Daily Dose: 05/07/08

» AsianWeek Market Report
» Five Local Heroes to be Honored at Awards Ceremony for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month
» The Asian American Writers’ Workshop Announces New Executive Director
» Christine Chin Resigns as Publisher in Colorado
» Chinese Entrepreneur Association to Host the ‘Golden Keys to Manage Business and Career Successfully’ Conference
» Myanmar Cyclone Death Toll Soars Past 22,000

AsianWeek Market Report

BAY:

Five Local Heroes to be Honored at Awards Ceremony for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month

SAN FRANCISCO — In celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month in May, Union Bank of California and KQED Public Broadcasting will recognize five Bay Area “Local Heroes” at the 11th annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month Local Hero Awards ceremony for their extraordinary commitment and contributions to the Bay Area.

The 2008 honorees are Regina Clewlow, founding executive director, Engineers for a Sustainable World; the Rev. Norman Fong, deputy director, Chinatown Community Development Center; Cathy Inamasu, executive director, Nihonmachi (Japantown) Little Friends; Christina Mei-Yue Wong, director of community initiatives, Chinese for Affirmative Action; and Connie Young Yu, a historian, writer and board member of Chinese Historical Society of America.

“It is an honor to recognize such community-minded individuals who work diligently toward a positive future for the Bay Area and beyond,” said Union Bank Senior Vice President and Regional Director Mahla Shaghafi.

COMMERCE:

Christine Chin Resigns as Publisher in Colorado

Christine Chin, who became president and publisher of the Coloradoan in Fort Collins, Colo., after the abrupt resignation of Publisher Dorothy Bland and Executive Editor Michael Limon in 2005, resigned herself citing family and personal reasons.

“I’ve achieved the professional goals I set for myself 20 years ago and decided it was time to work on my work-life balance,” said Chin, who is married and has a 9-year-old daughter.

Chin said the highlight of her tenure was making the Coloradoan more local in focus and more connected to community needs and issues.

“It has been a privilege and an honor to work with this team and to serve this community,” she said. “I enjoy making a difference and will continue to do so in some other capacity in the future.”

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Chinese Entrepreneur Association to Host the “Golden Keys to Manage Business and Career Successfully” Conference

The Chinese Entrepreneur Association announced that it would host the annual conference titled “Golden Keys to Manage Business and Career Successfully” on June 19-22 at the Hilton Newark Airport, N.J.

The conference will have two tracks tailored for CEOs and professionals. Workshops include “Christ-centered management lifestyle” and “Golden Keys to manage business and career successfully.”

The CEO forum will have a small group discussion on dealing with difficult decisions, handling stress and reflecting on valuable lessons from other CEOs. In addition, attendees will have opportunities to network with other vision-oriented Christian business leaders.

“CEA strives to present a global platform where the business leaders can find their answers in a trustworthy environment. Valuable resources are offered through lessons learned from a diversified group of CEOs,” said Esther Yu, CEO of Integrated Solutions Inc. and Executive Committee chair of CEA.

“CEA’s vision is to enrich the lives of people by developing godly business leaders through mentoring and leadership training,” said Dr. Frank Lee, chairman of CEA.

ARTS:

The Asian American Writers’ Workshop Announces New Executive Director

NEW YORK — The Asian American Writers’ Workshop, the preeminent nonprofit organization committed to Asian American literature, has announced the appointment of its new executive director, Ken Chen.

“Ken is uniquely qualified to lead The Asian American Writers’ Workshop into its next phase of growth, and we expect that his entrepreneurial approach and personal dedication will inspire others to get involved,” said Harold Augenbraum, a member of the Workshop’s search committee.

“I am honored and humbled to be a part of The Asian American Writers’ Workshop because of the organization’s strong commitment to diversity and excellence in literature,” Chen said.

Chen joins the Workshop after pursuing dual careers in law and writing. Chen graduated from the University of California at Berkeley, where he received the university’s highest leadership award, the Priestley Prize. He started Satellite, a monthly magazine, and helped found Arts & Letters Daily, a cultural Web site.

GLOBAL:

Myanmar Cyclone Death Toll Soars Past 22,000

The cyclone death toll soared above 22,000 on May 6, and more than 41,000 others were missing as the international community prepared to rush in aid after Burma’s deadliest storm on record, state radio reported.

Up to 1 million people may be homeless after Cyclone Nargis hit the Southeast Asian nation. Some villages have been almost totally eradicated and vast rice-growing areas are wiped out, the World Food Program said.

“From the reports we are getting, entire villages have been flattened, and the final death toll may be huge,” said Mac Pieczowski, who heads the International Organization for Migration office in Yangon.

Myanmar’s military regime has signaled it will welcome aid supplies, the U.N. said, clearing the way for a major relief operation from international organizations.

The appeal for outside assistance was unusual for Myanmar’s ruling generals, who have long been suspicious of international organizations and closely controlled their activities. Several agencies, including the International Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders, have limited their presence as a consequence.

— Associated Press

Compiled by Irene Aranya