After graduating in 1967 from the University of Georgia, with a Master Degree in Agriculture and Horticulture, Mr Sun Him Chhim returned to Cambodia and began his career as Management Director of Agricultural Cooperative.  In 1972, he obtained a Cooperative Management Certificate from Tokyo, Japan.  Eventually, he became Director of World Vision, USA , stationed in Cambodia to help dislocated Cambodians from the war.

After having survived the Khmer Rouge genocide in 1975, Mr. Chhim returned to the US in 1979 by way of Vietnam & France, and finally settled in Long Beach in late 1980. Soon after, Mr. Chhim was involved with the Cambodian Association of America (CAA) as a volunteer Board Member. 

In April 1992, he quit his job as Social Worker with Orange County Social Services to work as Executive Director of CAA until his retirement in October 2006.  During that time, he also received a 2nd Master degree in Public Administration from Cal State University of Long Beach in 1993.

His commitment to help the Cambodian community in the US and in Cambodia was evident throughout his life. Soon after he retired from CAA, he returned to Cambodia to teach Public Administration until 2016 at the university of Pannhasastra in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, where he was one of the founding members of the university.

In addition, he provided financial assistance to elementary schools in various provinces in Cambodia, and he supported young Buddhist novices and children in rural areas, who were underserved and underprivileged. 

He was proud to have the opportunity to assist the Cambodian community with whom he shared a rich heritage.

In the US, he was actively involved in other community activities and his legacy lives on in many organizations he worked with, which included but are not limited to:

·   Founding member of Cambodian Network Council (CNC), Washington DC

·   Founding member the Cambodian Coordinating Council (Cam-CC), Long Beach

·   Founded the Kitchen for Cambodian Seniors of Long Beach 

·   Board member of Leadership of Long Beach

·   Advisory Committee of Long Beach Knight Foundation, and many more…