1. home and garden
2. home furnishings

A Few Words
Two of Guam’s most prominent women
are grateful for the Kao family’s longtime
history on Guam – not just for the personal contributions that they’ve made to the
community, but also for the look, durability and attractive furniture that Genghis
Khan is known for.
Guam Congresswoman Madeleine Z.
Bordallo offered her
congratulations on
Kao’s recent award as
Guam Businesswoman of the Year.
"I have been personal friends with
Robert and Anna for
many years. Anna is a
very smart businesswoman who has continually given back to our community
through her involvement with non-profits
and with her contributions to Guam's Chinese community,” Bordallo says
First lady Joann Camacho echoed the
sentiments.
“Her support of the local Chinese community and the civic and non-profit organizations is paramount,” Camacho says.
“When asked, she contributes financially or
provides products from her store. Anna is
committed to helping out in whatever way
she can.”
Camacho admires Anna Kao’s business
acumen too.
“She has been a pioneer on this island as
a savvy businesswoman with Genghis Khan
and a survivor during hard economic times.
Because of her humble beginning, she's one
smart tough woman. She's a hard
worker,” Camacho says.
B o r d a l l o , C a m a c h o a d m i r e K a o ’s s a v v y
Of course, Kao wouldn’t be where she
is if her furniture was low quality. Bordallo and Camacho both admit to being repeat customers.
“I have shopped at Genghis Khan for
well over thirty years as Anna's store carries pieces that are both tasteful and affordable. In fact, the conference table and
other furniture in my Hagåtña office are
from Genghis Khan,” Bordallo says.
Kao also won the bid to furnish Government House, where the Camachos have
lived for several years.
“I know of several friends and family
that have purchased furniture from Genghis
Khan. They carry an inventory of furniture
that is high quality, well made, and durable
for our kind of weather,” Camacho says.
“The funiture style and decor of the residence is one of a tropical feel with elegance and class.”
Both ladies were happy to see
Kao reach a milestone. But she’s
more than a business owner, they
say.
“ Not only does Anna have talent
with interior decorating, but she is
also very skilled at karaoke,” says
Bordallo. “I wish Anna continued success on Genghis Khan's 40th Anniversary."
Camacho echoed the sentiment.
“She's a great singer and she loves what
she does – managing and operating Genghis
Khan,” she says. “I think Mrs. Kao is very
caring and dedicated woman. She's a good
friend and is loved by many.”
By Jojo Santo Tomas
or Anna Kao, becoming a household name was just a byproduct of
hard work and savvy business
sense.
With Genghis Khan slowly becoming a household name, it was
only a matter of time before she
tapped into her military market, utilizing her hard-fought training from
Taiwan to meet their needs.
Armed with a strong under-
standing of the military market and
its furnishing needs, Kao slowly
opened doors to reach her military
customers. Her 1992 opening of
Rosewood Shop was only the start
of Genghis Khan’s growth in the
military market.
Eventually, she opened Asia Furnishings on Andersen Air Force
Base in 2000. In 2008, she opened
Asia Furnishings at the Navy Ex-
change on Naval Base Guam, serving as a convenient location for military personnel and dependents in
the southern villages of Agat, Santa Rita and base residents.
Gifted with foresight and a need
to help her family, Kao turned her
attention to opening a store in China in 1993.
The first store was a method for
helping family in China, allowing
Kao’s ever-growing family an opportunity to learn the family trade
and develop good skills.
While Kao may have helped her
family with the first store, it was
only a matter of time before they
got two more stores up and running.
Their third store opened in Zheng
Zhou City in 2009, a testament of
more to come.
The product quality is very good,
(and) customer service is exceptional. My whole house furniture
is by Genghis Khan.
Richard Lai, Genghis Khan customer
Home: Richard Lai
shares the furnishings
he bought from
Genghis Khan. His
entire house was furnished by Anna Kao
Long-time employees
I’ve been a customer of Genghis Khan probably
since the late 70s.
Quality. First and foremost is quality. There isn’t
anything in Anna’s store that isn’t quality. And if there
is (an item lacking quality), she’ll replace it. You
bring it back to her. There’s no quarrel with Anna. She
takes pride in what she personally hand picks. She goes
to China, she goes to Taiwan, she goes wherever she
has to go to pick the look that she’s looking for.
