FEATURE
Posted May 1, 2009
GAT & The Home Depot Present 25 Most Influential Asian Americans in Georgia
In the spirit of 2009 Asian American Heritage Month celebration, we are documenting the changing of power and the continual shifting of influence of Asian Americans in our communities.
Our fourth edition of 25 Most Influential Asian Americans in Georgia offer a listing of individuals who made an impact in arts, business, government, politics, social work, education, judiciary, and areas that influence every aspect of Georgian’s daily life.
The list is made possible by the editorial staff and a selection committee comprises of Asian journalists who are active within the Asian American community.
Enhancement of Asian American image and positive contribution to communities are key selection criteria for this year’s nominee.
Profile listed by alphabetical order:
Shiv Aggarwal
President & CEO
American Management Services
Shiv Aggarwal migrated to USA in 1982 and started as a real estate agent in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He moved to Atlanta in 1987 and started investing in mid-scale properties. For the past 15 years, Aggarwal have successfully invested in several large apartment complexes, shopping centers, and hotels. Aggarwal is currently realizing a vision of creating North America’s first Indian indoor mall.
Aggarwal chairs the Board of Gwinnett’s Village Community Improvement District, which raises money for increased police protection and landscaping in the area.
A firm believer in giving back to the community, he has opened the doors of the mall for social causes. He leases space at the mall free of charge for yoga sessions, monthly meetings of non-profit organizations, health camps, visa camps, beauty pageant rehearsals etc. “Global Mall has a two-in-one purpose,” he says. “A shopping mall and a community hub.”
Wilfredo “Willy” Blanco
Regional Manager, Beckart Environmental, Inc.
President, Asian/Pacific American Council of Georgia (APAC)
Willy Blanco’s community involvement began when he was elected Public Relations Officer of the Filipino-American Association of Greater Atlanta in 1994. When the Philippine American Chamber of Commerce of Georgia was established in 1996, he was one of the Chartered Directors and editor of the newsletter “Directions”. He was also appointed by the Philippine Department of Tourism as tourism representative in Georgia in the same year.
As Regional Manager for Beckart Environmental, Inc. Willy oversees regional sales and the service office covering seven southeastern states plus the island of Puerto Rico. His company helps private industries clean up their wastewaters before discharging it to the sewer.
As an entrepreneur, Willy established “Yakiniku” Japanese Steakhouse in Snellville, Georgia in March 1997 along with five other Filipino American business entrepreneurs.
Willy is a charter director of Philippine American Foundation of Georgia which began in 2006. In 2007, he was voted Vice President of the Filipino-American Association of Greater Atlanta which got him involved with Asian/Pacific American Council of Georgia (APAC).
He was elected as President of APAC in 2008. One of his vision for APAC is to raise the visibility and profile of Asian Americans in the mainstream community.
Charlice Byrd
Georgia House of Representatives
District 20
Charlice Byrd is serving in her fifth year for District 20 in the Georgia House of Representatives. She is a native of New Orleans, Louisiana with a B.A. degree in Elementary Education from Southeastern Louisiana University where she spent the late 1970’s as an educator.
She serves on five committees: Vice Chair of Children and Youth, Economic Development and Tourism, Health and Human Services, Judiciary Non-Civil and Secretary of Science and Technology.
She is a community and political activist for years. While living in Hong Kong, she was President of the League of Women Voters and served on the board for Republicans Abroad. Her background also includes serving as President of the Republican Women’s Club and the executive board for the Republican Party. She is a graduate of Coverdell Leadership Institute, Asian Pacific American Institute for Congressional Studies (APAICS), Georgia Legislative Leadership Institute (GLLI), Leadership Cherokee and Leadership Academy for Asian Pacific American Elected officials.
An advocate for advancing life sciences innovation and promoting public’s health and well being in Georgia. She was named “Legislater of the Year” in 2007 by Biotechnology Industry Organization. Byrd is also the recipient of the 2008 Georgia BIO Community Award.
In addition to her political activities, Charlice donates her time and finances to the Friends of the Library, the Historical Society, the Volunteer Aging Council, The Optimist Club, the Chamber of Commerce and Town Lake Arts Center.
