APIASF Board Members, honorees and friends at the press conference prior to the "Today's Minds, Tomorrow's Future
Photo by Jason Green Photography
The Waldorf=Astoria's magnificent and historic Starlight Roof was the venue for APIASF's first "Today's Minds, Tomorrow's Future
Photo by Jason Green Photography
More than 400 guests attended APIASF's first "Today's Minds, Tomorrow's Future SM" Gala. Pictured are guests at The Coca-Cola Company's table.
Photo by Jason Green Photography
The tables were beautifully decorated with bird of paradise and bamboo floral arrangements in vases designed by Colin Cowie and donated by Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
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John Ryan, 2006 APIASF Scholarship Recipient (center) poses with Bindi Patel, APIASF Scholarship Associate (left), and Genny Hom-Franzen, APIASF Development Manager, at the media event.
Photo by Jason Green Photography
Smiling for the camera at the media event prior to the gala are (left to right):
John B. Menzer, Vice Chairman, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; Esther Silver-Parker, Vice President, Diversity, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; Robert Underwood, APIASF Board Chairman; Wai-Ling Eng, APIASF Vice Chair; Jim Johannesen, Senior VP, McDonald's and APIASF Board Member; and Michael Fung, Senior VP, Chief Audit Executive, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and APIASF Board Member.
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John Ryan, a 2006 APIASF scholarship recipient who is studying music technology at New York University, spoke at the media event and also performed improvisational pieces on the piano during the dinner.
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Anne Chow, Senior Vice President, Business Marketing, AT&T, spoke during the media event. AT&T was a presenting sponsor of the gala.
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Tariq Khan, APIASF Gala Committee Chair and Board Member from Nationwide, made welcoming remarks.
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Kenny Endo from Hawaii, opened the gala by performing on the flute and the taiko drum.
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Sachi Koto, formerly with CNN and an APIASF Advisory Council member, served as mistress of ceremonies for the event.
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Paul Keoni Chun sang the national anthem.
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Robert Underwood, APIASF Board Chairman, presented the awards to the evening's honorees.
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Norman Y. Mineta, former U.S. Secretary of Transportation and Commerce and a Vice Chairman of Hill & Knowlton, received the "APIASF Inspiring Dreams" Award.
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Enjoying a laugh during the program are Deni Mineta (left) and Norman Y. Mineta (center), one of the evening's honorees.
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Seated at the APIASF table were (left to right):
Steven Ast, APIASF consultant; T. Kamuela Chun, President and Executive Director; Margo Tyler, United Negro College Fund/GMS; Alexandra Rose, APIASF Legal Counsel; Wai-Ling Eng, Vice Chair, and Sachi Koto, APIASF Advisory Council Member and Mistress of Ceremonies.
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Guests gathered at the Hill & Knowlton Foundation's table with their colleague and honoree, Norman Y. Mineta (seated right), with his wife Deni.
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Dr. William H. Gray, III, former U.S. Congressman and chairman of the Amani Group, (center) received the "APIASF Excellence in Education" Award.
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Nishant Batsha, a 2006 APIASF scholarship recipient, spoke during the dinner program.
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Grace Zaffuto, a seven-year old aspiring actress who starred in the APIASF video shown that evening, spoke during the gala program and stole the show.
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Steven Eng, president of the Asian McDonald's Operators Association, spoke on behalf of AMOA, one of the presenting sponsors.
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Several APIASF scholarship recipients attended the gala including (left to right): Luke Budiardjo; John Ryan; Erica Lee; Carolyne Kama and Nishant Batsha.
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Gala attendees included Ma Hasib (left); Sadhna Malik (center)and Shashih Malik (right).
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Smiling for the camera are:
Willis Goldsmith, Jones Day; Michael Fung, Senior Vice President and APIASF Board Member from Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; Rod McLeod, APIASF Board Member, Jones Day; and Orr Rivero, APIASF Board Member, Hilton Hotels Corporation.
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Pausing for a quick photo are left to right: Tariq Khan, APIASF Gala Chair (top row left) and Nishant Batsha (right) with Grace Zaffuto, front row (center).
Photo by Jason Green Photography
Pictured left to right enjoying the gala are: Raj Bhatt; Steve Keene; Percy Karamdjia and Carlo Javier.
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Guests from Abercrombie & Fitch, one of the presenting sponsors, pause for a photo.
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Guests from Macy's included (left to right): Wendy Szeto; Leang Chung; Melissa Cheng; Ed Goldberg; Carolyn Duvall and Carol Jackson, an APIASF Board Member.
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Donna Lee (left); Gladys Yan (center) and Rose Kaung (right) are all smiles as they pose at the silent auction.
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Members of the Arya Dance Academy performed Southeast Asian dances during the entertainment portion of the program.
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Guests enjoyed bidding on the more than 100 items available at the silent auction.
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Mo Marumoto, President and Executive Director of the Asian Pacific Institute for Congressional Studies and an APIASF Board Member and Deni Mineta (right) bid on several items at the silent auction.
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Tara Sullivan, Lisa M. Dietlin and Associates (left) and Lisa M. Dietlin (center) pause for a photo with Kevin Bradley (right), Director, Diversity Initiatives, McDonalds and an APIASF Advisory Council Member.
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Enjoying the festivities are Michael Fung (left) Senior VP, Chief Audit Executive, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and APIASF Board Member; Naomi McLeod; and Rod McLeod, Esq. from Jones Day and an APIASF Board Member.
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Tim Streit (center), Division Vice President, Coca-Cola, poses with his wife, Jurga Streit (left) and Susan Aicher (right).
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Accepting awards on behalf of presenting sponsors McDonald's USA and the Asian McDonald's Operators Association were Jim Johannesen, Senior Vice President, McDonalds USA, and Steven Eng, President, AMOA.
Tony Park (left), Director of Stores Human Resources, Abercrombie & Fitch and Todd Corley, Vice President, Diversity and Inclusion, Abercrombie & Fitch at the VIP reception prior to the gala.
Abercrombie & Fitch was a presenting sponsor.
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Ginny Gong (center), Organization of Chinese Americans (OCA), accepts a certificate of recognition from Wai-Ling Eng, APIASF Vice Chair (left) and Robert Underwood, APIASF Chairman (right).
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John B. Menzer, Vice Chairman, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc., (center) received a special recognition award from Wai-Ling Eng, Vice Chair (left) and Robert Underwood, Board Chairman (right) for pioneering the first employee giving campaign benefiting APIASF.
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Andrew Westergren, The Boston Consulting Group, speaks before accepting a certificate of recognition for his firm's pro bono work for APIASF.
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Congratulating Andrew Westergren from the Boston Consulting Group (center) are Chrissy Flores (left) and Genny Hom-Franzen, APIASF Development Manager.
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Wai-Ling Eng, Vice Chair (left) and T. Kamuela Chun, APIASF President and Executive Director, gave closing remarks and thanked the guests for attending and making APIASF's first gala a huge success.
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The gala ended on a sweet note—a lavish and delicious dessert buffet!
Photo by Jason Green Photography