As far as I’m concerned there is no other furniture
store on Guam that anybody
should shop at. And we’ve
just renovated our house
completely. From top to bottom, we’ve taken it to the slab
and rebuilt it up and every
single piece of furniture in
that house came from
Genghis Khan.
And I’m proud to know
Anna Kao and I’m proud to
have the furnishings in my
house …
We renovated the first time
in 1982 and when we gave
that furniture, it was all rosewood furniture ... And
when we gave that furniture away just last year, you
couldn’t tell that those furnishings were 20 years old.
So I know that the furniture that we have now, which
is a totally different look from what she first picked,
will be just as good 20 years from now. And, when
we do give it away, people will be just as grateful to
get it.
and long-time customers share stories
Rlene Steffy
customer
I’ve been a customer of Genghis Khan for four
years ever since my husband and I moved to Guam.
The service has been fantastic. Starting with Anna, of course, but her
sales people are very receptive, very
helpful and even the delivery people when they come to the house
and deliver the furniture they’re always very welcoming. It’s like family.
You know the treatment that you
get. If there’s ever an issue with anything that I bought here, it gets handled immediately. There’s no hesitation, there’s no having to fight with
anybody to get it resolved, it’s just
resolved and that’s it. And so, there’s
never a bad purchase.
The furniture. Really, look at the quality of the furniture. A lot of furniture that you buy these days lasts
you three, maybe five years before it starts breaking
down and wearing down and looking old. The furniture here is going to last forever. I mean this is furniture that my husband and I can hand down to our
children, and their children, and their children.
I always recommend Genghis Khan to all my
friends and family and basically I tell them ‘if you want
quality furniture that’s going to last forever, you need
to go to Genghis Khan.’ You know, the price might
be a little bit more than you might pay elsewhere but
what’s the difference? Do I pay a few bucks more and
get something that’s going to last forever? Or, do I still
pay a high amount and have to replace it in five years?
Stephanie Clark
customer
“TAnna is very funny and she really
take care of her customers well. She
makes her customer feel important when
they walk in the store. She wants to
make sure when you take the product
from her it’s not because it’s just nice furniture, it’s because she gave you great
customer service — the full package.
The product quality is very good (and)
customer service is exceptional. My
whole house furniture is by Genghis
Khan. Buying a product from her is buying a piece of mind. She is always behind her products. She’s not selling her furniture, she’s
selling her reputation.”
Richard Lai
customer
I worked for Genghis Khan as a Bookkeeper and
became an Accountant for over fifteen years. I am
proud to be a part of the Genghis Khan team. I’ll treasure all the experiences I gained from Mrs. Kao and
my co-employees. For what Genghis Khan is now is
n continued on page 9
n continued from page 8
because of her hard work as
a dedicated businesswoman.
I remembered her saying for
whatever endeavor you are
doing, just simply give your
best. Congratulations to
Mrs. Kao for Businesswoman of the Year and on
your 40th year anniversary.
More power, success and
more years to the company.
Julie Paleracio
retired, Virginia
She’s a hard-driving woman but she’s fun to work for.
She’s an achiever, that’s why she so successful. I believe
in genetics, some people are just born achievers. She is
an achiever, a hard working woman. No one is forcing her.
Through her own work it is natural, no one has pushed
her. She keeps productive.”
Daryl Rosario
retired, Guam
Congratulations to Genghis Khan Furniture on your fortieth anniversary. I would also like to congratulate the
president and owner, Mrs. Anna Wang Kao, the businesswoman of the year. I am happy to have been part of
this company for 23 years. Mrs. Kao treated me and my
family as one of her own.
She always thought of her
employees, especially during Christmas time. All of
us are like one big, happy
family, who always cares
for each other. Good Luck!
Melba Cabrera
retired, Guam
I started working with
Ms. Kao just a year ago at
Genghis Khan Furniture.
Working with a woman full
of determination in life is something of an accomplishment. She really works hard for her family and to everyone. I learned different tasks from sales to cashier and doing parts of Accounts Receivable, especially dealing people of different characters.
She s a hard-driving woman
but she s fun to work for. She s
an achiever, that s why she s
so successful.
Daryl Rosario, former Genghis Khan auditor
Ms. Kao, she’s a woman with
a big “Heart” and she treated us
like her kids. On reason, maybe
she scolded us because she wants
us to learn more and to become
like her someday. The main reason is that she cares about our
future. Mrs. Kao, I can define her
like her elegant and beautiful furniture with high standards and
excellent quality.