Voranath Chanthavong
Principal, NKK Design and Construction Inc.
Voranath Chanthavong is owner and principal of NKK Design and Construction Inc., a rapidly growing minority owned company in Georgia. With a strong entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to his venture, Chanthavong achieved success in his endeavor. His firm specializes in commercial, residential, and restaurant renovations.
His passion for his ethic Laotian arts and culture has transform him into a generous donor and an integral member of Georgia’s Laotian community. He has designed and supported various Laotian Buddhist temples in Snelville, Decatur, Riverdale, and Conley.
Mei-Ann Chen
Assistant Conductor
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
Born in Taiwan, Mei-Ann Chen has lived in the United States since 1989. She holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in conducting from the University of Michigan, where she was a student of Kenneth Kiesler. Prior to that, she was the first recipient in New England Conservatory’s history to receive double master’s degrees simultaneously in violin and conducting. As a violinist, she has performed in Carnegie Hall and Tanglewood Music Festival numerous times.
The first woman to win the Malko International Conductors Competition in 2005, Chen has established herself as a versatile, highly communicative and inspirational young artist. She is currently Assistant Conductor of Robert Spano and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
Before coming to Atlanta, Mei-Ann served as Assistant Conductor of the Oregon Symphony from 2003 to 2005 and in 2002, Chen was unanimously selected as Music Director of the Portland Youth Philharmonic in Oregon, the oldest of its kind and the model for many of the youth orchestras in the United States.
In her current role with ASO, Chen continues to inspire and work with young musicians in Atlanta. Her passion is to develop new and unique musicianship programs for the orchestra’s members.
Byeongho Choi
President, Atlanta Korean Church Association
Pastor of Bethany Presbyterian Church
Pastor Choi has played a pivotal role in the life of many Korean Americans living in the metro Atlanta especially during this economic recession.
Through his leadership as President of Atlanta Korean Church Association, several fund raising campaigns were organized to help families, children, and immigrants who are homeless due to the recession.
Through Pastor Choi’s dedication, he managed to garner support from various business associations, unions, and churches in his endeavor.
His humble and easy demeanor has made him a popular pastor among his followers and community.
Pastor Choi hopes to continue inspiring his community to help and support individuals affected by the economic recession.
Dr. Rajeev Dhawan
Director, Economic Forecasting Center
Associate Professor, Managerial
Sciences - Georgia State University
As director of one of the country’s premiere forecasting centers, Rajeev Dhawan develops forecasts for the U.S., Southeast regional, and local metro Atlanta economies. These forecasts are regularly published and presented to business executives and the media at the Center’s popular, well-respected quarterly forecasting conferences.
Rajeev is widely sought for his expertise and is widely seen on local and national media. He also advises the boards of private companies, and serves on the Georgia Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors. He has reported on the effects of escalating oil prices on the national economy.
Rajeev earned a B.A. in Economics, with honors, from St. Stephen’s College in India, an M.A. in Economics from the Delhi School of Economics in India and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of California at Los Angeles.
Prior to his current position, he taught economics, logistics and statistics courses at Pepperdine University and California State University at Long Beach.
He has received several awards for his forecasting precision, including Most Accurate GDP forecast by Bloomberg News.
Jay Eun
President, Golden Stella
President, Korean Association of Greater Atlanta
Prior to arriving in the U.S., Jay attended Pusan National University in Korea and served three years of obligatory national service with the Korean Army. Jay and his wife started Golden Stella Inc., a successful fashion jewelry and accessories wholesaler business in 1987.
Despite his busy schedule, Jay carves out time to be active in his church and local community organizations. He is currently serving as an Elder at Korean Community Presbyterian Church in Duluth. One of his goals is to unite over 200 Korean churches in the metro Atlanta to interact more effectively with each other.
Jay was elected to the Board of Directors of the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce in 2004. After completion of his service term of three years, he was promoted to serve in the Chamber’s Executive Committee.
Jay was elected as the President of Korean Association of Greater Atlanta for a two-year term which runs through October 2009. During his tenure, he has foster a closer relationship for the Korean American community with mainstream Americans and other non-Korean Asian communities.
Jay is a recipient of the prestigious Republic of Korea’s Prime Minister Award in 2004.
