Sacramento, August 20 – Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs is delighted to announce the addition of five accomplished members to the APAPA National Governing Board: Joe Johal, Simon Pang, Dr. Alvin Cheung, Tony Lin, and Henry Yin. These distinguished individuals join the APAPA Board on the occasion of the organization’s 20th Anniversary.
“APAPA is pleased to welcome these distinguished professionals to its national governing body,” said National Governing Board Chair Kenneth Fong. C.C. Yin, APAPA founder, added “We are excited by these appointments and anticipate that their combined experience will help inspire, engage and empower the next generation of Asian and AAPI leaders across the country.”
Joe Johal is the CEO of Wendy’s of the Pacific, responsible for operating multiple restaurants of this major national fast-food chain. He is a trustee of Wendy’s National Advertisement Program, and, in keeping with the principle of diversification, is a franchisee of both BP Arco and T-Mobile. Prior to his current post he was an engineering manager for Hewlett Packard from 1983 to 2003, overseeing risk management, health and safety and environmental safety for five HP sites affecting 12,000 employees. Mr. Johal also served as a member of Hewlett Packard’s worldwide Training and Education Council (one of ten members for 120,000 employees). He is a founding board member of multiple organizations, including Tri-Valley Bank, Old Fashioned Franchise Association (the franchise association for Wendy’s), Service Station Franchise Association (BP Arco), and the American Petroleum and Convenience Store Association. He is also a Board Member for the Alameda County Fair Foundation.
Simon Pang is a member of the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs, a body charged with elevating the political, economic, and social issues of Asians and Pacific Islanders and state responses to their needs. A banking executive with decades of experience, he is Executive Vice President and Co-Founder of Royal Business Bank (founded in 2008), and the President of the U.S.-Sino Friendship Association. Mr. Pang began his banking career as an International Loan Officer at Bank of America’s Singapore Branch from 1981 to 1984, then as Corporate Banking Loan Officer with Standard Chartered Bank from 1984 to 1986; his final position before immigrating to the U.S. in 1989 was Manager, Singapore United Overseas Bank - Xiamen Branch, from 1986 to 1989. In the U.S. he has since held the post of Vice President for a number of banks (Lippo Bank, 1989-92; Guaranty Bank of California, 1992-94; Tokai Bank, 1994-97, where he also served as Trade Finance Manager; and First Vice President for Imperial Bank, 1997-2000. In 2013 and 2016, Pang was invited to join the California Trade Delegation to China led by California Governor Jerry Brown. In 2013, Pang was appointed by the Governor to serve on the Advisory Board of U.S. China Trade and Investment Committee. In 2018 he was appointed by California Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon to serve on the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American Affairs.
Henry Yin is a Senior Advisor to U.S. Representative Ro Khanna, who represents the South Bay cities of Fremont, Milpitas, and Santa Clara. Since 2010 he has served as a Commissioner on the California Commission for Economic Development, a bipartisan advisory board on economic development issues to the state’s executive and legislative leadership. Mr. Lin’s broad federal and state government experience provide him a unique ability to advise on issues affecting Pacific Rim trade. He currently serves as the President of APAPA’s U.S.-China Trade Committee, as well as President of APAPA’s Bay Area Region. He served as Chairman of the Fremont Chamber of Commerce from 2004 to 2005. He is Founder and President of USA-China Link, an organization he formed in 2002. He is currently the Area 3B Assistant Governor of Rotary International District 5170, and served as the President of the Rotary Club of Fremont from 2006 to 2007.
Tony Lin is President and CEO of the Talus Design Corporation of Sacramento, an importer and exporter of high-quality bathroom fixtures and vanities. Since 2017, he has served as Special Advisor to the National Chair of APAPA, Special Projects Director, as well as serving on the Appointment Committee for APAPA Government Relations, and as Secretary of the APAPA Trade Committee. Mr. Lin is a former member of the Elk Grove Planning Commission (January 2020 to February 2021). With extensive experience in the Asian restaurant industry, he is well versed in the challenges facing business owners in a highly regulated environment, having served as President of Mizu Japanese Seafood Buffet in Sacramento from 2014 to 2018, and as President and General Manager of Hikuni Japanese Seafood & Steakhouse of Santa Rosa from 2006 to 2018. His business acumen combined with experiences working within APAPA provide him a depth of knowledge of the nexus between business, community-based organizations and government, and the ability to work with state, local and national elected and non-elected officials.
Dr. Alvin Cheung is an educator, pharmacist, and an individual whose efforts in his field exemplify dedication to public service. Since 2007, he has been President and CEO of California Northstate University, guiding the development of a 10-year growth plan to create additional doctoral health science degree programs, as well as an undergraduate program. In this capacity he also established the College of Pharmacy, the College of Medicine, and the College of Health Sciences at the University, while recruiting for key leadership positions. He was Chief Pharmacist of Kaiser Permanente in Davis from 1990 to 1996, an Assistant Chief Pharmacist at the Kaiser facility in South Sacramento from 1985 to 1990. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Sacramento Economic Council, and in this capacity he assisted in fundraising for Measure B to raise sales tax revenue that helped finance local economic development efforts. He is also a past member of the Board of Directors of the Contra Costa County Pharmacists Association (2008-2012), and a member of the Board of Trustees of International Technology University (2012-2018). His career highlights include conducting a pilot study on “Preventing a Heart Attack Everyday” which resulted in $3.2 million in funding for 22 full-time pharmacist positions in the Northern California Kaiser Permanente Region; being a five-time recipient of the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Drug Use Management Award (in 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004 and 2005) for excellence in safe and appropriate use of medications; and successfully developing a clinical role for HIV pharmacists within Kaiser Permanente Northern California in 2004.
