The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival believes in the recognition and honoring of local leaders in our community. Thus the Honorary Chair(s) and Honorary Patron(s) Awards were created. These individuals and/or companies are identified by the community and board of directors and then recognized at the Festival.
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Honorary Chair(s) Description
The CDBF Honorary Chair position was established in 2001 as a way of celebrating the leaders among us, who often go under-appreciated. The Honorary Chair is a member of the Asian Pacific American (APA) community who serves as a positive role model either through his/her public position, volunteer work, and /or level of social activism. The individual(s) named as Honorary Chair of CDBF will have the primary duty of utilizing their publicity and influence to benefit CDBF throughout that year’s festival promotion and during the actual festival days. The title is bestowed annually and concludes at the anniversary date of when the Chair was selected. |
Honorary Patron(s) Description
The CDBF Honorary Patron position was established in 2006 and is selected by the CDBF Board of Directors. The Honorary Patron is an individual(s) or entity with a proven record of philanthropic and charitable efforts that support awareness and the betterment of both the APA community and communities throughout Colorado. |
2018 Honorary Chair
Mr. Clarence Low
Mr. Clarence Low is the President and CEO of the Asian Chamber of Commerce (ACC) in Colorado, serving to connect businesses locally and internationally to the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) community in the greater Denver Metro area. Its efforts and connections within the community has expanded considerably over the recent years – reaching deep into the multi-ethnic Asian community as well as through partnerships with local and multinational companies seeking to increase their diversity and inclusion efforts. ACC enjoys partnerships with the City and County of Denver, the Colorado Governor’s office, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and regional Consular Offices.
Clarence is passionate about creating opportunities for AAPI students - both educationally and with career development. He helped start two Scholarship Funds at CU Denver and Red Rocks Community College, and leads an annual trip for local undergraduate students to Washington, D.C.
Clarence received the University of Colorado, Denver Rosa Parks Diversity Award in 2015, and was recognized by the Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network (CACEN) as an Asian American Hero of Colorado in 2013.
Clarence earned his B.S. in Chemistry and an M.S. in Marine Sciences from UC Santa Cruz. He enjoys a good game of table tennis, xiao long bao, high-grade sushi, and most anything with yuzu in it!
The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival is proud to name Mr. Clarence Low as our 2018 Honorary Chair!
Past Honorary Chairs
2017 Sumana (Suma) Nallapati, for her tireless support to the AAPI community (Indian)
2016 Byeongsook Seo, for his selfless leadership and passion to support the AAPI community with his professional (Korean American)
2015 Gloria Williams, for her tireless support and volunteerism not only in the Filipino community, but across the area’s pan-Asian community (Filipino)
2014 Paul & Kate Tauer, former Mayor and First Lady of Aurora for their tireless support for the Asian American Pacific Islander communities (Honorary pan-Asians)
2013 Kimiko Side, Volunteer, teacher of traditional Japanese arts, crafts and culture (Japanese American)
2012 Aya Mariagnes Medrud, educator, activist and founding member of Boulder Asian Pacific Alliance (Japanese American)
2011 Dr. Rudie Lie, founder of Asian Pacific Development Center (Indonesian American)
2010 Daniel Oh, entrepreneur and community leader (Korean American)
2009 Kerry Hada, Denver County Judge (Japanese American)
2008 Ved Nanda, professor (Indian American)
2007 Susanna Choi, physician and community leader (Korean American)
2006 George and Helen Yoshida, community volunteers (George is a retired social worker) (Japanese Hawaiian)
2005 Donna LaVigne, entrepreneur and Asian community leader (Filipino American)
2004 John Yee, veteran and educator (Chinese American)
2003 Jaime Yrastorza, doctor and humanitarian (Filipino American)
2002 Bill Hosokawa, journalist and longtime Denver Post editor (Japanese American)
2001 Stan Matsunaka, former Colorado State Senate President (Japanese American)
Mr. Clarence Low
Mr. Clarence Low is the President and CEO of the Asian Chamber of Commerce (ACC) in Colorado, serving to connect businesses locally and internationally to the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) community in the greater Denver Metro area. Its efforts and connections within the community has expanded considerably over the recent years – reaching deep into the multi-ethnic Asian community as well as through partnerships with local and multinational companies seeking to increase their diversity and inclusion efforts. ACC enjoys partnerships with the City and County of Denver, the Colorado Governor’s office, the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and regional Consular Offices.
Clarence is passionate about creating opportunities for AAPI students - both educationally and with career development. He helped start two Scholarship Funds at CU Denver and Red Rocks Community College, and leads an annual trip for local undergraduate students to Washington, D.C.
Clarence received the University of Colorado, Denver Rosa Parks Diversity Award in 2015, and was recognized by the Colorado Asian Culture and Education Network (CACEN) as an Asian American Hero of Colorado in 2013.
Clarence earned his B.S. in Chemistry and an M.S. in Marine Sciences from UC Santa Cruz. He enjoys a good game of table tennis, xiao long bao, high-grade sushi, and most anything with yuzu in it!
