A Renaissance woman for the neighborhood, Jennifer Kim
JENNIFER KIM
“I’ve always tried to be active in the communities I find myself in…We moved around so much my whole life, and it’s probably why I need to be involved,” said Jennifer Kim of Hancock Park. And the community here has benefited from her desire to find connections. Kim is a woman who helps the needy, encourages her Korean heritage to be appreciated, promotes business relationships to prosper beyond her own, and perhaps most importantly, remains a deeply involved parent to her four children.
Kim’s memories of growing up are dominated by moving frequently. Kim was born in South Korea and moved to Los Angeles by the time she was 1. She spent her early childhood in the West Valley, but her father was relocated to Saudi Arabia to work as an architect with Samsung. Not long after he moved, Kim moved back to Korea with her mother and attended American schools. Missing California, she returned on her own to live with family friends and finished school in Encino. In the 1980’s, she worked at the famed Sherman Oaks Galleria (from iconic films, “Valley Girl” and “Fast Times at Ridgemont High”). She worked, always—hard.
Kim graduated UCLA and went straight into the financial world, where she has been with the same group, Signature Estate and Investment Advisors, for over 30 years. “I watched my mother be successful in her own real estate career in Korea and knew I wanted that too as a woman.”
Kim said she consciously made herself part of her community in order to feel rooted.
Kim is a member of National Giving Alliance (NGA) a women’s nonprofit in the neighborhood. This group has been active here since 1895, gathering and distributing clothing, linens and personal care items to the needy surrounding Hancock Park.
The other local nonprofit she engages in is Aviva Family and Children’s Services. Aviva provides services to families and young people in crisis and operates the Wallis House—interim housing for women and children facing homelessness. She serves on its finance committee.
To keep connected to her professional world, Kim is a member of the Century City Chamber of Commerce where she helps to create a positive impact to those who live or spend time in Century City.
Kim is also deeply involved in her own family. She found a way to have a presence at her children’s school, Harvard-Westlake, by becoming president of the Korean American Parents’ Association. She enjoys promoting Korean culture and has 250 families participating in the club.
I spoke to Kim while she was in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, attending her two younger sons’ fencing competitions. She’s very busy juggling many things, but clearly, was very focused on the job of parenting and less about her achievements as I saw them. I learned a good deal about fencing and her thoughts on both her sons’ performances. That seemed apropos—putting the icing on the cake. She is an involved parent, and maybe that ends up the greatest gifts to a community. Being there for her family.
Kim has lived in Hancock Park for over 30 years. She said, “I love Hancock Park. I have since the minute I came here. When I moved here, the Boulevard was a great attraction to me, with its stores and restaurants. It’s so beautiful in our neighborhood—similar to Old Pasadena, but it’s right in the middle of the city. Location-wise how can it be any better? Koreatown, Beverly Hills, Century City and we’re near freeways—perfect location.”
And she’s perfect for our neighborhood.
Category: People
