EASC Co-Sponsored Event: A Conversation with Ambassador Kurt Tong

The East Asian Studies Center, Center for International Business Education and Research at the Fisher College of Business, and Mershon Center for International Security Studies present:

A Conversation with Ambassador Kurt Tong

Kurt Tong
The Asia Group

with moderator 

Andrew Piletz
Senior Lecturer, Marketing & Logistics, Fisher College of Business, The Ohio State University

Abstract: This event will be a “fireside chat” with Ambassador Kurt Tong, moderated by Andrew Piletz, about current US-East Asian trade and security relations. Ambassador Tong is managing partner and member of the Executive Committee at The Asia Group, and spent more than three decades in the U.S. Department of State as a foreign service officer in East Asia, with roles that included: Ambassador for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC); Consul General and Chief of Mission in Hong Kong and Macau; Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs at the State Department; Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo; and Director of Korean Affairs in the State Department’s Bureau of East Asia and Pacific Affairs.

Download the PDF flyer here.

Kurt Tong is Managing Partner and member of the Executive Committee at The Asia Group, where he leads consulting teams focused on Japan, China and Hong Kong, and on East Asia regional policy matters. He also leads the firm’s innovative thought leadership programs. A leading expert in diplomacy and economic affairs in East Asia, Ambassador Tong brings thirty years of experience in the Department of State as a career Foreign Service Officer and member of the Senior Foreign Service. Prior to joining The Asia Group, Ambassador Tong served as Consul General and Chief of Mission in Hong Kong and Macau, leading U.S. political and economic engagement with that important free trade hub. Prior to that role, he served as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs at the State Department from 2014 to 2016, guiding the Department’s institutional strengthening efforts as its most senior career diplomat handling economic affairs. He also served as the Deputy Chief of Mission and Chargé d’Affaires at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo from 2011 to 2014, where he played a key role in setting the stage for Japan’s entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership and supporting Japan’s recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake. In 2013, he received the Cordell Hull Award for Economic Achievement by Senior Officers for his outstanding success in advancing U.S. economic interests by reducing trade barriers, increasing market access for American products, and enhancing international cooperation across the Asia Pacific region. He also received Presidential Meritorious Service Awards for 2011 and 2018.

Andrew Piletz is Senior Lecturer of Marketing & Logistics at the Fisher College of Business. He spent twelve years working in marketing and brand management in the consumer products, food, and healthcare industries, and today he is living out his dream of sharing his real-world experiences with students in the classroom. Andrew teaches both graduate and undergraduate level courses including the Principles of Marketing, Brand Management, and International Marketing.  And he was recognized for his teaching efforts by the Fisher College of Business when he was awarded the 2023 Outstanding Instructor Award. Andrew’s professional experiences span across brand strategy, positioning, channel planning, P&L management, new product launches, innovation, and more at companies like Abbott Nutrition, Wallick Communities, and Bob Evans Foods. In addition, Andrew has international business experience helping companies such as Microsoft and Hood Packaging develop their businesses in China. Personally, Andrew is passionate about his faith and his family.  He spends much of his free time with his wife trying to keep up with their three children. Andrew earned his MBA from The George Washington University and his B.A. in International Studies from The University of Mississippi.