The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival is proud to name Mr. Clarence Low as our 2018 Honorary Chair!
Past Honorary Chairs
2017 Sumana (Suma) Nallapati, for her tireless support to the AAPI community (Indian)
2016 Byeongsook Seo, for his selfless leadership and passion to support the AAPI community with his professional (Korean American)
2015 Gloria Williams, for her tireless support and volunteerism not only in the Filipino community, but across the area’s pan-Asian community (Filipino)
2014 Paul & Kate Tauer, former Mayor and First Lady of Aurora for their tireless support for the Asian American Pacific Islander communities (Honorary pan-Asians)
2013 Kimiko Side, Volunteer, teacher of traditional Japanese arts, crafts and culture (Japanese American)
2012 Aya Mariagnes Medrud, educator, activist and founding member of Boulder Asian Pacific Alliance (Japanese American)
2011 Dr. Rudie Lie, founder of Asian Pacific Development Center (Indonesian American)
2010 Daniel Oh, entrepreneur and community leader (Korean American)
2009 Kerry Hada, Denver County Judge (Japanese American)
2008 Ved Nanda, professor (Indian American)
2007 Susanna Choi, physician and community leader (Korean American)
2006 George and Helen Yoshida, community volunteers (George is a retired social worker) (Japanese Hawaiian)
2005 Donna LaVigne, entrepreneur and Asian community leader (Filipino American)
2004 John Yee, veteran and educator (Chinese American)
2003 Jaime Yrastorza, doctor and humanitarian (Filipino American)
2002 Bill Hosokawa, journalist and longtime Denver Post editor (Japanese American)
2001 Stan Matsunaka, former Colorado State Senate President (Japanese American)
2018 Honorary Patrons
Mary Lee Chin & Jim Wagenlander
For Mary Lee and Jim Wagenlander it is particularly fitting that the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival that has decided to acknowledge their public service. You see, Mary Lee along with five women and one man were tagged by founder Ding Wen Hsu to help with the festival 17 years ago alongside the original founders, Ding Wen Hsu, Howie Solow and John Chin . For years Mary Lee volunteered in many positions at the Festival. Jim at the same time developed and dotted on the festival's busing and parking operations, which is still in effect today!
Both Mary Lee and Jim have tried for nearly 50 years, throughout their communications and legal careers, to weave into our lives community service and involvement.
Two additional Asian examples are Mary Lee’s early involvement with the Asia Pacific Development Center and Jim’s so far 20-year position as Honorary Consul General of Mongolia. Working with hundreds of amazing folks, many who have become friends, each of them have been engaged with some powerful efforts like the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. "And in these times it is more important than ever that we all do this to strengthen Colorado’s Asian communities and support multi-cultural causes in our country."
The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival is proud to name Mary Lee Chin & Jim Wagenlander as our 2018 Honorary Patrons!
Previous Honorary Patrons
2017 Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Dr. Justin Chang
2016 Denver Toyota Dealers Association
2015 Jeffrey Raval, Raval Facial Aesthetics
2013 Mercedes del Rosario Huang, Rocky Mountain Food Factory, Inc.
2010 Bob Sakata, Sakata Farms
2009 MillerCoors
2008 Leo & Linda Goto
2007 Jimmy & Linda Yip
2006 John & Anna Sie
For Mary Lee and Jim Wagenlander it is particularly fitting that the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival that has decided to acknowledge their public service. You see, Mary Lee along with five women and one man were tagged by founder Ding Wen Hsu to help with the festival 17 years ago alongside the original founders, Ding Wen Hsu, Howie Solow and John Chin . For years Mary Lee volunteered in many positions at the Festival. Jim at the same time developed and dotted on the festival's busing and parking operations, which is still in effect today!
Both Mary Lee and Jim have tried for nearly 50 years, throughout their communications and legal careers, to weave into our lives community service and involvement.
Two additional Asian examples are Mary Lee’s early involvement with the Asia Pacific Development Center and Jim’s so far 20-year position as Honorary Consul General of Mongolia. Working with hundreds of amazing folks, many who have become friends, each of them have been engaged with some powerful efforts like the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival. "And in these times it is more important than ever that we all do this to strengthen Colorado’s Asian communities and support multi-cultural causes in our country."
The Colorado Dragon Boat Festival is proud to name Mary Lee Chin & Jim Wagenlander as our 2018 Honorary Patrons!
Previous Honorary Patrons
2017 Kaiser Permanente Colorado, Dr. Justin Chang
2016 Denver Toyota Dealers Association
2015 Jeffrey Raval, Raval Facial Aesthetics
2013 Mercedes del Rosario Huang, Rocky Mountain Food Factory, Inc.
2010 Bob Sakata, Sakata Farms
2009 MillerCoors
2008 Leo & Linda Goto
2007 Jimmy & Linda Yip
2006 John & Anna Sie
