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.
Please help us in choosing our 2020 Honorary Chair by submitting an application before January 17th, 2020.
Nominate
Please help us in choosing our 2020 Honorary Chair by submitting an application before January 17th, 2020.
Nominate
Honorary Chair & Honorary Patron Descriptions
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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 nominated and 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. |
2019 Honorary Chair
Mr. Harry Budisidharta
Harry received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from California State University of Los Angeles, and his Juris Doctor from University of Colorado Law School. As the Executive Director of Asian Pacific Development Center, Harry works with government officials and community partners to address health disparities in the refugee and immigrant communities.
Due to his extensive experience in non-profit and government relations, Harry has been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, The Denver Post, The Aurora Sentinel, Westword, Law Week Colorado, The Colorado Statesman, and Asian Avenue Magazine.
Harry has received the following awards:
Past Honorary Chairs
2018 Clarence Low for his support of the AAPI Community as the ACC president and his many years of volunteering and support of the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival (Chinese American)
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. Harry Budisidharta
Harry received his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from California State University of Los Angeles, and his Juris Doctor from University of Colorado Law School. As the Executive Director of Asian Pacific Development Center, Harry works with government officials and community partners to address health disparities in the refugee and immigrant communities.
Due to his extensive experience in non-profit and government relations, Harry has been quoted by The Wall Street Journal, The Denver Post, The Aurora Sentinel, Westword, Law Week Colorado, The Colorado Statesman, and Asian Avenue Magazine.
Harry has received the following awards:
- 2019 Immigrant Liberty Awards – Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network. Awarded for the outstanding contribution of immigrants and exceptional advocates in our community.
- 2017 Martin Luther King, Jr. Business Award for his social responsibility in adhering to the ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- 2017 ADA Access Award – Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition. Awarded in recognition of extraordinary professional and personal commitment to accessibility and inclusion for all people in Colorado.
- 2015 Colorado Rising Stars list – Colorado Super Lawyers magazine
- 2014 Colorado Rising Stars list – Colorado Super Lawyers magazine
- 2014 Young Hero Award – Asian American Heroes of Colorado
- 2012 Young Lawyer of the Year Award – Arapahoe County Bar Association.
- 2012 Governor Ralph Carr Service Award for his substantial commitment to community service
- 2012 Mayor’s Diversity Award for his community service and his advocacy work on behalf of the refugee community
Past Honorary Chairs
2018 Clarence Low for his support of the AAPI Community as the ACC president and his many years of volunteering and support of the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival (Chinese American)
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)
2019 Honorary Patron
Founded in 1938, Snell & Wilmer is a full-service business law firm with more than 425 attorneys practicing in 12 locations throughout the United States and in Mexico, including Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona; Los Angeles and Orange County, California; Denver, Colorado; Washington, D.C.; Boise, Idaho; Las Vegas and Reno, Nevada; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Salt Lake City, Utah; and Los Cabos, Mexico. The firm represents clients ranging from large, publicly traded corporations to small businesses, individuals and entrepreneurs. Snell & Wilmer’s Denver office is home to almost 40 attorneys practicing in a wide variety of the firm’s five dozen practice areas.
As part of the Snell & Wilmer’s ongoing commitment to community service, the firm has been involved with organizations supporting the Colorado Asian community for many years, including having attorney representatives seated on the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival board of directors for the last decade. Firm leadership believes in active engagement in support of Asian culture, arts and education and the powerful impact it can have.
Snell & Wilmer partners, Byeongsook Seo and Chuong M. Le have previously served on Colorado Dragon Boat Festival’s board and attorney April Greene Apking currently continues that tradition. Many other Snell & Wilmer attorneys and staff are, of course, delighted to attend the Festival and enjoy the fun and pageantry of this outstanding annual event, as well as the opportunity to learn more about the diverse Asian Pacific American (APA) communities.
Chuong is particularly proud that Snell & Wilmer has been honored with the patron role this year, as the festival highlights Vietnam, his country of origin and a community he remains deeply involved with as a Coloradan. In addition to six years of past service on the Colorado Dragon Boat board, Chuong currently serves as the board chair of the Colorado Vietnam Cooperation Council, whose mission it is to build bridges between Colorado and Vietnam. Chuong is also one of several attorneys firmwide who are active in various Asian bar and community associations.
Nathan K. Davis, Administrative Partner of Snell & Wilmer’s Denver office, gives voice to the gratitude of the firm for the privilege of serving as Honorary Patron for 2019 by saying, “The Pan-Asian community of Colorado is one to be celebrated for its many important contributions to the arts, to education, and to commerce and we are proud to be a part of the Colorado Dragon Boat Festival.”
Previous Honorary Patrons
2018 Mary Lee Chin & James (Jim) Wagenlander
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
