On June 20th, CKA hosted an inspirational and thought-provoking fireside conversation with James Rhee, the acclaimed CEO, investor, and national bestselling author of “red helicopter – a parable for our times.” James is one of the top thought leaders and innovators in leadership, change, and entrepreneurship – his TED Talk and interview with Brené Brown about his shocking and transformative tenure as the CEO of Ashley Stewart, a business with deep roots in the African American community, have captured the imagination of millions.

James is changing hearts and minds about the role of kindness and math in our society, including the workplace. For his efforts, he earned an unprecedented appointment at Howard University, where he serves as the Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship. James also holds appointments at MIT Sloan School of Management and Duke Law School. He was elected to serve in the inaugural class of Ashoka E-to-E Fellows and was recently honored as the recipient of 2023 Council of Korean Americans Trailblazer. He continues to serve on the boards of Xponance and JP Morgan Chase Advancing Black Pathways.

Moderated by Yul Kwon, CKA Board Member and Vice President of Product Management at Google, James discussed the themes and predictions underlying his book, which made its debut as USA Today’s #7 overall book across all formats and channels. He also discussed red helicopter’s rapid global expansion (the Korean translation will be finished later this year) and the adaptation of the operating system into music, curricula, and film.

Thank you to the Commonwealth Club World Affairs for cohosting this event!