LEE CHAN – Entrepreneur
Lee Chan is the owner of Uniqulee (36 Mott St), opening its doors to Chinatown since July 2014. A humble storefront on a busy street, the store commands the attention of passersbys with its electric energy. As Head Curator, Lee brings her own unique blend of professional and personal experience to the store from her vast knowledge of luxury goods. Lee’s vision, spirit, and atten-tion to detail creates the special ambiance of Uniqulee.
Born in Hong Kong as the oldest of four siblings, Lee’s family moved to the United States, first to New York’s Chinatown, and then to other parts of the country. With a creative mind and love for things beautiful, Lee worked for luxury jewelry and fashion brands, developing a taste for speciἀc treasures across the globe. With her work experience and expertise in launching businesses, Lee decided to revert back to the past, and give back to an old neighborhood by opening up her store in Chinatown. Lee’s pride in her Asian heritage became the motivator for a new career path.
Today, Lee still continues to consult for luxury brands to evolve her creative curated sense of style, and to bring all things beautiful to Uniqulee’s clients.
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RICHARD FRIEDMAN – Entrepreneur
Richard Friedman, Jeweler and Managing Partner/Property Owner of New York Jewelers Exchange (70-72-74 Bowery), has been a driving force in the jewelry business for the past 60 years. After attending New York University, Richard entered the jewelry business in 1954 working alongside his father, Irving Friedman.
Richard worked at their location at 72 Bowery in the NY Jewelers Exchange for 27 years before deciding to move his business, I. Friedman and Son Jewelers, uptown to 10 West 47th Street. Richard was appointed President of the Diamond Jewelry Association in 1984.As an Executive Board member of the 47th Street Business Improvement District (BID), the Chinatown BID has much to learn from Richard’s vast experience and achievements in implementing improvements by the 47th Street BID.
Faced with increased rent prices uptown, Richard has taken this golden opportunity to refocus on his exchange business downtown on the Bowery through new additions and renovations to his property to highlight the New York Jewelers Exchange as a special jewelry (diamond) hub.
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ERNABEL DEMILLO – Television Journalist
Ernabel Demillo is a veteran television journalist and educator. She currently works for CUNY-TV hosting and reporting for “Asian American Life” (www.cuny.tv/show/asianamericanlife), a magazine-style show focusing on the tri-state’s Asian American community. The show was recently nominated for an Emmy for Best Public Affairs/Community Programming.
In addition, Ernabel is a reporter for CUNY-TV’s Emmy-nominated show, “Science and U!” In 2013, she was honored with an individual Emmy nomination for Best Environment Program for her story on a group of musicians who turn trash into musical instruments. Ernabel is also a tenured Journalism Lecturer at St. Peter’s University in Jersey City, N.J. She started the Journalism program in 2008 and is the faculty advisor to the school newspaper, the Pauw Wow, which was recently named one of the Top 10 college newspapers in the country.
Ernabel was born in Manila and grew up in San Francisco, California. She received her B.A. in Journalism and International Relations from the University of Southern California and her M.S. in Broadcast Journalism from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. She worked as a reporter and anchor in several television markets, including the CBS affiliate in Sacramento, Calif. and FOX-5‘s popular morning show, Good Day New York, where she spent a decade as a reporter and anchor.
Ernabel is an active member of the New York Asian community. She currently serves on the board of the Coalition for Asian American Children and Families, the country’s only pan-Asian advocacy group and has served on the boards of the Asian American Journalist Association and APEX.
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DAVID J. LOUIE – Community Leader
David J. Louie is President of David J. Louie Insurance Agency, American veteran and a local community leader. Enlisting in the United States Army in 1969, Mr. Louie served three years active duty and three years in the US Army Reserve. He served one year in Vietnam in 1970, and was honorably discharged in 1975. A year later, he started David J. Louie Insurance Agency, serving businesses in Manhattan’s Chinatown and other neighborhoods.