Herma Distor
Genghis Khan
I’ve been working Mrs. Kao for 9 yers now, from data
entry to inventory controller/warehouse supervisor. Working very close to her is very challenging and stressful;
everything must be 100
percent perfect. She’s a
very hard-working woman
and she taught me how to
be a strong leader and independent woman. I take
Mrs. Kao as my mentor. I
am proud to be a part of the
Genghis Khan family, the
biggest and No. 1 furniture
store on Guam.
Evelyn Veras Balilo
Genghis Khan
In June 1980, Mrs. Anna Wang Kao hired me as a
sales associate at Genghis Khan Furniture store. It was an
honor to work closely with Mrs. Kao. The 13 years I
worked at Genghis Khan is an experience I will never forget. I learned a number of different tasks from purchasing and inventory to advertising and interior designing. I
sincerely enjoyed the years I spent employed for Mrs.
Kao at Genghis Khan. She is a strong and determined businesswoman. Her passion for beautiful furniture is evi-
dent in the intricate and high quality products she sells in
her stores.
Congratulations Mr. & Mrs. Robert Kao on your 40th
year anniversary!
May you continue to thrive and bring the best to the people of Guam!
Nedy Garcia Estrellado
part-time, Genghis Khan
There are many furniture store places here in
Guam, and I’d have to say that Genghis Khan Furniture is the store that not only provides needs for
a family, but also a lifestyle. Here at Genghis
Khan, we are not only people who work together, but we are also a family. And, by that, we are
determined to provide our best to every customer
we encounter. In this job, we all work together to
integrate different ideas on how to make your
home look and feel better.
In our service we’re determine to satisfy our
customers by making sure that their furniture’s
arrive safely to them when it comes to our home
delivery services and if something has gone wrong
with an item we will immediately fix that problem. We also inform all our customers on our latest shipments. Our reliability speaks for itself because all of our
furniture’s are authentic and durable. The reason for this
is not only to make your homes look more appealing but,
also the quality and surety that it has.
All of this wouldn’t be
possible if it weren’t for
Mrs. Anna Wang Kao the
President of Genghis Khan
Furniture. When people see
her, they automatically
judge her in many different
ways. But, little do they
know that she is one of the
most softhearted and giving person that we have
ever met. She’s very focus
and driven when it comes
to what she wants out of her
company. That is why she
was awarded 2010 First Hawaiian Guam Business Businesswoman of the Year at the fifth annual Businesswoman
Maga’haga Awards Gala April 24 at the Hyatt Regency
Guam.
Anna Marquez
Genghis Khan
A Touch of Class: Richard Lai
shares the furnishings he bought from
Genghis Khan. His entire house was
furnished by Anna Kao
THE FENG SHUI BEHIND THE
GODDESS OF LIFE
The Four directions represent the four seasons. Together with the center, which in
Chinese is synonymous with China itself,
they form the five cardinal points. Each of
the four directions along with four animals are depicted and built into the
Goddess of Life, which stands at the
A.B. Won Pat Guam International Airport. Each animal is representative of a
key element in its overall message.
Every facet of the design, Kao says, was
carefully factored in by Feng Shui Master
Larry Sang as a way to bring prosperity and
peace to Guam.
Sculpted in bronze and weighing 8 tons, the
Goddess herself is 12 feet tall. Her pedestal
is six feet tall, making her a towering 18
feet. There are two torches in her hand:
one lit and one unlit to symbolize the yin
and yang in life and in the universe. The
flame ring behind her head symbolizes
wisdom. The billowing skirt shows
“Feng,” which means wind. The “Shi,”
which means water, is below her
feet.
Information courtesy
of Anna Kao
T H E
P E O P L E
Goddess of Life shares message of
harmony, prosperity
A
beautiful force of
nature with her
skirts billowing behind her, the Goddess of Life waits
at the A.B. Won Pat Guam International Airport, welcoming visitors
with open arms with a promise of
harmony and wishes of prosperity. Sculpted in bronze, the goddess is a gift from the Chinese
people to Guam, a tangible symbol of a century of involvement, community and business between the two very
different cultures.
Unveiled in 2002 by
then-Chinese Merchants
Association of Guam,
the goddess inspires
confidence and
courage in all who
stop to admire
INSCRIPTION
May the Goddess of Life continuously ignited the inspiration in the people of Guam and
bring harmony and prosperity
to this beautiful island that we
chose to be our home.
her strength and beauty. In its Web
site, the merchants association, which
is now known as the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Guam, says the
goddess’s characteristics – resilience,
vitality and dignity – are reflective of
the people of Guam.
