Chairman's New Year Message
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Dear Members and Friends,
Happy 2022 and I hope your new year is off to a good start.
Happy 2022 and I hope your new year is off to a good start.
There is no shortage of news to remind us of the extraordinary year we had in 2021, and no doubt, we continue to adapt to life with Covid-19. We ought to applaud ourselves that we had managed our lives and businesses during the past year, while the global economy reopens and recovers.
As the Chamber’s newly elected Chair, I am excited about taking the Chamber to greater heights in 2022 and beyond. Last year was a successful year for the Chamber, both in terms of programs and activities as well as the number of businesses served. We also welcomed many new members to the Chamber and hosted more in-person events in the second half of 2021. The staff was greatly encouraged by the excellent attendance at these events.
As the Chamber enters the thirty-second year of operations, we want to dedicate more resources and facilitate more programs to help your businesses and network expand. This year, we hope to continue hosting in-person events as long as the environment remains safe for us to do so. You can expect our annual events, namely the Business Conference and Expo, Trade Forum and Rising 10 Awards to take place in Spring and Summer. In the pipeline is our signature Spirit of Entrepreneurship Awards, slated to be in Fall 2022. Other programs that the Chamber plans to roll out include the popular Business Executive Program, Supplier Diversity Academy, ERG Roundtables, Monthly Luncheons and Networking Nights. Stay tuned for these.
The Chamber values all our members, partners, and friends. You are pivotal to the Chamber’s growing success and have made a difference in our community. I would like to thank you for your continued support in standing behind the Asian business community.
As Chair, I encourage every member to have a sense of pride and belonging to this Chamber and the work that we do. Without your involvement, we cannot help our member businesses grow and prosper. I welcome anyone who has the interest and time to volunteer for this worthwhile cause of making an impact in Houston.
Finally, I would like to thank the members and Board of Directors for entrusting me to serve as the 2022-23 Asian Chamber Board Chair. It is an honor for me to be associated with the Chamber and the good work that we do together. I look forward to a closer partnership with all of you as we collaborate in growing the Asian business community in the year ahead. I wish you and your families a prosperous 2022 and I will see you at our next event. Happy New Year!
Sincerely,Kenneth Li
Asian Chamber Board Chair
Kenneth Li
Board Chair, Asian Chamber of Commerce Houston
Owner, Southwest Realty Group
Kenneth Li is the broker/ owner of Texas George Realty, Inc. DBA Southwest Realty Group, a full service real estate firm in Houston, Texas since 1988. Throughout the three decades of his professional career, he has been committed to excellence in real estate development for his community. Kenneth Li is known as a real estate specialist, developer and consultant. He was born in Taiwan and raised in Hong Kong and came to Houston in 1981. Kenneth was the founder of Texas George Realty, which was later named one of the top ten outstanding Asian-owned businesses in Houston by the “Houston Post”. Kenneth acquired Century 21 Southwest franchise in 1997 and later converted into Southwest Realty Group.
Kenneth Li was considered a pioneer of Chinatown by the “Houston Chronicle” and said that he was the real estate broker aided growth of community and used his success there as an entry into the mainstream in both residential and commercial real estate. (Houston Chronicle, Aug. 11, 2002). Under his leadership and influence, the City of Houston approved a budget of $21,000,000 to improve Houston Chinatown road reconstruction plan finished in March, 2015. Both Texas Monthly and Real Estate Directory News named Kenneth Li as Houston Chinatown "Mayor".
Long active in public affairs in local community, Kenneth Li served as 2011 National Chairman of Asian Real Estate Association of America (www.areaa.org), Chairman of Chinese Community Center, Presidents of Houston Taiwanese Chamber, Houston Chinese Chamber of Commerce, Houston Chinese Merchants Association, Co-chair of Association of Chinese Organizations of Houston. He was appointed by Houston Mayors to serve as the first Asian American board member of City Planning Commission, board member of SW Houston Redevelopment Authority, and Chairman of Southwest Management District, Chairman of Houston Mayor International Trade Development Council/Asia & Australia, Mayor Turner’s International Advisory Board.
Kenneth graduated with honor from Houston Baptist University in 1984.
