Meet Albert Liu: Director of International Business Development

Albert Liu moved from China to Iowa in 1994, and quickly became a facilitator for international growth and a friendly face in the community — both within Kent Pet Group and all of Muscatine.

Albert joined the team at Kent Pet Group earlier this year as Director of International Business Development. In just a few months, he has already established three new distributorships in Japan, South Korea, and Thailand. By Christmas 2018, Kent Pet Group brand World’s Best Cat Litter™ will be online and/or on the shelf in these three countries.

Albert was drawn to Kent Pet Group because of “the people and the product,” he said.

“An old Chinese saying goes, ‘The kind of land raises the kind of people.’ I would add ‘The kind of people make the kind of products.’ Iowa has the world’s best land, raising the world’s best people who make the world’s best products,” said Liu. “I am so proud to work for Kent Pet Group selling the World’s Best Cat Litter™ which is made of the world best corn produced by the world best farmers in Iowa.”

Building a Relationship Between Cities

Since arriving in the Hawkeye State, Albert has served with state and local boards, committees, and businesses dedicated to building a strong relationship between Iowa and China.

During his nearly eight years as the Director of Asian Sales for Musco Lighting, Albert visited the Iowa city of Muscatine often. There he was introduced to Sarah Lande, who was instrumental in helping Albert participate in the Muscatine community by volunteering to develop the relationship with China.

In 2012, Albert organized and led a delegation of five city members on a visit to four cities in China to start a sister city relationship with Zhengding, including Sarah Lande.  For these efforts, he was awarded a Gold Key to the City of Muscatine by (former) Mayor Hopkins, who also accompanied him on the trip, and the Muscatine City Council.

A Lifetime of Accomplishments

This year, Albert was selected as an Honoree for the 2018 Passport to Prosperity Award from the Iowa International Center. He was honored with a celebration gala held on October 13, 2018, in Des Moines, Iowa.

When asked his greatest accomplishments since immigrating to the US, Albert listed:

“Personally to … become a dad of three [daughters], which would have been impossible in China.  Professionally, having served three top Iowa private companies (Townsend Engineering, Musco Lighting, and now Kent Corporation) to sell the best Iowa products to more than 30 countries.  In the field of public services and community volunteering, to have been instrumental to establish the sister city relationship between Muscatine and Zhending, China, and published the book “Old Friends”: The Xi Jinping-Iowa Story to promote the friendship between Iowa/Muscatine and China.”

For this book, which is scheduled to be published and distributed in China later this year, Albert served as the translator and coordinator in addition to helping write with a team of local volunteers.

Great job Albert! Thank you for all of your hard work!