While many on island have seen
this 18-foot, eight-ton marvel, less
than half that number know the story behind it, says Anna Kao, proprietor of Genghis Khan furniture.
“After Typhoon Paka, many bad
things on Guam … it’s a tough time,”
Kao says.
A firm believer in the power of
feng shui and positive thinking, Kao
says the Chinese community looked
to its eastern philosophies for answers.
Feng Shui Master Larry Sang,
founder of the American Feng Shui
Institute, visited the island, Kao says,
and felt that only a strong symbol
could help bring good fortune back to
the island.
“It must be strong, he say …
maybe stone or bronze,” Kao says,
adding that this cornerstone must be
stationed at Guam’s entrance.
Armed with Master Sang’s instructions, Kao became a pivotal player behind the merchants association,
pushing this vision to completion.
Laughing, she describes her trips
to China to ensure the statue’s delivery.
“It didn’t fit in the container at first
… her skirts were too big,” Kao says
with wide, sweeping gestures to describe how workers had to cut to fit
the statue.
But, all the work was worth it, Kao
says, adding it was a labor that she enjoyed as she pooled resources and
tapped skilled visionaries to ensure
the reality lived up to its hype.
Utilizing the artistry and fine skill
of Jia Lu, a Chinese artist well-known
for her vision of the divine, and the
sculpting talents of Chang Yu, another well-known Chinese artist,
Sang’s vision for stabilizing the island and bringing in good fortune
slowly became reality.
But, it was Kao’s drive, tenacity
and follow-through that made the gift
possible in 2002. Nearly a decade later, the goddess still waits, a force of
nature not unlike the woman who
helped deliver this gift to the people
of Guam.
T H E
G R O W T H
2000
177A Ilipog Drive, Harmon Industrial Park,
Tamuning, GU 96913
Telephone: 646-7429; fax: 646-6924; e-mail:
[email protected]/[email protected]
n Asia Furnishings, AAFES
Branch of Genghis Khan opened to meet needs
of Air Force clientele.
2009-present
1996
n Modern Chinese furniture, second floor,
Zong Bo Shi Mao Furniture Market
Family opened third store in China.
n Furniture Outlet
Kao opened the outlet, next door to Genghis
Khan, to provide an alternative to customers looking for moderately priced furniture.
2006
n Ming-Qing Charming Furniture Mediation
Art Furniture
Store No. 2, Jinshui Stores, Ocalone Furniture Market, China
Second store opened its doors following the continued success of the original location in Shi Mao
Stores.
n Asia Furnishings, NEX
Second branch of store opened to serve its Navy clientele.
O F
1993
n Ming-Qing Charming Furniture Meditation Art Furniture
Store No. 1, Shi Mao Stores, second floor,
Zhong Bo Shi Mao Furniture Market
Kao makes first foray into Chinese market a success.
2003
n Antique Gallery
Antique store opened to add more to its Furniture Outlet inventory.
1992-1997
n Rosewood Shop
Andersen South location offered more convenience
to Air Force clientele.
n continued on page 13
2010
n Guam Businesswoman of Year
Anna Kao celebrates her most recent achievement
during the awards ceremony with friends and colleagues who have been with her through the years.
n continued from page 12
1995
n Genghis Khan Furniture
Genghis Khan moved to its final home, a 42,000 sq. ft.
building in Harmon. The move allowed Genghis to expand
floor space and inventory. Soon, her warehouse expanded to
include furniture from Taiwan, China, Asia, United States and
Canada.
1973-1995
n Genghis Khan Furniture
Second location for Genghis Khan, which started at 2,000
sq. ft. Over the next two decades, the location saw a boom in
profit and sales, which translated into a larger store that eventually grew to 23,000 sq. ft.
1978
n Ghenghis Khan Furniture, San Diego, Calif.
California location opened doors to more ventures stateside.
1972-1973
n Genghis Khan Furniture
The first home for Genghis Khan was a modest 890 sq. ft.
home in the James Lee Building, located along Marine Drive
in Tamuning. Watching her business flourish, Kao rented a
warehouse to store inventory. It was only a matter of time before she moved out of the modest location to her warehouse
in Harmon.
