RIT Alumni International

It was founded by San Francisco Bay Area Alumni led by Saya Allen Htay (C58, GBNF) and several interested alumni (notably U Khin Maung Zaw, EC76, webmaster based in Seattle Washington).

The founding members include Saya K C Chiu (ChE63), Saya U Nyo Win (M65), Saya U Maung Maung (George, ChE66), U Hla Min (EC69), Benny Tan (M70), Saya U Thein Aung (Met72), Maurice Chee (M75), U Khin Maung Zaw (EC76) and Gordon Kaung (M83).

The primary objective was to host the First RIT Grand Reunion and Saya Pu Zaw Pwe (SPZP).

In the early days, we had volunteers to collect data and activities for selected Classes and Areas. The Class representatives include Saya U Myat Htoo (C68) and U Tint Lwin (Daniel, M69). The Area representatives include U Thet Tun (Henry, M75) for Australia, and Dr. Myo Khin (C70) for Japan.

U Khin Maung Zaw (KMZ, EC76) worked four-hour days, spent weekends and nights on the RIT website project. It was a reason for the success of SPZP-2000. KMZ moved to Microsoft and later founded a loving family. Version 2.0 of the promised web remained a vaporware.

Some of the costs for the web site were donated by the founding members of RIT Alumni International, U Khin Maung Oo (Ivan Lee, M69) from New Jersey, U Tint Lwin (Daniel, M69) and Saya U Aung Myint (M69) from Singapore

Organizers for SPZP-2000

The founding members of RIT Alumni International were the core organizers. Benny Tan and Maurice Chee were co-chairs of the Working Committee. Saya Allen Htay and Saya U Nyo Win headed the Steering Committee. Selected sayas and alumni from NorCal and SoCal served as members of the committees.

Saya U Nyo Win (M65) proposed a law saying that the core organizers would pitch in as much as $500 if there were insufficient attendees for SPZP-2000. Thanks to Saya Allen Htay’s classic article, “Brother, can you spare US $500?”, U Nyo Win’s Law was not enacted.

Five Golden Sponsors for SPZP-2000 showed up. The first was U Thaung Sein (Steeve Kay, EC70, SoCal) f, who donated $3000. The next were Benny Tan (Yu Beng, M70, NorCal), U Tin Myint (David Ko, M67, NorCal, GBNF) and U Khin Maung Oo (Ivan Lee, M69, New Jersey), who each donated $1000. Last but not the least was U Maung Maung Than (M79, Texas), who donated a round-trip ticket to sponsor a saya to attend SPZP-2000.

Three Groups sponsored Sayagyi U Ba Toke (Maths, saya of our sayas), Saya U Khin Aung Kyi (ChE, former Rector) and Saya Dr. San Tint (EE) to attend SPZP-2000. Sad to note that all three sayas are GBNF.

Sayagyi Dr. Ba Hli, Saya Allen Htay (C58), Saya U San Tun (M59), Saya Dr. Koung Nyunt (A67), Saya U Htun Aung Kyaw (ChE67) and several other sayas and alumni contributed photos to the Photo Gallery.

Sharing memories were enable in the “RIT Alumni International Newsletter” and ex-rit.org web pages. The features include: Letters to the Editor; Looking for; GBNF for Sayas and Sayamas; GBNF for Alumni; GBNF for Spouses

Sayagyi Dr. Freddie Ba Hli, Sayagyi U Aung Khin, Sayagyi U Min Wun, Saya Allen Htay, Saya Dr. San Hla Aung, Saya U Soe Paing, Dr. Myint Thein (M73) and several other sayas and alumni wrote articles for the Newsletter and web site.

I wrote 64 “Countdown to the Reunion” and 36 “Post-Reunion”. I incorporated the emails and correspondences from sayas and alumni.

Benny Tan designed mementos (mugs, tee-shirts, calculator/clocks, …) for SPZP-2000. He ordered them with special discount from his suppliers (of his Gift Shop at the SFO International Airport). Some were given to eligible attendees (per request of Steeve Kay, who provided the seed money for the project). Others were put on sale for fund raising.

There was a Commemorative Issue of the RIT Alumni Newsletter for SPZP-2000. Hla Min served as Chief Editor. Saya U Thein Aung (Met72) and Henry Lim volunteered as Associate Editors. U Thein Aung compiled the biographies of sayagyis.

SPZP-2000 would not have been possible with the support of spouses, family members and well-wishers. Several provided the Culinary expertise for pre-SPZP and post-SPZP activities