Dr. Sanjay Gupta
CNN Medical Correspondent
Neurosurgeon, Grady Health System
Dr. Sanjay Gupta is chief medical correspondent for the health and medical division at CNN. Gupta is also a practicing neurosurgeon at Emory University Hospital and Grady Health System. He is an assistant professor of neurosurgery at Emory University School of Medicine.
Gupta has been published in a diverse assortment of scientific periodicals and has received much praise for his work. In 2006, his report, “Sabrina’s Law,” brought him his first Clarion award, and with “Charity Hospital,” he was awarded his first Emmy.
He won the Humanitarian Award from the National Press Photographers Association, and his first book, Chasing Life, was released in the spring of 2007 and became a national bestseller.
In January 2009, it was reported that Dr. Gupta was offered the position of Surgeon General in the Obama administration. However, Dr. Gupta withdrew his name from consideration for the post in March 2009.
Dr. Gupta is also a member of Do Something Foundation which is a website community where young people learn, listen, speak, vote, volunteer, ask, and take action to make the world a better place.
Kai Hsu
CEO, Hotsauce Techonologies
HotSauce Technologies, Inc. is a leading provider of restaurant management solutions, including POS systems, with operations in Chicago; New York; Charlotte, NC; and Taipei, Taiwan. The privately held company was founded in the mid 1990s and is on a fast growth track led by its 35-year old Chief Executive Officer, Kai Hsu.
Hsu’s leadership has led HotSauce Technologies to be amongst the premier POS service providers and early adopters of VOIP in the industry. His goal for HotSauce is to continue to deliver great products with high quality customer services.
Hsu is committed with his charitable giving to organizations such as World Vision
to assist underpriviliged children in third world countries. Hsu was also a generous financial donor for Atlanta’s Chinese fund raising effort for Sichuan earthquake victims in 2008.
Yuann L. Kuo
Commissioner, Tzu Chi Academy Atlanta
President, Kuolin Inc.
Chairman, GlobalCommerce Bank
In addition to being a successful entrepreneur as President of Kuolin Inc, Yuann Kuo also founded Global Commerce Bank in August of 1995 to serve the Asian Pacific community in Georgia. The bank started its operations with an office located in Asian Square on Buford Highway.
In 1999, she was appointed as the commissioner of Tzu-Chi Foundation in Atlanta; a non-profit organization for community service and outreach. As part of Tzu Chi Foundation’s international relief mission, she has traveled to Peru, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Mexico and China for disaster relief efforts. She was in charge of Tzu Chi Foundation’s relief of 2005 Hurricane Katrina in Mississippi and tornado relief in Enterprise, Alabama in March 2007.
Of all the roles that she cherish, Mrs. Kuo treasured her role with Tzu Chi Academy as it demonstrates her spirit and compassion by helping others.
Joanne Liew
Principal, Joanne Zheng Studio
Joanne Liew is renowned in metro Atlanta for her artistic endeavors especially Chinese music, art, and painting. She generously volunteer in numerous activities promoting traditional Chinese arts and music at various Asian cultural events.
Liew is also a volunteer who dedicated her energy and time for Tzu Chi Foundation’s causes. She is often the person working behind the scene to coordinate and get a mission accomplished.
She is also an accomplished musician of “Gu Zheng” instrument. She trained under two renowned Zheng masters. Her musical pieces were featured in Atlanta WSB-TV2 program “Georgia’s Panda Project.”
She also heads the Chinese Classical Orchestra, the first of its kind in the Southeast U.S. Liew has performed over four hunded performances and continue to share her love and knowledge of the Zheng, in doing her part in musical cultural exchange.
Lam Thanh Ngo
President, Vietnamese-American Community of GA (VAC-GA)
Vice President, Asian/Pacific American Council of GA (APAC)
Lam Thanh Ngo serves as President of the Vietnamese-American Community of GA since 2008. In this role, Lam attracts and leads a team of young Vietnamese volunteers just like himself to preserving Vietnamese culture and heritage thru annual events such as Tet (Lunar New Year), Hung Vuong Dynasty Commemoration, and Tet Trung Thu (Moon Festival). A big believer in unity voice for Asian Pacific communities in US thru political involvement and voting, and a great supporter for young generation, Lam always supports their activities and involvement in community programs.