1970-1971
n Taiwan Furniture, Andersen Air Force Base furniture
concession (employee)
As the 22-year-old sales manager, Kao arrived on Guam,
armed with a plan and a dream to make her mark in the furniture world. As a DOD contract employee, she fulfilled her duties and then set out to make her vision a reality.
Civic Contributions from
Robert Kao
n R.O.C. (Republic of China)
Overseas Chinese Affairs
Commissioner
n Past President of United
Chinese Association on Guam
(2 terms)
n Guam Branch Chairman,
R.O.C. Confucian Society
n Past President & Chairman,
Chinese Cultural Arts Society,
Guam
n Past President, Federation
of Asian People on Guam (3
Terms)
n Honorary Ambassador for
Guam
n Mason, Schottische Rite,
Shriner 32
Community Contributions
for Anna Kao
n Adviser, Oversea Compatriot
Affairs Commission
n Citizens Security Bank board
of directors
n Chinese School Foundation,
two-term president
n Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Guam, past vice
president
n Small Business Advocate of
the Year, 1995
n Honorable director of the
Chinese School
n Chinese Ladies Association
of Guam
n Sanctuary, Inc., four-term
board member
n American Red Cross
n Girl Scouts of America
n Fo Guang Shan Buddha Temple
n Guma’ Mami – Sugar Plum
n Legislative resolutions on the
occasion of Genghis Khan’s
12th, 30th and 35th business
anniversaries.
n Nominee – Businesswoman
of the Year 2006, Bank of
Hawaii
n Nominee – Outstanding
Woman of the Year 2000, Bureau of Woman’s Affairs, government of Guam
n Outstanding Overseas Business Woman award, provided by
Taipei’s Mayor and now President
Ma in 1999
n Chairwoman, Moon Festival,
Chinese School/Guam
CrimeStoppers Pacific Star Hotel, 1994
n Adviser who provided the
source to build the statue of
Our Lady of Camarin in Merizo
in 1988
n Provider, Interior Design
Concepts and Furniture to the
present and past governors at
Government House in Agana
Heights.
n Provider, Our Goddess of
Life, at the A.B. Won Pat Guam
International Airport through
the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Guam
T O
C O M M U N I T Y
Success allows Kaos to give and give to the community they love
With four decades’worth of sales on Guam,
hundreds of houses and businesses are home
to thousands of pieces of Anna Kao’s Genghis
Khan furniture.
But beyond making sure the customers in
her community have the best furniture she
has to offer, the Kao family has felt a constant
need to return their rewards to the island community. Their business success — a result of
hard, hard work every day — allows them to
give back in triplicate.
“Setting a good example is very important
and hard work is the only way to do this,”
Anna Kao says, adding that her husband felt
it was only right to return the success and favor by giving back to the community.
Despite her busy schedule, she’s made the
time to serve on various boards for civic organizations through the years. She’s given or
been a part of hundreds of physical donations
– money, antiques, furniture and others. But,
her most generous contribution has been the
donation of time and resources to every cause
she believed worthy.
And, for as long as Anna Kao has been the
face of Genghis Khan on Guam over the last
40 years, one very caring and dedicated man
has known her even longer – even before she
came to Guam.
And while Anna focused on building a
business when she arrived, her husband Robert
Kao set out to do volunteer work.
“He doesn’t get involved in my store too
much. He was always the man for community work, while I work full time,” says Anna
Kao, smiling. “He’s a good husband. He’s a
very kind father, and he has a lot of good
friends.”
Sharing the scope of his volunteer work, she
added, “He’s been the president of the Chi-
She serves as a living
inspiration for girls and
adults through her following
of a dream ...
Vickie Fish,
Executive Director of
Guam Girl Scouts
nese Association of Guam for so many terms.
He likes doing that. People know him, they ask
him to run.”
Robert Kao, a former teacher in Taiwan,
worked hard for teachers on Guam too. One
of his many civic memberships included the
Confucius Society of Guam, which he helped
form in the late 90s. Among the groups earliest achievements was to celebrate their namesake’s 2551st birthday on Sept. 28.
But they did so by involving the whole island. He and other Chinese organizations lobbied for Sept. 28 to be declared Teacher Appreciation Day, in honor of Confucius. Teachers had generally gone unrecognized in society, said Kao, despite their honorable positions and critical role.
For many years afterward, teachers from all
over Guam were recognized and honored on
Confucius’ special day.
