The Ontario Broker - August 2019 - 49

STAFF SPOTLIGHT:

A

danny

s one of the newest additions to the
IBAO, Danny Cha brings an interesting
and diverse background to the team.
With his sunny disposition, if he was
to tell you he served in the Korean Military in South
Korea for nearly two years, you might think he was
kidding, but it's true.
Danny explained how he found himself in the military
at 22. "As a citizen of Korea, men over the age of 20
have to fulfill their duty of serving in the Korean
Military. You can either enter right after high school
or defer it temporarily, but either way, the duty must
be fulfilled."
Danny was in the military during a particularly
tumultuous time. "I remember I was on my lunch during
a training shift and saw on TV that the former leader of
North Korea, Kim Jong Il, died that day. Everything was
chaotic because you don't know what the next leader will
do. It was a tough time. Very stressful."
Despite the challenges, Danny reflects fondly on
his time. "Everyone in my training camp was around
the same age, and since we were all put in the same
situation together, we would share stories, talk about
our lives and discuss what we wanted to do once we
were discharged. I made a lot of really great friends."
Another highlight was the cooking. "The chef was
excellent and very generous. Instead of giving us
smaller portions, she made sure to cook enough so
that we could each have a chicken. It was always a
really great meal."
With a bachelor's degree from the University of
Toronto in Environmental Studies, Danny worked
for the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation
and Parks in Ontario, monitoring oil spills across
the province. While he found the work rewarding,

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he realized he missed interacting with other people,
which is what led him to the IBAO.
As Enrollment Coordinator, Danny's role involves
connecting with people. "I coordinate with people
interested in becoming brokers and ensure students
are taking full advantage of the classes
we offer, that they're satisfied with
the education they've received.
My favourite parts of the job are
the staff and helping people with
their career path. This is what I
was looking for in a career-
interaction with others.
I'm very happy to be
here."
In his free time Danny
likes watching TV and
movies-everything
from The Walking Dead
to Disney films-and
listening to music. "I play
acoustic and classical guitar."
While entertainment plays
a big role in his downtime,
he also has a love for
eating-especially fried
chicken. "Korean tradition is
to eat one fried chicken per
person, three to four times
a week. I don't know where
it came from, but it's a trend.
There are lots of fried chicken
places in Korea." So if you're
ever looking for a good chicken
place in Toronto or are in the
mood for a guitar serenade,
Danny is your go-to guy.

49

AUGUST 2019
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The Ontario Broker - August 2019

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