Kevin Chiu was a schoolboy when he began to accompany his father, YT Chiu, to Rotary events. Today, as a father of four and a devoted member of RCY, Kevin looks back on lessons he learned from Dad and the reign of the “Chiu Dynasty.”
Name: Kevin Chiu
Years in Rotary: 18 with Youngstown, 2 in Columbiana
Resident of: Canfield
Hometown: Y-Town is My Town
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How long have you lived here? My whole life except for college.
How long have you lived here? My whole life except for college.
What brought you here, or kept you here? Honestly, in the late 80’s I was looking to leave. I started a management training job at Home Savings and figured after a couple years I was outta here, but here I am. I am very happy at how that worked out even though it wasn't my intention.
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration, Wittenberg University; Masters of Business Administration in Finance, Youngtown State University.
Occupation: Vice President/Partner, Elsass Financial Group.
Who is in your family circle? Wife, Lynn; son, Alex; and daughters Ally, Riley and Kate. Mom and Dad of course, YT and Marilyn Chiu. When I was president of the club in 2007-08, we referred to that as the Chiu Dynasty since YT is also a past president of the club .
Do you have any pets? If so, what are their names and what are they like? We are dog people and currently have Keegan, who is a German shepherd mix, and Luna, who is a Rottweiler. They are why we can't have nice things! Joking aside, they are big babies with us but they take exception to anyone walking past our house and let them know about it (eye roll).
When you are not working, how do you like to spend your time? Hanging with the family is good, they are a cool bunch. Besides that, number one is riding my motorcycle, then perhaps golf and boating.
Why did you join Rotary? I was raised in our club and YT had me working at the Charity Horse Show, helping to take the Easter Seals kids to Sea World, serving breakfast on Christmas morning and helping with the Steak Fry, which used to be held at my folks’ house. I guess I always felt being involved was the way to be.
Why do you remain a Rotarian? I like the things we support but to be honest, it is such a great, diverse group of people that I have the good fortune to call my friends that, to me, it is worth the cost of our dues just to be able to see them .
Which Rotary Project resonates with you and your understanding of our community's needs? Anything to do with supporting kids.
What does Rotary's motto "Service Above Self" mean to you? It means to remember it's about "we" and not always "me."
What would you be doing on Wednesdays if you didn't attend the weekly luncheon meeting? I am looking forward to attending again in person. If I don't, then I just work through lunch or eat at my desk.
Which type of Rotary socials do you prefer - black tie affairs or casual attire? No question, casual.
A Rotary tradition is to have sing-alongs during meetings. Would you ever lead us in a song? You don't want that.
What do you think of Scott Schulick's Rotary pants, and would you wear a pair? I think they are uniquely Scott, so I would rather have another article of clothing, like a jacket.
What's a story of yours that you don't get to tell often enough? When I was in high school and no doubt in the throes of the "I know everything, you can't tell me anything" phase, Dad made me go along to take the Easter Seals kids to Sea World. It wasn't the first time I had helped, but Dad put me in charge of a young man who had Cerebral Palsy and was wheelchair bound and not independent at all. I had to get him in and out of venues, help him with lunch, on and off the bus, etc. Later that day after we had returned to Youngstown and we were on our way home, I remarked at how tired I was and boy, that was a long day. YT's response was "So, how do you think he and his parents feel? You helped for what, 10 hours, and they live it 24/7." It made one hell of an impression on me.