Prior to starting his current position, Lam spent more than a year as an advisor to the President of VAC-GA and later as VP - External Affairs. Lam’s varied background in teacher training, import and export business, real estate, mortgage careers and active involvement with his Buddhist temple youth organization provided the perfect foundation for what he is doing now.
With his characters and leadership, he starts attracting more young Vietnamese volunteers, bridges the gap between old and young generations by turning conflicts and misunderstanding to positive contribution to the community activities. VAC-GA earns the trust, support, and participation of the Vietnamese community, especially recognition by other Asian Pacific Islander communities and leaders.
At Tet Lunar New Year 2007, Lam was awarded VAC-GA Contribution Award for his dedicated contribution to community. In 2009, Lam was elected as Vice President of Asian/Pacific American Council of GA.
Narsi Narasimhan, PhD
CEO Paalam, Inc.
Chairman, Georgia Indo-American Chamber of Commerce (GIACC)
Dr. Narsi Narasimhan earned his Ph.D. in Management Science from the University of Texas at Dallas in 1988. He is the founder of the Indian Professionals Network (IPN), an informal networking group of over 3000 professionals around the metro Atlanta area.
Narsi is co-founder and the CEO of Paalam, Inc., an Atlanta based offshore outsourcing firm that specializes in Software Services, and Call Center/Business Process Outsourcing, using partners in India and other countries including Jamaica and Malaysia.
He is currently serving as Chairman of Georgia Indo-American Chamber of Commerce, a non-profit organization actively promoting Indian American business networking with diverse communities in Georgia.
He had previously served as President of Indo-American Chamber of Commerce in 2008 and as President of APAC Georgia in 2006.
Rima McGraw
Karmila Design
Sanggar Lestari
Rima is known as a tireless community volunteer and has great interests in cultural activities especially Indonesian traditional dances. In 2001, she initiated to formulate “Sanggar Lestari Indonesia”, a community dance group that performs for various events in metro Atlanta and Georgia.
She also finds time to serve as treasurer for Padi Nusantara, a non-profit organization which benefits the underprivileged and illiterate children in Indonesia.
She started her own interior design company, Karmila Design, and help organized many elegant and high level social functions, charitable and business events for Indonesian Community Heritage Foundation and Indonesian American Chamber of Commerce.
Rima formerly was a civil engineer with Heery International and decided to stay home to raise her two young children.
Dr. P.V. Rao
Professor, Nuclear Physics,
Emory University
Dr. P. V. Rao is one of the architects of Atlanta’s Indian community. Dr. Rao is a professor of Nuclear Physics in Emory University. He is also a poet, artist and a journalist. Quite often he delivers lectures on Indian culture, heritage and spirituality. Dr. Rao was the first president of Indian American Cultural Association.
Dr. Rao has rendered dedicated service of four decades to the cause of Indian community in America and has exhibited extraordinary versatility in handling different skills and tasks with great success. Dr. Rao is a top educator in US teaching and Research in experimental atomic and nuclear physics. Published about 60 papers in scientific journals.
He served as a special consultant to the Fernbank Science Center for the preparation of an educational program called ‘Stars of India’ designed to explain the Hindu view of the skies and cosmology in relation to Hindu religion and philosophy. He also served as special advisor to Templeton Foundation, which promotes a continuous dialogue between Science and Religion.
As an artist, Dr. Rao provided the architectural and aesthetic feedback for the Gandhi Room established in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Historical site in Atlanta.
Dr. Rao is also well known in literary circles. As editor of Telugu Bhasha Patrika, journal devoted to the popularization of science, in Telugu language published from U.S. and also distributed in India. (1970-76). General Editor for the publications of Vanguri Foundation of America, Houston, Texas since 1994. He edited about 30 works published by Vanguri foundation.
An active member of the Indian community and one of the founding members of the India American Cultural Association of Metro Atlanta. He is also an active member of the Telugu community in North America.
Currently Vice President of Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta, an organization actively promoting bridges between various religious communities of metro Atlanta.
