Tea Chest Hawaii founder Byron Goo has produced award winning teas and conducted business in multiple countries. The 1990 alumnus discovered his love for learning about different cultures while attending the University of Â鶹´«Ã½ at Mānoa.
While studying abroad in 1986 with the Pacific Asian Management Institute¡¯s Summer Field Trip led by Professor K.K. Seo, Goo made meaningful connections.
“Dr. Seo got us into the boardrooms of some major players such as Nissan (Japan), DaTung (Taiwan) and Hyundai (Korea),” said Goo. “That trip sparked my interest and gave me the courage to work overseas.”
Goo is currently the chair of the Â鶹´«Ã½ Pacific Export Council, a U.S. Commerce Secretary appointment. It helps businesses in Â鶹´«Ã½, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands expand internationally.
“My time at UH gave me a passion for learning new things and a curiosity about other cultures. Find your passion and pursue it,” he said.
Commitment to local industry
Goo has worked with researchers from the UH Mānoa and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to grow tea in the Hawaiian islands. Tea Chest Hawaii has local farm partners on Â鶹´«Ã½ Island, Maui and Oʻahu.
“Early in my career as a teamaker, my goal was to capture the flavors I grew up with in our products,” Goo said. “Some of the finest and rarest tea in the world now grows in Â鶹´«Ã½ because of that investment.”
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