Asia Pacific Exchange (APEX) at Kodak (Rochester, N.Y.)
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APEX is one of Kodak's eight employee networks (the oldest being Network North Star, an African-American network, started in 1988). Raised in New York City, Mimi W. Lee moved to the Rochester area in 1983 after attending the University of Rochester from the late 1970s to the early 1980s. Soon after joining Kodak in September 1998, Lee joined the Women's Forum of Kodak Employees (WFKE). She was impressed with the group, the model it provided, and the idea of employee networks. A coworker, Mercedes Whelan (who had joined Kodak in the Intranet Services Group shortly after Lee) began leading employee discussions regarding the lack of an Asian American employee network group.
The first organizational meeting was held on May 10, 1999 with five persons attending: Lee, Whelan, Kazuko Mayahara, Mar Doromal, and Cindy Yao. Nat Yogachandra, a founding member, was out of the country at the time of the first meeting. Kodak's Diversity Office helped the group to start the network, explaining how to set up a constitution, by-laws, etc. APEX's first full year was 2000. Lee served as the founding president for the first two years because the president-elect resigned and then left the company.
One of APEX's goals is to be a resource for Kodak in its dealings in Asia, for example, in developing business plans. This is one of the goals in APEX's vision plan. Another primary concern of APEX is creating a united identity among the employees and in the business environment at Kodak. Areas of focus include recruitment and the creation of cultural-education and cultural-sharing programs. APEX seeks to "break the glass ceiling" and to overcome the perception of Asian Americans as only employees-as engineers and scientists-and not as managers.
Cultural-sharing events range from formal discussions to more relaxed meetings such as seeing the latest Asian films (e.g., "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon") and discussing them. A mentoring program was also established. The diverse crowd that the annual APEX picnic draws evidences the success of these efforts. APEX also organizes events with other area companies such as Bausch & Lomb and Xerox.
Mimi Lee is a founding member of the former Rochester Chinese Cultural Association. Mimi, along with her sister Lily Lee, Paul Sun, and Jeffrey Hwang, had also started the Grapes Fellowship Group for singles in the Rochester Chinese Christian Church (RCCC). Lee is also a founding board member and current president (2003-2004) of the Asian/Pacific Islander/American History Project of Greater Rochester, Inc. (APA-HiP).
From the description of Asia Pacific Exchange (APEX) at Kodak records, 1999-2004. (New York State Historical Documents). WorldCat record id: 155424274
Role | Title | Holding Repository | |
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creatorOf | Asia Pacific Exchange (APEX) at Kodak (Rochester, N.Y.). Asia Pacific Exchange (APEX) at Kodak records, 1999-2004. | New York State Historical Documents Inventory |
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Relation | Name |
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associatedWith | APA-HiP. |
associatedWith | Asian/Pacific Islander/American History Project of Greater Rochester, Inc. |
associatedWith | Bausch & Lomb, Inc. |
associatedWith | Doromal, Mar. |
associatedWith | Eastman Kodak Company. |
associatedWith | Lee, Mimi W., |
associatedWith | Mayahara, Kazuko. |
associatedWith | Rochester Chinese Christian Church (Rochester, N.Y.). Grapes Fellowship. |
associatedWith | Rochester Chinese Community Association. |
associatedWith | Whelan, Mercedes. |
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Asia Pacific Exchange (APEX) at Kodak (Rochester, N.Y.)
Asia Pacific Exchange (APEX) at Kodak (Rochester, N.Y.) | Title |
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