“Education has always been his thing,”
says Anna Kao.
Sadly, Robert Kao was not here to share in
Anna Kao’s recent award. Kao is at a veteran’s hospital in Taiwan, where he’s spent the
last four years in an unconscious, unresponsive state.
“Robert Kao is a great man and he has
done a lot for Guam. I just want people to
understand about him, what he did. It’s been
extremely hard on the family,” Anna Kao
says. “I just want people to know that he is a
great man.”
For the children
While Anna Kao’s list of civic duties is
endless, she has a few that she holds dear to
her.
One of her proudest moments, she says,
was when she helped fundraise for the construction of the second floor of Tumon’s Chinese School. Kao says she was honored to be
a part of a project connecting her new home
and a new generation of Chinese students to
the home she had left behind.
“Being a part of that effort was very rewarding,” she says. “We raised $70,000 to
build the second floor of the Chinese School
… and now, we have over one hundred students.”
As a confident, ambitious businesswoman,
Kao makes a good role model Guam Girl
Scouts, says Vickie Fish, executive director for
the Guam Girl Scouts.
“She serves as a living inspiration for girls
and adults through her following of a dream,
her own personal resourcefulness and perseverance,” Fish says. “She’s always been a big
thinker.”
Besides making herself available as a resource, she has donated antiques for the
Scouts’biggest annual fundraiser, an auction
and wine tasting event. Her donations during
the last 15 years not only raise money, they
have helped create regional interest and awareness of the event.
“Her contributions create a level of distinction,” Fish says. “It’s a classy touch and a
n continued on page 17
Service: ‘She’s one of the most generous entrepreneurs’
n continued from page 14
perfect reflection of her. She wanted to see
girls make the most of themselves. She wanted to be a part of creating opportunities for
girls.”
Four decades of service
But, Kao has not limited her scope of generosity over the last four decades. For the
last seven years, Kao has served on
the board of Sanctuary, Inc., allowing her to extend a helping
hand to the girls and women who
find themselves in need of the
organization’s services.
Besides her time, she has donated furniture and other items
from her store to the shelter. Her
generosity has furnished the
organization’s offices, shelters and alcohol and treatment program, says Sarah
Thomas-Nededog the
executive director of
Sanctuary.
“She still faithfully
contributes financially
every month,”
Thomas-Nededog
says of Kao’s commitment. “She has
been a blessing to
us.”
Kao also gives to Guam’s villages. Her
work in 1988 to help Merizo get a statue of
the island’s patron saint, Santa Marian Kamalen, still means much to her today.
“When the sun hits that marble statue, it
glitters,” she says. “I flew to China and found
a sculptor who could engrave that statue in
marble, and the work is beautiful.”
The statue’s importance in Guam’s
history was not lost on Kao, who
says she flew to China to ensure
the work was done properly.
“It is a very important cultural symbol for the Merizo
people,” Kao says. “I am happy to have had a part in getting
it for them.”
Former Merizo Mayor
Ignacio “Buck” Cruz remembers the day the statue
was unveiled.
“(The statue is) so
good looking. We had a
celebration,” Cruz
says. “We’re so fortunate (Kao) gave it
to us. … It means
a lot to us.”
At the
A.B. Won Pat Guam International Airport,
a bronze sculpture entitled the Goddess of
Life waits, welcoming all visitors to Guam.
Together with the Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Guam, Anna Kao spearheaded the
movement to bring this gift to Guam.
Red Cross
Chita Blaise, executive director of the
American Red Cross Guam Chapter for the
last 10 years, says Kao had helped furnish the
office before Blaise worked there. Since then,
Kao continued her beneficence.
“Over the years, year in, year out, there’s
always Anna,” Blaise says. “She’s generous
to us, she has donated raffle prizes, she’s
purchased tables for our events, she’s always
been there. It’s really nice. There’s not a lot
of people who do that … she’s one of the
more generous entrepreneurs on Guam.”
Besides their connection through the Red
Cross, Blaise also considers Kao a treasured
friend. It was some years ago – when both
were faced with some serious dilemmas –
that Blaise learned that Kao was as talented
as she was generous.
“We both have the same passion, we’re
both ballroom dancers. I’ve been a dancer for
some time but Anna, she’s been ballroom
dancing way before me. She sort of started
a trend,” Blaise says. “So I also ran into her
on a weekly basis. During that time, we both
considered ballroom dancing as our therapy,
our common thread.”
