Q&A with Facilities VP Kyu Whang

After one month on the job as vice president of facilities, Kyu Whang was interviewed for this Q&A that appeared in the Facilities' staff newsletter.

What’s your initial take on our Facilities Organization?
People seem to be hardworking, conscientious and dedicated to doing the things that benefit the University as a whole. I see an organization and a University that are complex in nature – Princeton is a very demanding place but also a rewarding place to be. I am working hard to learn the culture and spirit of this organization and university as quickly as I can. It’s a challenging place but I’m sure over time I will get used to it.

What’s important to you as a leader?
One of my goals is to help Facilities think of itself as one team. Each group within Facilities is different and each group works on a different function. But at the end of the day everything has to come together – when we plan, design, construct, operate, manage, maintain this Campus – what one department does affects what we all do. We must think of ourselves as one organization.

I would like to improve the perceptions of our organization across Campus. I want everyone at Princeton to know the value we add to the University. We have to be open and transparent in communicating with the people we serve. We must also be good listeners so we can deliver exactly what they are asking for. People who use our services need to understand what we do, why we do things, and why we do them in a certain way. We are good at getting the job done but haven’t shared enough of our stories with the Campus we serve.

I want every one of our employees to feel a part of the team, not just those in leadership positions. I want them to know how they fit in to the overall picture. I want people to understand how they contribute to our successes, current and future, and I want them to feel valued for what they do.

These are some of the “big picture” things I have been thinking about since I arrived.

What tipped the scale towards Princeton?
Warmer weather! (Laughs) Princeton’s reputation certainly had a lot to do with it. Even amongst the “ivies” Princeton has always been regarded as one of the best, if not the best. And the timing – Princeton is at a crossroads between two Capital Plans. And working with a relatively new university leadership it’s a chance to be engaged in helping to shape Princeton’s future – it’s an awesome opportunity.

What would you like us to know about your personal life? Family?
I was born in South Korea and have lived in a few countries. I came to the US in 1974 to attend college – and I ended up staying. I settled in NJ upon graduation from college because my wife is from New Jersey – I married a Jersey Girl! (Laughs). She wanted to come back home so I followed her here. That’s my connection to NJ. My son was born right here in Princeton – both my kids grew up here. They’re adults now, but I still worry about them.

What experiences outside of the job have helped you succeed in your career?
My wife and I got married when we were very young (I was 25, she was 23) and we had children when we were young. When you are responsible for a family at such a young age, not financially well off, and you haven’t really set off on your career path, you learn a lot about life, about the value of a dollar, and the importance of budgeting time. Princeton has the reputation of having a lot of resources. Even though we are resource rich, we need to spend every dollar wisely. That’s the discipline I want to bring here, whether it’s in design and construction or operation of the Campus.

The fact that I have lived in so many different countries (5 different countries with 5 very different cultures) certainly had an impact on me and that experience has made me think more globally about people, culture, and language. It made me become more attuned to diversity. There are people from all different perspectives in the world and we have to be inclusive of all of them. That’s one thing I have learned from living in so many places – to get along with people who are different from me. That’s what motivates me when I think about diversity.

If you could go back, what career advice would you give your younger self?
What I would tell my young self is “Do what you are passionate about doing – don’t spend a lot of time with things you don’t care much about. Pursue your true love – do what you love doing – and keep doing it.” I think I have pretty much lived my life that way. I’m passionate about people and building relationships. I want people to perceive me as a positive person who contributes in a productive way. I don’t spend a lot of time thinking about what’s wrong but I think more about – in the time that I have – coming up with solutions. That’s how I would like to be known.