Mission
The mission of the Timothy S. Y. Lam Foundation is to support research, education, and training within the hospitality industry by bestowing scholarships and grants to those seeking careers or advancement in the hospitality industry; funding education programs that promote the hospitality industry; and awarding research grants to those interested in blending academia with practical industry know-how.
History
Timothy S.Y. Lam had a wide range of interests; cooking, wines, entertaining, model trains, antiques, oil painting, photography, carpentry, wood sign carving, and so much more. Whichever the interest, he pursued it all the way. Tim visited every continent. Having been on 71 cruises and countless journeys, he was an adventurer. Through his travels from the Arctic to Antarctica and everywhere in between, he found one thing to be true; genuine and warm hospitality can truly make a difference.
A graduate of Wake Forest University (1960), Mr. Lam donated his collection of more than 500 Tang Dynasty Chinese ceramics to the Wake Forest University Museum of Anthropology shortly before his passing in 2012. The collection is the largest and most comprehensive group of artifacts in the United States from the Changsha kilns, an important archeological site linked to the medieval Silk Roads. In 2021, Tim’s wife Ellen and sons Tim Jr. and Marcus, also graduates of Wake Forest University, continued the spirit of his original gift by creating a new academic excellence fund for the Museum. The museum has been renamed the Timothy S.Y. Lam Museum of Anthropology in honor of Tim Sr. and the Lam family’s support.
After a lifetime of exploration, Tim passed away in March 2012. In the same month of Tim’s passing, the Timothy S.Y. Lam Foundation (TSYLF) registered with the IRS and the State of Nevada. In lieu of flowers, family and friends were asked to donate to a scholarship fund. More money than expected was given. It was decided to establish a Board of Trustees to give research grants and fund educational programs in addition to education scholarships. In May 2014, TSYLF was officially designated a nonprofit private foundation as described in sections 501(c)(3) and 509(a) by the IRS (EIN 45-4735106).
In 2012 and 2013, $2,500 in scholarships and grants were made by TSYLF—but the board wished to do more. The Board of Trustees hired a part-time Foundation Manager in July 2014. In the following years, the Foundation experienced exponential growth. In 2016, a Foundation Director was hired. The Board of Trustees was expanded to its current form. Scholarships awarded number over 80. Key associations that have received support include the EIC, Les Clefs d'Or, the International Live Events Association (ILEA), the Wedding International Professionals Association (WIPA), the Nevada Hotel & Lodging Association (NHLA), the Southern Nevada Hotel Concierge Association (SNHCA), the National Concierge Association (NCA) and others.
The Foundation works to grow its giving programs; foster relationships with individuals, educational institutions, professional associations, and companies in the hospitality industry; and find new avenues of funding and fundraising. The Foundation Board of Trustees and the Foundation Director want to ensure the continuation of Timothy S. Y. Lam’s legacy by supporting the professional development and academic advancement of the hospitality industry.
Board of Trustees
Ellen P. M. Yeh Lam, Foundation President
Current Term: March 1, 2022 to March 1, 2024
Godfrey Tan-Torres, Foundation Vice President
Business Development Manager, Freeman Company
Current Term: March 1, 2022 to March 1, 2023
Joshua Jones DMCP, Board Trustee
Regional President, Hosts Las Vegas and Hosts So. California
Current Term: March 1, 2022 to March 1, 2023
Donna Lisa Murray, Board Trustee
Director of Business Development Ethos Event Collective
Current Term: March 1, 2022 to March 1, 2024