Arizona Chinese Chamber Caps Year of Accomplishments

By Barry Wong, Esq., Third Generation Chamber Member

　　The Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Arizona held its holiday business networking mixer on December 10, 2014 at TGIF Restaurant in Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks professional baseball team, in Phoenix. Over 50 guests attended including Chamber president Bernard Wu, officers and members. Special guests included Rene Lopez, Councilman-elect, city of Chandler, Paula West, President & CEO, Phoenix Sister Cities, and Rick Gerrard, Vice President, Phoenix Sister Cities. Also, chamber corporate sponsor, APS, represented by Tiffany Rodriguez. Chamber business mixers provide an opportunity for chamber members and guests to establish, renew and maintain business contacts and relationships.

　　The event capped off a busy year for the Chamber which included its annual Spring Banquet in April at the Great Wall Restaurant which brings together business, community and government leaders and chamber members; business networking mixers throughout the year; and a signature event in partnership with Arizona State University’s W.P. Carey School of Business: a seminar ”Handling Gift Giving When Doing Business in China.”

　　”The Chinese Chamber had another successful year for its members,” said Wu. ”We are proud to build upon the legacy of its founders.”

　　Special this year was a celebration of the Chamber’s 75th Anniversary at the Spring Banquet. The Chamber was founded in 1939 by a small group of Chinese immigrant merchants. Its members, similarly situated as the founders, supported each other by sharing business experiences, concerns and solutions with the goal of supporting their families and succeeding in their newly adopted country. Decades later, another generation is leading the Chamber and is implementing new ideas and establishing opportunities to support its members.

　　For more information about the Chinese Chamber visit www.ccocoarizona.org.

　　　

Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Arizona’s Holiday Business Mixer: (l-r) Sam Huang, Bernard Wu – Chinese Chamber President, Vanessa Hu, Paula West – Phoenix Sister Cities President & CEO, Barry Wong, Michelle Chang and Tony Kao (Photo courtesy of Sunbird Arizona News/Tinna Xie)