Mr. Lawrence S. Ting

The establishment of Lawrence S. Ting Foundation is to remember Mr. Lawrence S. Ting, his devotion to Vietnam, and desire to improve the livelihood and happiness of the people in Vietnam. Our goal is to reflect his belief and that through our commitment to charitable work give back to Vietnam and its people.

In 1988, Mr. Ting came to Vietnam and chose Ho Chi Minh City as a prime location for investment. At that time, Nha Be District was a salted marshland. However, the foresight of Mr. Ting and the relentless perseverance of him and his colleagues along with local authorities worked to turn this marshland area into the first export processing zone in Vietnam. The Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone provided and provides Vietnam with a source of foreign exchange and investment creating over 65,000 job opportunities.

In the same year, Mr. Ting led a team to Kien Giang Province, one of the poorest provinces in Vietnam, to implement a 23,000-hectare reforestation program focusing on the improvement of soil fertility and turning poor land into farmable land. At the same time, Mr. Ting and his colleagues invented the so call-ed “Ting Phang Plow” (a tiller) in order to enhance afforestation efficiency. In 1998, Mr. Ting returned this piece of land back to the local community so that they could conduct their own agricultural production and further reap the benefits of the farmable land. Soon, Kien Giang became one of the major rice exporting provinces. Another important and prescient project was the construction of the Hiep Phuoc Power Plant which was completed around the same time. It supplied briefly up to 40% Ho Chi Minh City’s electricity and promoted economic development while improving the quality of life of local citizens.

Phu My Hung is a new urban center located in District 7 of Ho Chi Minh City and has been recognized by the Harvard Business Review as one of the leading examples of a sustainable urban development. Phu My Hung has dedicated 40% of its land to greenery. Additionally, the Nguyen Van Linh Parkway runs through Phu My Hung and measures 17.8km long and 120m wide. This road is an important east-west corridor that connects National Highway 1 to District 7. More so, it connects further away eastern provinces and prepares for the future by leaving additional land between its lanes of traffic capable of accounting for the possibility of lane expansion or accommodating a rapid transit system. Phu My Hung has become a desired location to live in while symbolizing the possibility of an exceptional living environment that synthesizes nature and sustainable development. All these projects come in the footsteps of Mr. Lawrence S. Ting’s spirit and beliefs.

‘’Wherever we invest, we ask not what we can take away, but what we can leave behind.’’

Mr. Ting was strict on himself and strived for excellence but was also optimistic in confronting difficulties and always persevered in pursuit of his goals. Mr. Ting was full of compassion. He and his wife have dedicated their lives to engage in charitable work with particular attention to supporting the rights of disadvantaged women and children as well as emphasizing the important of education. His spirit and philosophy have helped to establish a clear strategic direction and focus for the Lawrence S. Ting Foundation.