Austin, Texas (PRWEB) April 15, 2014
The Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce (GAACC) announces its 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award recipient is The Entrepreneur’s Fund Managing Director and longtime Austinite Manoj Saxena. The award will be conveyed at GAACC’s 2nd Annual Awards Banquet to be held Wednesday, May 21, 2014, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at the Renaissance Austin.
The annual celebration recognizes the contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) in Central Texas and beyond. May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The May, 2014, AAPI Heritage Month theme “I Am Beyond" was launched by the Smithsonian Institute's Asian Pacific American Center.
“I Am Beyond is our AAPI Month Awards Banquet theme because it captures the aspirations of the American spirit. Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Central Texas have excelled beyond challenges and are shaping the nation’s future,” said Ying McGuire, GAACC Board Chair and Event Co-Chair.
“As a Chamber we are cognizant of the tremendous economic contributions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Central Texas,” said GAACC Chair Elect Paul Kim. “We are reviewing several tremendous candidates for other awards to be given out on at our banquet, including Economic Engine, Emerging Asian Business, and Outstanding Community Organization.”
About Lifetime Achievement Recipient Manoj Saxena
Manoj Saxena serves as Managing Director of The Entrepreneur's Fund. Previously, Mr. Saxena served as General Manager of IBM Watson Solutions of International Business Machines Corp. and was responsible for the commercialization efforts of IBM's Watson technology globally. Mr. Saxena served as the Vice President at IBM Global Services (U.S.). Prior to joining IBM in 2006, he was a Member of the IT venture capital community. He served as the Chairman and Chief Executive of Webify Solutions.
Keynote Speaker
Yuki Watanabe, Japanese born music industry veteran has lived and worked in NYC since 1981. He is responsible for introducing western music to Japan such as Elvis Costello, Levon Helm, Billy Idol and others besides promoting Japanese pop/rock music in the USA through his company YWA Music. In the 1980s he ran the nightclub Mars and has been instrumental in promoting and advising bands and DJs. He consults to Japan’s public broadcasting system, NHK. His lifelong interest in ethnology and anthropology has led him to travel around the world.
About the Awards Dinner May 21, 2014
The May 21, 2014 2nd Annual Awards Banquet will be held at the Renaissance Austin Hotel at 9721 Arboretum Blvd, Austin, TX 78759 (512) 343-2626 from 5.30 p.m. to 9.00 p.m. The evening event includes networking,a three course dinner, live music and keynote speaker. Attendees include corporations, small and medium sized enterprises, community leaders and local governmental officials. Award categories include: Emerging Asian Business of the Year, Outstanding Asian Organization of the Year, Outstanding Community Member and GAACC’s own Member of the Year.
Event Co-Chairs are GAACC Chair Elect Paul Kim and GAACC Board Member Ying McGuire.
To sponsor or register for the event, visit: http://www.austinasianchamber.org/index.php?submenu=MECAEvents&src=gendocs&ref=Awards%20Banquet&category=Main
About the Greater Austin Asian Chamber of Commerce
GAACC is a 501(c)6 organization formed to facilitate the exchange of goods, services, ideas and knowledge between people and businesses with the goal of building prosperity for all in Central Texas. GAACC is a member of the Multi-Ethnic Chamber Alliance and the Network of Asian American Organizations in Austin as well as the Texas Federation of Asian American Chambers. GAACC partners include the Austin Human Resources Management Association, UT Division of Diversity and Community Engagement, Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council, and the Asian American Resource Center Foundation.
GAACC is People + Business + Exchange = Prosperity for all.
http://www.austinasianchamber.org
Media Contact:
Elise Krentzel
512-407-8340
ekrentzel(at)austinasianchamber(dot)org