Dr Dzung will accept the award on Wednesday, October 8, at the Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, the location of the four-day GOAL 2014 conference.
“For many, the face of the Vietnamese seafood industry is Dr Dzung,” said GAA Executive Director Wally Stevens.
“He has tirelessly advocated for farmed shrimp and Pangasius exports to not only traditional markets, but also to new markets around the world. No country, to my knowledge, has such a devoted ‘salesperson.’ He is a truly special man.”
Added GAA President George Chamberlain: “Dr Dzung’s passion for aquaculture and his sincere, tireless, heartfelt approach has greatly advanced the image of Vietnam and of aquaculture in general. We’re thrilled to recognize Dr Dzung with the Lifetime Achievement Award at GOAL 2014.”
Dr Dzung’s career in seafood spans more than four decades. He is best known for his work with the Vietnamese Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers. He became general secretary of VASEP upon its establishment in 1998 and currently acts as the organization’s vice president. In that time, Vietnam’s aquaculture industry has grown tremendously. Last year, the country exported $6.72 billion of seafood, with shrimp and Pangasius sent to a total of 91 and 148 countries, respectively.
Aquaculture’s role in the diversification of Vietnam’s economy in a mere 30-year span is a testament to the foresight and intuition of Dr Dzung, said Stevens.
Prior to his position with VASEP, Dzung was deputy director of the Ministry of Fisheries’ Department for Science and Technology, where he worked from 1984 to 1998. He was also a senior lecturer at the National Fisheries University of Vietnam from 1971 to 1984. He has a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the National Fisheries University and a Ph.D. in mechanical sciences from the Lodz Technical University in Poland.
Held from October 7 to 10, GOAL 2014 will feature more than 50 speakers from around the world.
The conference is attended by a cross-section of representatives from industry, retail and foodservice, government, academia, the investment community and the NGO community. Through GOAL, GAA strives to carry out its mission of responsible aquaculture by providing a venue at which leadership development, cooperation and education are encouraged. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Leadership.”
