Charles Kim

The Junior Achievement Company Program in Northbrook, Illinois is where Charles Kim was first introduced to entrepreneurship and the value of businesses. Charles then continued his study of Management and Finance at Binghamton University in New York, and worked in trading firms across Wall Street before opening his own proprietary trading firm, now with headquarters in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands. A cornerstone member of Junior Achievement of the Virgin Islands, Charles has been a key contributor to the success of the organization. After a slow start, Charles, along with key partners were instrumental in rebuilding JAVI from the ground up. Together, they identified new board members, collaborated with schools, established community partners, and recruited students and instructors for the program. As an extension of this, Charles also joined the “JA Americas” Board of Directors, which provides guidance to Junior Achievement’s projects and work in countries throughout North and South America. In addition to his work with Junior Achievement, Charles works tirelessly in the U.S. Virgin Islands community to support numerous other community organizations. He conceived and spearheaded what is now the Virgin Islands’ largest charitable event, a culinary competition called the “King of the Wing”. In its 11 years of existence, King of the Wing has benefited orphanages and youth programs throughout the Virgin Islands, and has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to these causes dedicated to cultivating young people’s lives. A first-generation Korean-American and son of immigrants, Charles is also active in Korean-American philanthropies and has most recently established the YS Kim Foundation, named after his late father. The YS Kim Foundation seeks to create long-term, lasting impact through charitable donations to educational institutions and community organizations. The majority of Charles’ philanthropic efforts are focused on youth-centered programs. He hopes to imbue young people with the entrepreneurial spirit that inspired him as a young JA student so many years ago. Charles Kim currently resides in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands with his wife, and 3 children