Blaise says that Kao’s long-ago furniture donations continue to beau-
tify the Red Cross’austere offices today, and
is a welcome sight for the staff. There really isn’t a budget for office furniture, she says.
“She’s wonderful, Anna is,” Blaise says.
“She’s always a lady. I love Anna.”
Many have benefited from Kao’s drive
and need to give back to the community.
While the list is endless, recipients of her
generosity include the University of Guam
Endowment Foundation, the American Red
Cross, the International Women’s Club of
Guam and Guma’Mami Inc. The Fo Guang
Shan Buddha Temple and Confucius Park
have also reaped the rewards of Kao’s unselfishness.
Over the years, Kao’s involvement with
non-profit organizations has grown. Once
the vice president of the Chinese Chamber
of Commerce of Guam, Kao also has served
as an advisor for the Overseas Compatriot Affairs Commission. She was a member of the
Chinese Ladies Association of Guam and a
two-term president for the Chinese School
Foundation.
With decades of service behind her, Kao’s
work ethic refuses to allow her to rest.It is her
love for Guam and the need to thank the island for her success that motivates her to
keep giving back whether it be through time,
resources, manpower and/or hard-earned
money.
“Being a part of the community is important,” she says, summing up her family’s monumental community contributions
in one simple sentence.
By Janice Miller
Kamalen: Anna Kao played an instrumental role in the donation of the Santa
Marian Kamalen statue to the village of
Merizo.
GeneraA Younger
ao enjoys
tion: Anna K
ily during
time with fam
e States.
a recent trip th
Family: Pictur
ed, from left,
top row, are:
left, are: Wen
N
dy Wang, W
ang Jin Foo (fa ancy Jia, Anna Wang Kao,
who did not ha
ther), Hua Jen
Alice Wong,
ve to work wer
Ann Chin. Se
Tow (mother),
e her father, a
success.
cond row, from
and Alex Wa
nd mother. All
ng. The only
her siblings w
people, Kao sa
ere put to wor
ys,
k to help make
their family a
Life s lessons pushed Kao to ensure
success of every member of her family
She fed them, she cleaned them, she washed
their clothes and she raised them as her own
children. She gave her mother every paycheck
she earned while living in Taiwan to assist in the
care of her growing family.
It was only natural, then, that when Anna
Wang Kao had the opportunity to continue her
success past the borders of Taiwan, she thought
of her younger siblings and parents first.
Anna Wang Kao, the matriarch of the Genghis
Khan furniture conglomerate, celebrates 40 years
in business this year with a wealth of business accomplishments and civic milestones.
But memories of a hard life – of washing
clothes on frozen washboards and barefoot walks
to the river, of learning how to cook and clean as
re
and Robert Kao prepa
soon as she could lift the implements, and espeFirst Voyage: Anna
cially of a strict mother who inspired her to reach the to leave for Guam.
unimaginable – will never be forgotten.
deThis is what motivated then-Anna Wang to work fense worker with the Air Force. Though only in her
full time and attend college at age 17. And while that early 20s, she came armed with five years of intense,
hard work led to early successes in Taipei, where she on-the-job training and a field already mastered in
helped bring her family out of poverty, she was able Taiwan.
to do more for them – so much more – when she left
She had done so well for the Popular Oriental Arts
the country.
furniture store on Chung Shan North Road, Taipei, that
Though she had been working as hard as she could the owners adopted her as a goddaughter and profor as long she could remember, Anna Wang Kao ar- moted her through the roof.
rived on Guam eager to work and test her wings as
In her last year working for them, she earned a
New Year’s bonus of $5,000 – enough at that time to
buy a house, she says. And the money could have
kept rolling in, too. But her charm, her salesmanship
and her product knowledge had far-reaching effects.
By then, she had learned enough about her products
– records, art, jewelry, antiques and of course, furniture – to impress all sorts of military shoppers visiting from the nearby U.S. military base. That inevitably
led to a wealth of happy military spouses.
‘Little Chinese girl’
“The military wives on Guam – my customers
from Taiwan – told the base that they should hire me
on Guam to run the furniture store at Andersen,” she
says. “So they found me, and I came here. I was just
a little Chinese girl.”
She smiles, then laughs, leaning back her head in
glee, dazzling teeth flashing. Not a strand of her perfectly coiffed hair falls out of place.
