David L. Kim Joins AARP to Head Outreach to Asian-Americans 50+

 “AARP understands that while all Americans 50+ share the same goals of aging with dignity and peace of mind, each of the communities in our lives offers unique opportunities and contributions toward helping us get there,” said Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez, executive vice president for multicultural markets and engagement at AARP. “David understands how the experiences and contributions of AARP and the aging Asian-American community are relevant to each other, and we’re excited welcome him to our team.”

Kim joins AARP from Washington-based public affairs firm The Raben Group, where as a principal he provided strategic counsel in the areas of reputation management, multicultural marketing and communications to global corporations, government agencies and non-profit organizations.

In 2010, Kim completed a three-year appointment as chief of staff at the United States Mint, the world’s largest mint and the oldest agency in Federal government. During his appointment, Kim led a 15-member agency-wide branding team that created the Mint’s first brand platform, logo and brand standards manual since the inception of the Mint in 1792. The Mint branding initiative received top recognition as one of the five best repositioned brands by the 2011 REBRAND 100 Global Awards. It was the only American brand awarded.

Before joining the Mint, Kim was director for Asian marketing and community relations at Anheuser-Busch Companies in St. Louis. There he established high-end branded marketing platforms based on lifestyle, culture, music and sports, including Michelob brand tie-ins with Asian and Asian-American LPGA golfers; with celebrity chefs such as Ming Tsai, Roy Yamaguchi and Sam Choy; with Asian film directors such as Academy Award winner, Ang Lee; and with the Grammy-nominated jazz group, Hiroshima.

Kim has received several honors and awards for his pioneering work in integrating marketing and community relations to reach niche audiences. In 2008, he received the Presidential Volunteer Service Award as well as a Citation Medal from the Secretary of the Treasury Henry M. Paulson, Jr. for Exemplary Service. In 2003, he was appointed by President George W. Bush to serve a two-year term on the National Advisory Council of the Small Business Administration (SBA), where he was chosen to serve on the Executive Committee. That same year he was awarded the New York State Governor’s Award of Excellence by Governor George E. Pataki.

Kim is a graduate of Duke University with an A.B. in Political Science and attended Columbia University’s Graduate School of International Affairs.

AARP
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with a membership that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to either political campaigns or candidates. They produce AARP The Magazine, the definitive voice for 50+ Americans and the world’s largest-circulation magazine with over 35.1 million readers; AARP Bulletin, the go-to news source for AARP’s millions of members and Americans 50+; AARP VIVA, the only bilingual U.S. publication dedicated exclusively to the 50+ Hispanic community; and a website, AARP.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. There are staffed AARP offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.