Last week, in honor of SEA’s 40th anniversary, I had the opportunity to celebrate with employees in our New Jersey headquarters, as well as virtually with our people from across the country. Speaking with employees about their journey at Samsung made me reflect on my own tenure at the company and how we’ve been able to grow from unknown entity to a market leader.

Our success – past, present and future – has been powered by our incredible U.S. employees whose entrepreneurial spirit and collaborative drive reflect exactly what makes America the leading economy in the world. We’ve also developed deep relationships with our retail, carrier and service partners, who have sold and supported our products throughout the country and have helped make us who we are today.

As a company, our belief is that we can only thrive in communities that thrive. Whether it is employees rolling up their sleeves to work with local organizations and help those in need or programs like Samsung Solve for Tomorrow that encourage students to harness the power of STEM – America is our home and we are committed to building and supporting programs that prepare tomorrow’s leaders and empower our communities to grow.

The relentless customer-centered approach to innovation that has led us to a string of industry ‘firsts’, and empowered our consumers to do what was previously thought impossible – to “do what they can’t.” We have introduced Americans to the digital TV, MP3-capable mobile phone, Blu-Ray DVD player, Smart Curved UHDTV and countless other groundbreaking products, which has ultimately earned our position as the leading electronics company in the U.S.

If nothing else, Samsung is a company with a vision. We want to “inspire the world” and “create the future.” For a company so focused on the future, it’s important to look back at where we came from. Reflecting on the forty years we’ve spent building this vision in America creates a renewed excitement for what is still ahead of us. I am humbled to be a part of Samsung’s story, proud to celebrate this milestone with our employees, customers and community and look forward to the limitless opportunities ahead of us.