The University of New Haven (UNH) conferred honorary doctoral degrees on Ronald Shaw, president and chief executive officer of Pilot Pen Corporation of America and John Tu, president and chief executive officer of Kingston Technology, during winter commencement exercises at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 13, 2007, in the Charger Gymnasium on the UNH north campus.
John Tu will be awarded a Doctor of Engineering, honoris causa. Tu fled with his family from China to Taiwan in 1949 and finding the culture difficult, turned to American rock music. It was at this time that Tu learned it was okay to be different. During Tu's high school years, he was sent to live with an uncle in Germany where he became an apprentice welder, earning a degree in electrical engineering in 1970.
Tu immigrated to the United States and moved to Southern California in 1982 where he met his business partner, David Sun. Together they founded the Camintonn Corporation, which manufactured computer parts. The company flourished and they sold it in 1986, investing the money in the stock market. In October 1987, when the bottom dropped out of the stock market, Tu and Sun lost everything, but undaunted, they developed a memory module and out of this crisis, Kingston Technology was created. As president and CEO, Tu yielded a company with 500 employees and approached $2 billion in sales within 10 years. When 80 percent of Kingston Technology was sold in the late 90s, employees were rewarded with bonuses that have attained legendary status in the computer industry.
Tu bought back his 80 percent three years later and now, Kingston Technology makes 3,000 different components that are used in computers, laser printers, and other electronic products. What sets Kingston Technology apart from its competitors is the relationships Tu has built with his employees and customers and the belief that people come first.