My 43-Year Journey in America as an Immigrant

DRC Sponsor: Don Holmertz

Distinguished fellow Decorah Rotarian Dr. Liang Chee Wee will be presenting his reflections on the experiences that have shaped him during his 43-year journey in America as an immigrant.

Dr. Wee has extensive community college leadership experience, having served as President of Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) from 2011 to 2022. He also recently concluded nearly two years of service as Interim Chancellor of Eastern Iowa Community Colleges and six months as Interim President of Des Moines Area Community College. His distinguished career includes significant experience in strategic planning, workforce development, student support, legislative engagement, organizational culture, and community partnerships.

During his tenure at NICC, Dr. Wee led a successful capital campaign totaling $10 million and a $39 million bond levy. He earned recognition as Iowa's Outstanding Chief Administrator by the Iowa Association of Community College Trustees in 2013. He was named the Chairman’s Institutional Leadership Award recipient by the International Economic Development Council in 2016 and received the Crescent Community Health Center Advocacy Award in 2022. Most recently, in 2025, he received the Larry Ebbers Honorary Trustee Award from Community Colleges for Iowa and was honored as an Honorary Lifetime Leadership Iowa Alumni Society Member by the Association of Business and Industry.

Dr. Wee holds a Ph.D. in Business Administration from the University of Arizona's Karl Eller Graduate School of Management, along with an MBA and undergraduate degree with distinction in Management Information Systems from the same institution.

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 **Please complete your meal sign-up prior to the meeting, preferably not later than close of business Monday. Our face-to-face meeting will be hosted at the VFW. The meal sign-up, meeting announcement, and any other logistical information will be distributed in advance to all members by email.