Varinee Sangmalee
President, Thai Association World Center
President, Asian Cultural Experience (ACE)
Varinee is an active supporter of community events supporting local Asian communities. Among her distinguish roles is serving as the President of Asian Cultural Experience, an annual community event promoting Asian arts, cultural, and heritage.
It is also her goal to promote Thai heritage in the areas of Thai Language, classical dances, cultural and traditions to the younger generation living in U.S. She also encourages the local Thai community to collaborate with each other and to volunteer their services.
Varinee also actively involved with the Thai Association World Center, a community organization for the local Thai in metro Atlanta. She is also the founder of Thai Chamber of Commerce of Georgia in 2007.
Among the organizations that Varinee works with are Asian/Pacific American Council of Georgia, Asian Cultural Experience, Thai Association World Center USA, Thai American Chamber of Commerce, and Atlanta Asian Film Festival.
Dr. Josephine Tan
Community Development Region Manager,
Georgia Power
Chairwoman, Asian-American Commission for a New Georgia
Dr. Josephine Tan serves as chairwoman for the Asian American Commission for a New Georgia which Gov. Sonny Perdue established in July 2003. The commission has three sub-committees focusing on economic development, education, and health issues. Dr. Tan is also founding president of the Asian American Chamber of Commerce.
Dr. Tan has been an advocate for positive race relations. She was a college professor at the University of Alabama and the University of Central Arkansas before she joined Georgia Power as a Senior Economist. In 2006, she joined the Community and Economic Development team and is reponsible for providing leadership for industry expansion and retention.
Dr. Tan is a frequent speaker on energy and diversity issues and has received numerous honors and awards including Atlanta Women’s 25 Most Powerful Women in 2007 and Women Looking Ahead’s 100 List of Most Powerful Women in 2006.
Sister Christine Truong My Hanh
Executive Director
Good Shepherd Services Atlanta
Sister Christine have work tirelessly to help the poor and needy especially the refugees and immigrants resettling in metro Atlanta. Since founding GSSA in 1993, her services has expanded outreach centers in Clayton and Gwinnett counties.
Her centers counsel families and youth at risk, provides elderly services, conducts DUI and citizenship classes. She often was called upon to comfort women in prison and to visit inmates who neither have family nor friends.
Sister Christine’s focus is to assist the emotional, spiritual, and physical well being of those in need within the Asian Pacific community.
Vijay Vemulapalli
Vibha Inc.
Vijay Vemulapalli is known as a leader in the Indian non-profit community in Atlanta. For the past 15 years, he has been leading Vibha, a national voluntary organization with more than 15 centers in U.S., raising awareness and funds for underprivileged children of India and U.S.
He is currently the Secretary and a member of the Board of Vibha. Vijay is also the Founding President of Vibha-India that is creating a volunteer movement in several cities of India.
Vibha is currently reaching more than 25,000 children through 35 projects in India and 5 projects in USA. Vijay takes special interest in the selection and monitoring of these projects, to ensure that the resources raised are put to best use. Vijay also played a critical role in the organization of several successful annual fundraisers – The Dream Mile 5K Walk/Run, Vibha Cricket and cultural shows.
Vijay has a PhD from Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai and is currently a Systems Analyst with Equifax.
Baoky Vu
Principal, Seaside Capital
Baoky is a principal of Seaside Capital, a private investment firm based in Atlanta. Previously, he had served in various capacities, including director of research and portfolio manager with A. Montag & Associates. He holds degrees from Georgia Tech (BS’90) and Georgetown University (G’95). His current affiliations include: Leadership Georgia Class of 2008, Finance Director of Vietnamese-American Public Affairs Committee, member of NAAAP-Atlanta, Vietnamese Professionals Society, Georgia Public Policy Foundation and the 159 Group.
In August of 2001, he was appointed by President George W. Bush to the Presidential Advisory Commission on Asian-Americans and Pacific Islanders. In 2004, he served as an alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention and was a member of the Bush-Cheney ’04 National Steering Committee. He was a panelist on Georgia Governor Sonny Perdue’s Racial Reconciliation Panel in 2003 in Savannah, Georgia and currently serves as an ex-officio member of Governor Perdue’s Asian American Commission for a New Georgia.
