Federal Representative Judy Chu (second from left) attended the event and presented awards to the new president of the Southern California Chapter, Yan Guowei (second from right), outgoing National Chairman of the Chinese American Construction Professionals, Jiang Xiaodong (first from right), and Pauline Pezza (first from left).
The Chinese American Construction Professionals (CACP) held their 42nd annual meeting and awards ceremony on the 30th in San Gabriel, gathering 300 guests and showcasing the latest products in smart home technology and door locks.

This year’s Architect of the Year award went to Architect Ma Qingyun, former Dean of the USC School of Architecture. The Contractor of the Year award was given to C. W. Driver, a company established in 1919 that has a close partnership with the Chinese community and specializes in constructing educational facilities, having built nearly $4 billion worth of such facilities in the past decade. The Public Service Award was presented to Build LACCD, the Los Angeles Community College District, the largest community college district in California and the US, which includes nine community colleges serving over 200,000 students.


Walnut City Councilmember Wu Lilun (center), San Gabriel City Councilmember Ding Yanyu (second from right), and entrepreneur Allen Ku (second from left) were photographed together. (Reporter Zhang Hong/Photo)

Another Public Service Award winner was Tim Kelley, President of IVDEC Imperial County Economic Development, who is also the chair of Team California appointed by Governor Newsom. The President’s Award went to Asian Pacific Capital Companies, a commercial real estate investment firm involved in major business investments and acquisitions in the Chinese community in Southern California, including Arcadia Mall and over $1 billion in hotel projects.

Federal Representative Judy Chu, who served as an award presenter, noted that she has witnessed the association’s growth over the years. The association not only presents annual architecture excellence awards and hosts large-scale building material exhibitions with World Journal but also provides scholarships to students and contributes actively to the development of green building.

The new president of the Southern California Chapter, Yan Guowei, stated that he plans to recruit more new members and engage more architecture students, revitalizing the 42-year-old association. An annual architecture excellence award ceremony will be held in October to recognize and encourage outstanding individuals in the architecture industry.

Chinese-American entrepreneur Allen Ku sponsored the Chinese American Construction Professionals this year. He mentioned that the funds are specifically used to support professionals such as Chinese lawyers, accountants, and architects. He is very willing to help the association grow and develop, given its long history and steady progress.

The event also featured booths from construction-related industries, including mechanical locks and smart home appliances. Lock industry representatives noted that modern locks now consider more safety factors, such as concerns about key duplication. A button on the lock allows for re-locking, and employees can lock doors even without a key when leaving the premises.