Asian businesses, big factor in CA growth – Lieu
LOS ANGELES – California State Senator Ted W. Lieu was one of the five individual awardees that were honored at the 20th Annual Asian Entrepreneur of the Year Awards held on Friday, Sept. 27 at the Beverly Hills Hilton.
Lieu shared the 2013 Public Servant Advocates of the Year award with Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard. Lieu received the award on behalf of Gabbard, who was not able to make it to the event.
“I’m very honored to receive the public service award from the Asian Enterprise magazine. They do a great job outreaching to Asian Americans and the business community,” Lieu told the Asian Journal.
In his acceptance speech, Lieu recounted how only a few years ago, California was facing a $60 billion budget deficit and was on the verge on financial collapse. However, Lieu said that the legislature did what it had to do which was to stabilize California and also provided foundations from which to grow.
California’s steady path towards recovery is evident. Lieu cited the state’s investments in education and health care as signs of this recovery. He also highlighted the high rate of job creation in the state, and a projected budget surplus for the next fiscal year.
“It’s pretty clear to me that California’s best days are yet to come,” Lieu said.
And one reason for that is the Asian business sector, which accounts for a big portion of the state’s business revenues. According to a 2007 report by the US Census, Asian Americans pour in as much as $181 billion in revenues, and pay out about $25 billion in payroll.
“When you do well, our state does well,” Lieu told the entrepreneurs at the gala.
Lieu said that moving forward, the state should also consider focusing on its inherent strengths, which include aerospace, high tech industries, biotech, and agriculture.
California has certain unique advantages that other states don’t have, Lieu pointed out. One of those advantages is California’s role as a trade gateway to the Asian countries, the senator added.
“Trade and commerce with the Asian countries are a sensitive factor in California’s economy and it is a competitive advantage that we have here in California,” he said.
Lieu also added that any action that California could take to “make it easier on our ports” to receive trade and commerce shipments would be very helpful to the state’s economy.
Aside from Lieu and Gabbard, other individual awardees included Ray Jardine of Native Hawaiian Veterans, LLC (Entrepreneur of the Year for Special Service), Penny Bryam of Professional Healthcare Services (Entrepreneur of the Year for Less Than 50 Employees), and Christine Kan of Paramount Prep (Entrepreneur of the Year for Education/Service).
Kan, the founder of Paramount Prep and reigning Miss Asia USA, said that it is an incredible honor to be alongside the likes of Lieu and Gabbard.
Kan said that it’s an amazing feeling to be honored for her tutoring work, which she has been doing for 10 years now. In spite of having so much work to do at Paramount Prep, Kan said that all the stress is worth it when she is able to help a student pursue higher education and achieve their full potential.
“Every sacrifice I’ve made, if I made somebody’s future better for the rest of his or her life, [the sacrifices are] worth it,” Kan said.
Aside from the five public service and Entrepreneur of the Year awardees, 14 corporate advocates were also honored for empowering the Asian American community in the corporate world and for promoting diversity in their respective industries.
Corporate advocates included Fred Keeton of Caesars Entertainment, John Guttierez of ComCast, Kuntesh Chokshi of PAN-PepsiCo, Terrez Thompson of Coca-Cola Co., Michael Robinson of IBM, Colleen Fukui-Sketchley of Nordstrom, Gloria Pualani of Northrop Grumman, April Kelly-Drummond of Denny’s Corporation, Joe Alderete of SCE Edison International, Angela Thompson of UPS, Gene M. Eng of Verizon, Brad Blackwell of Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, Duane Otey of State Farm Insurance Co., and Tony Gladney of MGM.
According to Asian Enterprise publisher Willy Borromeo, the awardees were selected for their work in advancing the rights of women, LGBTQ, minority groups, and the other ethnicities.
(www.asianjournal.com)
(LA Midweek October 9-11, 2013 Sec A pg.1)