Mr. Louie has held the following prominent positions throughout his long career:
• President and Board Member, Lions Club of Chinatown New York (1977–1985)
• Member, Benjamin Kimlau Memorial Post #1291 American Legion (1983–Present)
• Member, New York State Automobile Insurance Plan Governing Committee (1985–1993)
• Member, Color Guard and Sergeant-At-Arms, Benjamin Kimlau Memorial Post #1291 American Legion (1985–Present)
• Past Chairman, past President and Board Member, Chinese Chamber of Commerce (1985–Present)
• Past Chairman and Board Member, Chinatown Manpower Project (1985–1997; 2004–2009)
• Founding Member and Board Member of Chinese American Insurance Association (1989–1993; 2010–2012)
• Founding Member and Chairman, Chinatown Partnership Local Development Corp. (2004–2008)
• Board Member, Chinatown Day Care Center (2004–2013)
• Board Member, NY Chinese School (2004–2013)
• Board Member, Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association (2004–2013)
• National Sergeant of Arms, American Legion (2011–2012)
In 2007, Mr. Louie helped to initiate, with the assistance of then-New York City Councilman Alan Gerson, the New York City Bicycle Helmet Law, which requires business owners to provide helmets and safety gear to all bicycle delivery workers. A Founding Member of the Chinatown Business Improvement District, Mr. Louie led the charge along with other community leaders to create a business improvement district in Manhattan’s Chinatown in order to provide much-needed additional sanitation services, marketing and holiday lighting for a neighborhood whose economy has been greatly affected since 9/11. He served as Chair of the Chinatown BID Steering Committee from 2008 to 2012 and Chair of the Chinatown BID from 2012 to 2013.
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FANG A. WONG – Television Journalist
Fang A. Wong was born in Canton, China and immigrated to the United States in November 1960 at the age of twelve. He attended New York City public schools and has been a naturalized citizen since January 1963. Mr. Wong volunteered for the U. S. Army in May 1969 and served 25 months in Vietnam. He retired from the Army in May 1989 as a Chief Warrant Officer (CW3). In addition to his Vietnam service he also served tours of duty in Germany, Korea, and several stateside military bases. His military decorations among others included the Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (3rd Award), Republic of Vietnam Service Medal, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal (6 Campaign Stars). Mr. Wong completed 2 degrees while serving on active duty – BS in Business Administration from New York Institute of Technology (1978) and MA in Management from Central Michigan University (1981).
Following his retirement, Mr. Wong joined The American Legion, Lt. B. R. Kimlau Chinese Memorial Post #1291 in New York City and has been a member for the past 24 years. He has held appointed and elected offices at Post, County and District levels, serving as Post Adjutant from 1996 to 2009, New York County Commander 1995-1997. He was award an Honorary Life Membership by his Post in 2001. In 2002 Mr. Wong was elected Commander of the Department (State) of New York American Legion.
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MARGARET CHIN – New York City Councilmember
Margaret Chin was elected to the New York City Council in 2010, as the representative for District 1, lower Manhattan. Margaret is Chair of the Commitee on Lower Manhattan Redevelopment and is a member of the Committees on Education, Recovery and Resiliency, Rules, Privileges and, Elections, Transportation, Youth Services. Margaret is a proud member of the Progressive Caucus, and the Women's Caucus. Margaret has twice been elected by her colleagues to serve as an executive member of the Black, Latino, and Asian Caucus.
Margaret Chin immigrated to the U.S. with her family from Hong Kong in 1963 when she was nine years old. She grew up in NYC Chinatown and attended P.S. 130 and JHS 65. She graduated from the Bronx High School of Science and from the City College of New York (CCNY) with a degree in education. It was at City College through taking Asian Studies courses that Margaret got involved in community organizing. For more than 30 years she has dedicated herself to public service to help immigrants, low income and working families.
© 2015 Chinatown Business Improvement District