Frerichs Recognizes Great Achievements of Community Leaders
CHICAGO — Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs today hosted a celebration to highlight the achievements of community leaders during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. This year’s theme for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month is “Advancing Leaders Through Innovation.” The event, which was held at the state government building at 555 W. Monroe St., honored 10 people for their contributions to their communities: restaurant owners, a chamber of commerce leader, an immigrant rights advocate, a medical school dean, an appellate justice, a labor leader, a sports journalist, and arts and cultural center founders.
“Today, we honor leaders who are educating our youth, helping create jobs and inspiring others,” Frerichs said. “We are grateful for these leaders who continue to give their time, share their talents and use their voices to improve our communities.” Asian Pacific American Heritage Month dates back to 1978, when President Carter signed a joint resolution marking the first 10 days of May as Asian Pacific Heritage Week. In 1990, the celebration was expanded to include the entire month.
Treasurer Frerichs honored the following people for their outstanding commitment to the community:
Outstanding Service in Business Tim Flores & Genie Kwon Owners | Kasama Restaurant Outstanding Service in Leadership William Lo Executive Director | Carbondale Chamber of Commerce Outstanding Commitment to Community Service Lawrence Benito CEO | Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights
Outstanding Commitment to Education Dr. Meenakshy Aiyer Regional Dean | University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria Outstanding Commitment as an Elected Official Hon. Rena Marie Van Tine Justice | Illinois Appellate Court Outstanding Achievement in Workforce and Labor Paul Tran Trustee | Chicago Journeyman Plumbers Local Union 130 UA Outstanding Achievement in Sportsmanship Leila Rahimi Lead sports anchor | NBC5 Chicago Outstanding Achievement in Arts and Humanities Drs. Afzal and Shireen Ahmad Founders | South Asia Institute About the Illinois Treasurer The Illinois State Treasurer’s Office is a powerful economic engine that invests in people to drive prosperity, development and growth throughout the state. As State Treasurer, Michael Frerichs (FRAIR'- iks) is the state’s Chief Investment and Banking Officer and actively manages approximately $60 billion.
The investments help families pay for college and trade school; workers save for a dignified retirement;
and local governments process bill payments more efficiently so they can pass along the savings to taxpayers. The office provides financial institutions money to loan to farmers, small business owners, and qualified individuals at below-market rates because better jobs create stronger communities. The office operates the state’s largest consumer-protection initiative, the unclaimed property I-Cash program, which has returned a record-breaking $1.9 billion since Frerichs was elected.
For more news about the State Treasurer’s Office, please follow Treasurer Frerichs on X (formerly Twitter) at @ILTreasurer, Threads @iltreasurer@threads.net, Instagram at ILTreasurer, LinkedIn and on Facebook at Invested in You – Treasurer Michael Frerichs.
-END-