She’s a savvy businesswoman to the world but in
person, an equally adept storyteller. She has a degree
in accounting and statistics but freely admits, “I’m not
good with numbers.” Yet, she pulls out figures and statistics that are 10, 20, even 40 years old. She knows
the square footage of every store she’s ever run. She
knows the difference between a C-5, a C-7 and C-130
n continued on page 18
Top: Anna Wang Kao funded the equipment and supplies
for this computer lab to help the students who attended
the school her mother attended in China.
Left: Anna Wang Kao
had the Hall of Fame
built fto commemorate
the memor y of her
mother. The hall was
built in the schooler her
mother attended in
China.
n continued from page 19
and last January,
when their mother
p a s s e d a w a y,
every child and
grandchild was
there.
Though sickly, Hua Jen Tow
waited for Anna
to arrive in
Carlsbad, San
Diego before
passing away.
In the end, she
was surrounded by family
and left with a
smile on her
cargo plane, for she has loaded many pallets
of furniture onto the planes of the U.S. Air
Force. She certainly knows the difference between Marine and sailor uniforms, and has
even memorized the insignia of the U.S. military uniforms.
So even though she was just a “little Chinese
girl,” she was ready. She arrived at a furniture
store on Guam that was doing about $7,000 a
month in sales. In just three months, sales exceeded $40,000 and they continued to grow.
Less than a year later, she was ready to strike out
on her own.
She opened in the James Lee building in 1972,
an 890-square foot showroom, with the bare
minimum.
“I remember. One living room set, one bedroom set, one dining set, coffee tables, lamps,
entertainment center, a bar and small things like
frames and pictures,” she says.
“The first day, I sold everything,” she says, a testament to her skill and savvy business sense.
With the next shipment not due for more than three
months, Kao focused on designing custom furniture for
her clients, developing the “layaway” plan out of necessity. By 1973, her father’s visa approved, her family had moved to Guam.
Family contributions
Everybody lived in the small Dededo house Kao had
bought, and she put her siblings to work. Her parents,
Wang Jin Foo and mother Hwa Juen Tow, watched her
son and daughter.
Her siblings learned the industry. They cleaned, they
assembled, they repaired, they sold, they delivered and
they blossomed. As they learned, Kao opened doors for
them.
Wendy Wang was a saleswoman. No. 3, Annie Chen,
runs the San Diego operations as the general manager.
Nancy, the fourth daughter, stayed in Taiwan early on
and handled the factory side, doing the quality control,
packing and shipping. Alex Wang – the only boy – was
an extremely good salesman, says Anna. And No. 6, the
last sibling Alice, did all the bookkeeping and creates
jewelry pieces made of antique.
“I’m really proud of them,” Kao says. “They are doing excellent job; I no longer take care of their stores.”
Although all her siblings now live in San Diego, Anna
Top: Surrounded by family, Hua Jen Tow (center,
left) and Wang Jin Foo (center, right), enjoy quality time with relatives during a reunion held last year.
Above: Anna Kao spends time with family while
on a family visit in San Diego.
says they stay in contact by phone at least every other
day.
“I’m ashamed because I’m here and they are there,”
Kao says, while describing the strength and unity of her
family as they cope with life and caring for their 92-yearold father.
For Anna Kao, she is proud of the paths her family
has taken, because they still maintain those close-knit ties
despite time, success and distance.
“I think we are one of very few families like that in
San Diego,” she says of their close relationships.
There were family reunions a couple of times a year
face.
“Not one person was missing. Everybody was very happy; the people in San
Diego were amazed to see such unity.
Mom is really blessed,” Kao says. “My
mother, she’s not known to say too much,
but I could tell through the years that she
appreciated me very much. She would have
dresses made for me, things like that. She
was proud of all of her children.”
Kao is proudest that her driving work
ethic was passed not only to her siblings,
but their children.
“They are all successful. They would
get bonuses when they graduated. They always call me on my birthday and they eat
noodles for me, for long life. That really
makes me feel good,” Kao says. “The grandchildren, second generation, can all speak, read and write Chinese,
which was good because my father does not speak English. All their kids have degrees. They all have houses
and cars. And everybody is a good cook.”
Before her mother died, Anna told her mother it was
OK to move on to the next life – she would stay and take
care of the family.
Perhaps that is why her mom was able to move on
with a smile; through the years, she had already witnessed the power and love that held the family together, and she knew that everything was going to be okay
— thanks to Anna.
By Jojo Santo Tomas