As past Vice-President of the Vietnamese Confederation of Georgia, Baoky helped raised funds and organized festivals to promote the Vietnamese cultural heritage. The organization also was able to organize computer and citizenship classes for new immigrant arrivals. In his work with NAAAP and Chopstix For Charity, Baoky has raised over $30,000 for various Asian-American non-profit groups in the past 3 years.
Li K. Wang
Principal, Wang Law Firm
Wang is active in contributing his time selflessly to the Asian Pacific community. His desire to help people is what made him decide to switch careers from his formal engineering education to be an attorney. This is the work he finds most gratifying.
Wang’s firm specialize in patent and intellectual properties law.
He generously donates his time pro bono for legal assistance to Atlanta’s battered women’s group and grandparents’ adoption program in Georgia.
Wang is highly sought by professional organizations to share his advice and experience on their governing Boards. Among those groups are: Georgia Asian Pacific American Bar Association, Atlanta Asian Film Festival, and Monte Jade Science and Technology Association (Southeast chapter) . He also serves on the Board of Trustees for Shu-Te University in Kaoshiung, Taiwan.
Judge Alvin T. Wong
Judge, State Court of DeKalb County
Alvin T. Wong was elected Judge of the State Court of DeKalb County, Georgia’s third largest county, in 1998. He was the first Asian American to run for public office in metropolitan Atlanta and is the only Asian Pacific American to be elected judge in the Southeast. Judge Wong was elected in a county where Asians made up less than two percent of the registered voters and has served continuously unopposed for the past decade. In his years of judicial service, he has gained the respect of the entire legal community.
A former partner at Gambrell and Stolz law firm, Judge Wong had 21 years of experience as a corporate and trial attorney before running for office. He chaired the State Bar of Georgia’s Investigative Panel for disciplinary action against unethical practices by Georgia attorneys. His most recent project has been to create a DUI Court to treat chronic alcohol addiction.
He continues to work in the greater community. Judge Wong serves on the Fernbank Museum of Natural History Board of Trustees, the Georgia Commission on Access and Fairness in the Courts, and the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association (NAPABA) Law Foundation Board. He has mentored future leaders, serving as Co-Director of NAPABA’s Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition, which helps identify talented law students nationwide, and has volunteered with several county organizations dedicated to helping teenagers avoid drugs, pregnancy, and unemployment.
Judge Wong received the State Bar of Georgia’s 2002 Excellence in Bar Leadership Award for his work as co-founder of the Georgia Asian Bar and the architect of its free legal clinic for recent immigrants. He will be given the Distinguished Alumni Award by John Marshal Law School in May 2009.
Lani Wong
Chair, National Association of Chinese Americans (NACA)
Lani Wong serves as chair of the National Association of Chinese-Americans and the Asian American Coalition of Georgia. She serves as a volunteer liaison between Atlanta business and government officials, and their enterprise-minded Chinese equivalents.
Lani stresses the importance of Asian immigrant in Georgia in becoming citizens so they may participate in the political processes. She believes that more attention would be paid to Asian Pacific Islanders if they were registered voters.
She is widely known as a “power broker” in establishing introduction and networking for visiting Chinese officials with local political figures such as Gov. Sonny Perdue and Mayor Shirley Franklin. A past recipient of the Phoenix Award from Mayor Shirley Franklin for her dedication to community service.
She was also recognized by Beijing for her liason expertise with an invitation to a major political conference that only five US citizens are invited annually.
Stella Sixing Xu
China Project Manager, Global Trade and Tourism
Georgia Department of Economic Development
China has been an important trading partner for the state of Georgia and increasingly a source of new investments for the state. Realizing the growing potential in China, Georgia’s Department of Economic Development has hired Stella Xu to oversee the inward investments and tourism from China.
Her cultural and business insights on the Chinese market have paved the way for potential new investments and tourist from China.
Xu has been an active community volunteer since her days as a student at Georgia Perimeter College and Kennesaw State University. Stella was the first student to be invited as a Board member of Kennesaw’s Coles College of Business.
She also has volunteered countless hours assisting newly arrived international students and to promote cultural understanding through activities such as Lunar New Year Celebration and China Club.