Author Talk: James Rhee on 'red helicopter'

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Schedule

Thursday, May 16, 2024
7 p.m. Author Talk
8 p.m. Audience Q&A
8:15 p.m. Book Signing and Drinks-Only Reception

Join Asia Society Texas as acclaimed CEO, TED speaker, and professor James Rhee discusses his new national bestselling book red helicopter – a parable for our times, an inspirational true story of finding success through kindness (plus a little math).

In kindergarten, Rhee received a red helicopter toy in gratitude after he shared his lunch. Forty years later, the lessons from that small gift led him to develop a human-centered framework for business and personal success that is now taught across the country in classrooms and boardrooms and at kitchen tables.

A high school teacher turned private equity investor, Rhee unexpectedly took the helm of Ashley Stewart, a women's clothing company predominantly employing and serving Black women and which was heading towards liquidation. Drawing inspiration from values instilled by his Korean immigrant parents, Rhee as a first-time CEO trusted his instincts to identify, measure, and leverage the intangible goodwill at the company's core by changing the company culture and building a business plan that centered Black women. Defying expectations, he led the twice-bankrupt company from certain liquidation to a transcendent success, inspiring the world along the way.

In red helicopter, Rhee reflects on his experiences and combines a child's clarity and imagination with fundamental business metrics to share a clear, instructionable path to create a more sustainable balance between life, money, and joy for ourselves and others.

Books will be available for purchase onsite, and a book-signing will follow the program.

About the Speaker

James Rhee is a former high school teacher and Harvard Law School graduate turned private equity investor and CEO. James’s leadership story first grabbed global attention during his unlikely seven-year tenure as Chairman and then CEO of Ashley Stewart. After his radical and yet intuitive approach fueled a transcendent, unprecedented reinvention story for the company, James began to write down his leadership philosophy which he describes as, “kindness plus a little math.”

Rhee currently serves as the Johnson Chair of Entrepreneurship at Howard University and teaches at both the MIT Sloan School of Management and Duke Law School. His TED Talk and Dare to Lead interview with Brené Brown have captured the imagination of millions. He composes systems that bridge peoples, industries, and ideas and is the national bestselling author of red helicopter – a parable for our times, which debuted as the No. 1 nonfiction book in USA Today's Best-selling Booklist. He lives outside of Boston, Massachusetts.

For more information, visit www.redhelicopter.com.

About the Moderator

Ginger Koto Vaughn is a Lecturer in Communication at Rice Business. She teaches in the MBA program and leads diversity and intercultural communication workshops. She helped launch Rice’s Activate Engineering Communication Program in 2019 for engineering master’s students. She also teaches entrepreneurial communication and has served as a pitch coach for Texas Medical Center Innovation (TMCI) and UTSW. She mentors Japanese American emerging leaders for the US-Japan Council and guest lectures on diversity issues at Stanford’s Program on International and Cross-Cultural Education (SPICE) and the East-West Center.

Prior to joining Rice, Ginger was a business journalist and media producer in Tokyo, Japan where she worked for NHK World broadcasting for over a decade. She also held faculty appointments at Hosei University and Akita International University’s (AIU) graduate program in communication. After getting her MBA from Waseda University, she worked in finance for JP Morgan Chase and BNP Paribas as an exotic swaps analyst.

Asia Society hosts today's leading voices, providing commentary on events in news, society, and culture. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect Asia Society views.

Business and Policy programs at Asia Society Texas are presented by Bank of America, Muffet Blake, and ExxonMobil. Major support comes from Nancy C. Allen, Chinhui Juhn and Eddie Allen, The Brown Foundation, Inc., and Houston Endowment Inc. Generous funding provided by bp America, Inc, Anne and Albert Chao, ConocoPhillips, Mitsubishi Corporation (Americas), Regions Bank, and Stephanie and Frank Tsuru. Additional support is provided by the Friends of Asia Society, a dedicated group of individuals and organizations committed to bringing the best in public programming.

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About APAH Month at Asia Society Texas

Beginning in 2021, Asia Society Texas has celebrated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month with the Houston community and beyond through a curated calendar of events for 31 ways to celebrate over the 31 days of May. Spotlighting the traditions, talents, and contributions of Asians and Asian Americans, the calendar highlights the month's key Asia Society programming, providing a platform to showcase local artists, performers, educators, and leaders who contribute to the vibrant, multicultural tapestry of Houston while also featuring staff recommendations for our favorite music, books, movies, and more by Asian and Asian American creatives.

At Asia Society Texas, APAH Month is an opportunity to celebrate and honor Asians and Asian Americans and to uplift their stories to a broader audience as part of our goal to inspire our larger community to better understand one another through culture, conversation, and connection. For information about sponsoring APAH Month and other projects like this one, please contact Saleena Jafry at [email protected] or 713.496.9939.

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About Asia Society Texas

Asia Society Texas believes in the strength and beauty of diverse perspectives and people. As an educational institution, we advance cultural exchange by celebrating the vibrant diversity of Asia, inspiring empathy, and fostering a better understanding of our interconnected world. Spanning the fields of arts, business, culture, education, and policy, our programming is rooted in the educational and cultural development of our community — trusting in the power of art, dialogue, and ideas to combat bias and build a more inclusive society.