Griffin International Companies have announced the appointment of Dr. Hong Yang as Vice President, Asian Operations, effective immediately. Dr. Yang was formerly the Director of the China Center of the University of Minnesota from May 2000 to December 31, 2006.
Bob Griffin, President and CEO of Griffin International said, “Dr. Yang brings an outstanding track record of advising businesses and governments in establishing partnerships and exchanges with China---and these valuable experiences will benefit Griffin International Companies as we expand the product offering, manufacturing, and other services that we offer our partners in China. There is no one better trained and experienced to assist our expanding roster of clients. We warmly welcome Hong to Griffin International’s senior management team.” Dr. Yang will be responsible for managing Griffin International interests and activities in Asia, including factory relations, sourcing, production, government relations and strategic alliances.
Dr. Hong Yang was director at the University of Minnesota China Center and served as adviser to University of Minnesota President, administrators, faculty, and staff. He also advised local businesses, as well as other universities and individuals establishing partnerships and exchanges with China.
Yang created and led the Mingda Institute for Leadership Training at U of M, and assisted with the China Center Corporate Partnerships with Minnesota business community. He also assisted in establishing the first four endowment funds of up to $1 million at the China Center, and creating the “Building U.S.-China Bridges Lecture” series with a $500,000 endowment fund. He was a VIP delegate in former Minnesota Governor Ventura’s June 2002 trip China. Dr. Yang was also the China Program Coordinator at North Carolina State University from 1990 to 2000, while serving as a chemistry professor.
He grew up in Leshan, Sichuan Province, in China and attended Chengdu University of Science and Technology (CUST) for his undergraduate study. He received a B.S. in chemistry in 1982. Before coming to the U.S. in the fall of 1985, Hong taught various chemistry courses at CUST for three years. CUST is now part of Sichuan University in Chengdu. He received a teaching assistant fellowship at the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1985 and started his graduate study in the Department of Chemistry. He received his Ph.D. in theoretical chemistry in May 1990.
Hong spent the next 10 years at North Carolina State University-Raleigh conducting research and teaching activities in the Department of Chemistry in various positions from postdoctoral research associate to visiting assistant professor, research assistant professor, and associate professor of chemistry. He has taught numerous chemistry courses for classes of 30 to more than 200 students per class. His enthusiasm, willingness, and ability to help students have been well recognized. At the same time, Hong has collaborated with his colleagues in the U.S., China, Germany, Japan, Italy, Spain, and others, and has published more than 60 research articles, book chapters, and invited review papers in studies of chemical bonding in thin film semiconductor and electronic materials and catalytic processes on transition metals. He also served as a coordinator of China Programs at NC State and played an active and pivotal role in developing faculty and student exchange and collaborative programs with Chinese universities, research institutions, and government agencies.
In May 2000, Hong was appointed director of the China Center. He strives to make the China Center a statewide catalyst and resource for the promotion of educational, economic, governmental, and civic pursuits between Minnesota and mainland China and Taiwan. An important part of the mission of the China Center is to increase Minnesota's awareness, understanding, and interest in China.
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