Dr. Ming Wang honored as Nashvillian of the Year

Dr. Ming Wang

Today at the Kiwanis Club of Nashville luncheon at the Patron Club located in the Bridgestone Arena in downtown Nashville, Dr. Ming Wang was honored as Nashvillian of the Year. This is the 35th year the Kiwanis Club of Nashville has presented the award. Previous recipients of this prestigious honor have included Martha Ingram, Roy Acuff, Jack Massey, Phil Bredesen, Vince Gill, Tim Corbin, Mike Curb, Frank Wycheck, Darrell Waltrip and Mayor Karl Dean.

 The selection committee was spearheaded by George H. Armistead, III, one of the three original architects of the award. Dr. Wang was presented with a commemorative plaque along with a commissioned caricature.

Dr Ming Wang is director of Wang Vision 3D Cataract and LASIK Center, a world-renowned laser eye surgeon, author, and philanthropist. In a press release the Kiwanis Club said, "Dr. Wang receives the award by exemplifying the qualities of Outstanding Nashvillian of the Year and the Kiwanis International Vision. Dr. Wang worked diligently to make the world a better place, when he established the Wang Foundation, helping patients from over 40 states in the U.S. and 55 countries, with sight restoration surgeries performed
free-of-charge."

“It is difficult to know anyone who works as hard giving back to the community and changing the lives of children as much as Dr. Ming Wang,” said Kenny Markanich, president, Kiwanis Club of Nashville. “He has helped countless children through the charitable outreach of his foundation, giving free surgeries to repair their vision.”

Dr. Wang actively contributes to the Nashville community as the founding president of the Tennessee Chinese Chamber of Commerce and as an honorary president of the Tennessee American-Chinese Chamber of Commerce. The mission of these two chambers is to help educate Tennessee businesses about China, helping Tennessee to increase its export to China. He is also a co-founder of Tennessee Immigrant and Minority Business Group, an organization that provides support to the diverse cultural and ethnic businesses in our community.

I know Dr. Wang due to his political activity. He is active in the Republican Minority Coalition, an organization dedicated to broadening the base of the Republican Party and attracting immigrants and minorities. With power point charts, Dr. Wang gives a powerful talk showing that by 2040 America will be a minority-majority country and if America is going to remain a free and prosperous nation, we must attract minorities to the Republican Party.

Rod Williams and Dr. Ming Wang

Dr. Wang has a compelling life story having lived though the Chinese Cultural Revolution. During that dark period of Chinese history millions of innocent youths were deported to remote areas to face a life sentence of poverty and hard labor. Through his own tenacity and his parents’ tireless efforts to provide a chance of freedom for their son, Ming eventually made his way to America with $50 in his pocket, where against all odds he succeed and earned a PhD in laser physics and graduated magna cum laude with the highest honors from Harvard Medical School and MIT. He embraced the Christian faith and tackled one of the most important questions of our time – Are faith and science friends or foes? – which led to his invention of a breakthrough biotechnology to restore sight.

At the luncheon today, Dr. Wang spoke of his Christian faith and the blessing of liberty and his love of this country. Congratulations to Dr. Ming Wang for a well-deserved recognition.

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