Millennium Seoul Hilton GM Made Honorary Citizen of Seoul

Swanson credited with his contribution to the development of the local community

Millennium Seoul Hilton General Manager, Eric M. Swanson, 50, was awarded honorary citizenship of Seoul at a conferment ceremony held by the Seoul Metropolitan Government at Sejong Hall on Oct. 28.
The honorary citizenship certificate was awarded by Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, who in 2007 bestowed an award to Swanson for his ongoing contribution to the development of the local community, in particular, his contributions to the welfare of children in Korea.
The honorary citizenship award highlights Swanson’s community efforts as well as his contributions to the Korean hotel industry. Swanson took over the helm of the Millennium Seoul Hilton in 2006. Prior to that, he spent over two decades of service in hotel projects worldwide, including at the Ritz-Carlton, Seoul.
Most recently, Swanson headed up the SKAL Asia Congress, a convention of hotel and tourism industry professionals, which took place in Korea from May 21-24.
Swanson has managed various hotels worldwide including the Ritz-Carlton, Sharm El Sheikh in Egypt; the Ritz-Carlton, Coconut Grove in Miami, Florida; the Leela Palace Kempinski Hotel in Bangalore, India; as well as the Marco Polo Parkside in Beijing, China. Swanson also served as a member of the United States Coast Guard for five years.
Swanson’s mother is Cho Chang-soo, curator of the Korean wing at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C. Cho’s brother was Cho Chang-ho, the first prisoner of war to escape North Korea. A first lieutenant in the South Korean Army, Cho Chang-ho spent over 40 years as a hostage before escaping to freedom in 1994. He died of cancer on Nov. 29, 2006, and his ashes were laid to rest at the Seoul National Cemetery.
Swanson said, “This is a very big responsibility and I will do my best to continue my efforts to help the poor children of Korea, and through my affiliation with SKAL Korea I will do my best to continue to support the development and sustainability of the Korean tourism industry.”
“Becoming am honorary citizen means that I will have to remain humble and whenever possible support my city in any way I can,” he said.
When asked what his impression of Korea was, he said, “It is like my home country. Because of my mother’s influence, I’m very accustomed to Korean food and culture. Even though I don’t understand all of the cultural aspects and there are some cultural differences or misunderstandings, I’m very accustomed to it all. I even have some of the general attitudes of Koreans myself.”
Concerning his mother, Swanson said, “As a child, my mother excelled at anything she set her mind to and this drive for excellence carried forward into her adult life. Immigrating to the United States in 1948, she worked tirelessly pursuing her educational goals; receiving her Bachelor’s degree from Mac Murray College in Illinois and her Master’s degree from the University of Washington.”
“From a very early age I have many memories of her strong sense of purpose and perseverance, focusing on her career and taking care of two children. She never seemed overwhelmed, but always in control. And it is with this same vigor she set off to develop the Korean Cultural program at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History where she worked from 1965 until retiring earlier this year,” he said.
“My mother has had a profound effect on who I am today. In America, we might call me a ‘mama’s boy,’ but I take great pride in declaring that I am the son of Cho Chang-soo. Her life’s work inspired me to take on greater causes than myself, to be a leader, a developer of people and a sound businessman. Her work ethic and ability to stay the course, even in difficult times, is probably one of the greatest lessons I have learned from her.”
He continued, “I wish to finish out my career in the hospitality industry in Korea. After which time I would like to continue to give back to the people of Korea and teach hospitality and tourism. I am currently enrolled at Kyunghee University working on a degree in tourism. After completing my master’s degree, I will begin teaching part-time while working full-time at the hotel, until my retirement in five to eight years. I will maintain my home in the states, however reside primarily in Korea.” nw

Millennium Seoul Hilton General Manager Eric M. Swanson is all smiles with Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon after he received an honorary citizen certificate from the mayor. Seen at left photo is the honorary citizen certificate.