The Asia Society Southern California (ASSC) honored USC president C. L. Max Nikias with its 2012 Education Leader of the Year award at the organization’s annual gala, held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel on March 28. The award recognizes USC’s strong commitment to advancing the internationalization of education in the United States, especially with respect to its outreach to students from Asia/Pacific. Presenting the award was USC trustee and ASSC co-chair Ronnie C. Chan, chairman of Hang Lung Group Limited and Hang Lung Properties Limited.
Also honored: Keynote speaker Sidney Rittenberg received the ASSC 2012 Visionary of the Year award for his dedication to U.S.-China relations over many decades; and USC trustee Yang Ho (Y. H.) Cho, chairman and CEO of Korean Air, received the society’s 2012 Asian Businessman of the Year award in recognition of his leadership, investment in the Los Angeles area and downtown redevelopment plan.