since my father was the most influential person in my life,” says Kim, “I soon became very interested in the business of import and export.”
After completing his primary and secondary education in Korea, Kim attended Ohio State University and received an MBA from George Washington University in D.C.
In addition to his father, Kim describes Mr. S.S. Kim, Chairman of Daedong Industrial Company, Ltd., as a prominent influence in his life.
“He’s one of the primary reasons, I joined Daedong/KIOTI soon after I completed my MBA,” says Kim, who became KIOTI’s president in 1998. ”Chairman Kim has been a mentor to me and I have a very sincere respect for his council.”
Out of the Box … and Into Wellness
Kim is not just into KIOTI tractors, he’s also into his employees—for many good reasons.
“One of the responsibilities of my job as the President of KIOTI is to encourage and nurture the growth of employees both in their business and personal lives,” he says.
“As I said earlier, we have a philosophy at KIOTI that compels us to strive for excellence in all that we do. We are always looking for ways to do things better and more efficiently and how we can be more productive at work or at home.”
“Employee health and well being plays a very important role in this. We believe that a healthy person is a happier and more productive person,” says Kim.
To that end, there is the KIOTI Wellness Program, which encourages employees to eat correctly and exercise regularly. Program activities involve:
- An “at desk,” twice a day, scheduled stretching and exercise program.
- A fully equipped exercise facility, available on the KIOTI campus
- A Weight Watchers Program
- An aerobics program with personal trainers.
Says Kim, “Employees are encouraged to participate in these and other programs by enrolling in a rewards system that the company sponsors. The response from employees has been quite gratifying."
Anna Linton, executive assistant and office manager, who works closely with the program along with KIOTI’s Human Resources team, says they’ve seen evidence that the program is working.
“Employee morale has received a boost,” Linton says. “When people start thinking about themselves as a whole human being in the company—rather than a worker only—they gain a sense of ownership. Take on responsibilities as they would a part of their life.”
Kim’s own favorite activities embody this. They include “my work, my family and occasionally golf…Not necessarily in order of importance!”
He says, “There seems to be little time for the golf these days with my business and community involvements. Like many other people at KIOTI, I am involved in the local community through volunteer and charitable organizations. So too is KIOTI as a company. Again, part of striving for excellence and making continuous improvements is ‘giving back’ to those around you.”
What Does the Future Hold?
For Kim, the answer to that question is with him all the time.
“For a company or person to grow, we must be vigilant in our quest for improvement,” he says. “If we are not improving and striving to be the best in all we do, we are at best standing still. In this very competitive environment if you are standing still, you will soon be past by others who have the tenacity and the commitment to strive for excellence.”
More specifically, he says, “Naturally, I want to see KIOTI Tractor Division take its position as the market leader in North America and to see all of our dealers and employees prosper and grow in this process. In order for us to accomplish this, we must continue to add value to the KIOTI brand.
Even in the ups and downs of the current economy, Kim sees the challenges with a wide lens.
“Today’s economy has been one of the most troubling with the tightness of retail credit and the exchange rate differences,” he says, “We’e all operating today in a global economy and the things that effects people anywhere in the world also has some degree of impact here in North America.
“To use a well worn phrase, “where there are issues there are also opportunities,” and I see the current world economy as an opportunity to take KIOTI to the next level and to strengthen all of our relationships with our business partners.”
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