Katherine Lee

Katherine Lee was born in South Korea, at a time when the country was still in a state of political instability. Her father, despite having a good education and a respected position at the Bank of Korea, made a life-changing decision, uprooting his young family and moving them first to Brazil, and later to Canada. What might have seemed like an unconventional path was in fact an act of pure faith – and an embrace of risk and sacrifice in pursuit of a safer, more promising life for his children.

Brazil did not work out as hoped; however, by the late 1960s, guided by a friend's encouragement that Canada was a land of opportunity, the family arrived in their new home with nothing—no money, luggage, job, or support network to rely on. For Katherine’s parents, it was a time of hardship and doubt. For their children, it was the foundation of a future that would prove just how right her father had been to take that risk.

Like many immigrants at the time, her parents faced the painful reality that their education and professional qualifications were not recognized in Canada. Re-education was rarely an option as there was neither the time nor the financial resources. Instead, they did what so many others have, swallowed their pride, worked wherever they could, and focused on building a better life for their children. Their sacrifices and anxieties were the true essence of the Canadian dream.

Katherine’s father instilled in her and her brother the belief that “education is gold.” He repeated it every morning, long after they had both graduated from university. Her mother, meanwhile, was a model of quiet strength, working both outside the home and within it, balancing the demands of building a new life in a new country. Katherine credits both parents, along with her late husband and her son, for shaping her values and her sense of priorities. “Family comes first,” she says without hesitation. “As hard as it is to build and run a business, the priority in life is family.”

Growing up, Katherine navigated two different cultural environments. At home, she ate Korean food, spoke Korean, and lived according to traditional values. At school, she was surrounded by fair-haired classmates and a culture she longed to fit into. Later, as a young professional, she again felt like an outsider, this time in the male-dominated world of commercial real estate, where the men seemed bigger and louder. Overcoming that sense of being an outsider required courage, resilience, and an openness to experiences that pushed her beyond her comfort zone.

CAREER

Throughout her career, Katherine embraced the messy, tough jobs – the assignments others didn’t want. She said yes to opportunities that felt daunting and uncertain. Each time she succeeded, her confidence grew, and so did her capacity. “With every challenge,” she reflected, “your comfort zone gets bigger and bigger.”

Her professional journey began at accounting firm Clarkson Gordon, which later became Ernst & Young. There, she started in auditing before putting her hand up infor corporate recovery during the early 1990s recession, a challenging period when many Canadian businesses faced financial difficulties. One assignment involved helping manage bad real estate loans for a Toronto trust company. These loans were eventually auctioned, with GE Capital emerging as the winning bidder. This opportunity led to Katherine joining GE Capital, where she spent the next 20 years building her career.

At GE Capital, and later as a corporate director serving on various boards, Katherine worked with teams across Toronto, the United States, and Asia. She learned the value of diversity, not just in backgrounds and experiences, but in perspectives. That recognition, she believes, has made her a smarter leader and collaborator.

WHAT I’VE LEARNED

Her international career broadened her outlook, but her proudest professional step was returning to Canada. She now often shares this advice with young people: explore the world and seek opportunities abroad, but always bring that knowledge and experience back home. For Katherine, the greatest opportunities for growth are found not only in venturing out but also in the value of returning.

To young people receiving Horatio Alger scholarships, Katherine provides both encouragement and a gentle challenge. She emphasizes that stamina and drive —rather than innate talent—is often what distinguishes those who succeed from those who fall short. She wants to remind the scholars that the only difference between them and those already on stage is time, experience, and years of hard work. She looks forward to the day when these young people will be in her position, inspiring others in turn.

Katherine is deeply honoured to become a Member of the Horatio Alger Association of Canada. For her, it represents a chance to give back, to help young people with backgrounds similar to her own, and to reinforce the truth that Canada remains a land of opportunity. She also hopes her membership will serve as inspiration for young women, just as she was once inspired and helped by the strong women who came before her.

Today, Katherine knows that her best relationships have come through shared challenges, and her best growth through tough, uncertain times. She takes pride not only in her professional accomplishments, but in the resilience, perspective, and purpose that emerged from her family’s immigrant journey. Above all, she hopes her life serves as living proof that Canada truly is a land of opportunity.