January 20, 2005

  USPAACC National President inducted
to Minority Business Hall of Fame

Washington, DC — US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC) National President and CEO Susan Au Allen was inducted to the Minority Business Hall of Fame on January 13, 2005 at the Harvard Club in New York City for her work at the helm of USPAACC and for her “legacy of economic development in the Asian community.”  

 “This award is important to me and USPAACC because it validates the hard-work, long hours, frequent travels, and rigorous advocacy that we have put in over the last 20 years to bring Asian American business into the mainstream,” Allen said. “This award also inspires us to continue to open more doors of contract, educational and professional opportunities for our constituency.”

The Minority Business Hall of Fame and Museum was founded in April 2004--a collaborative effort of John Robinson, president of the National Minority Business Council, New York; Don McKneely, president and publisher of Minority Business News; and Carol Daugherty Foster, editor of Minority Business News--to spotlight the achievements of men and women who were pioneers in opening opportunities for equal access for business owners of color. The museum chronicles the vision, tenacity and courage of the inductees for generations to come.

Also present at the ceremony to lend their support to Susan Allen were: Jeannie Diefenderfer, Group President of Advanced Networks, Verizon; Johnnie Booker, Director of Supplier Diversity, The Coca-Cola Company; Rengen Li, Manager of Supplier Diversity, The Coca-Cola Company; Grant Ujifusa, Founder of ThickEnvelope.com; Lisha Li, business entrepreneur; and the Allen family, with husband Paul and sons Edward and Mark.

The inaugural class also included the late Hector V. Barreto Sr., founder of the U. S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Earl G. Graves Sr., founder of Black Enterprise magazine; Dr. Renaldo Jensen, director of supplier diversity development, Ford Motor Company; James H. Lowry, vice president, The Boston Consulting Group; Harriet R. Michel, president, National Minority Supplier Development Council; former Rep. Parren J. Mitchell, D-Maryland; and Abraham S. Venable, former director, Office of Minority Business Enterprise.