David Pak

To the degree that the Diamond Certified brand is reliant upon the quality of its companies, one could argue that David Pak has the most important job at American Ratings Corporation. “As Director of Ratings and Research, I’m in charge of qualifying Diamond Certified companies and making sure they continue to maintain our standards once they’re in the program,” he summarizes. However, while he now shoulders a substantial responsibility, David’s beginnings at ARC were comparatively humble. “This was my first real job out of college. When I started in 2005, it was an entry-level position as a ratings specialist. I guess I’ve come a long way since then.”

When asked his favorite part of his job, David cites two things. “First, I enjoy working with a great team of people whom I can rely on. Second, I appreciate the culture of innovation here at ARC. We’re always looking to improve the way we operate, so if we find a better or more efficient way of doing something, we’re going to make that change.”

A resident of San Francisco, David spends much of his free time on his two primary interests: sports and food. “Sports are a big part of my life, whether I’m watching a professional game or playing golf with my friends,” he details. “I also love food, so I go out to eat fairly often. In terms of quality and variety of cuisine, it doesn’t get much better than San Francisco, so we’re pretty lucky here.” In addition to dining out, David can often be found lending a hand at his parents’ Japanese restaurant, Micado. “My parents have had this restaurant for almost 30 years,” he says. “I grew up working there and still help on the weekends pretty regularly.”

In regard to a personal philosophy, David says it’s important to keep looking ahead. “It’s not where you start that matters, it’s where you finish. If you’re not in a good place now, you shouldn’t let that be your focus; rather, you should focus on where you’re headed. Even if you’re in a great place, you can always find ways to further improve upon your circumstances. I think this idea has been pretty instrumental in my personal and professional development over the years.”