Submitted by Ryan Tseng
I am a 10-year Coronado resident with two kids (ages 1 & 3) and this letter is my endorsement for Nick Kato for the CUSD School Board.
I feel fortunate to have grown up in a safe community where I was afforded a good education. By the time my classmates and I graduated from high school, great teachers and involved parents had laid life-long foundations for success in work and in life – though I didn’t realize this at the time.
I went on to study at the University of Florida and then MIT. I created new technologies and founded three businesses worth almost half-a-billion dollars – contributions that I hope will leave the world better than I found it. None of it would have been possible without parents and teachers who taught me how to think, how to act, how to behave, how to be rigorous, work hard, be kind and be honest. I believe all children, including of course the children of this community, deserve the same opportunity.
I believe that Nick Kato’s experience and personal qualities make him an extraordinary candidate for the school board, and through his leadership and contributions, Coronado Schools can expand their legacy of providing graduates a foundation of knowledge and character that serve them throughout life. These are three reasons why I support Nick Kato:
Nick is a good person: My wife and I met Nick and Rika a few years ago and have become fast friends. Nick is kind and selfless, and while it probably doesn’t make a difference for the school board, Nick is pretty funny. Nick has made professional introductions, hosted us for Thanksgiving, and recently gave me a barbell so that I could stay in shape during the pandemic. He’s the type of person who is quick to give without expecting anything in return.
Nick has deep financial expertise: In business, you learn that almost nothing matters: not bold vision, nor good intent, nor extraordinary depth of talent, unless an organization is unable to manage, plan, spend, and access capital. Finance and accounting are complex, and teams that understand how to navigate this discipline are afforded extraordinary advantages. Nick is a world-class talent in this realm and his rocket-ship trajectory to senior-partner at KPMG so early in his career is a testament to his talent. Nick is uniquely capable of ensuring that our school system has the financial resources it needs to attract and retain the best talent and deliver our children an uncompromising education.
Nick is doing it for the right reasons: Someone like Nick can take any number of senior executive positions in the private sector. He is accomplished, he is respected, and he embodies the qualities of rigor, hard-work, and integrity that are valued by executive teams world-wide. Instead, he is choosing to focus energy on improving the Coronado school system. The only reason for him to make this choice is a deep, and sincere desire to make a positive difference for our children and the community of Coronado.
I am humbled and grateful to be a part of a community where kind and extraordinary people like Nick Kato are willing to serve our schools, our city, and our children. Nick will be an asset to our schools, and I ask that you join me in supporting him for Coronado School Board.
Sincerely,
Ryan Tseng
