PACE hosted an intimate luncheon on Friday, May 31st at Terasaki Budokan in Little Tokyo to celebrate AAPI Heritage Month. The event honored PACE's small business clients, advisory board, and loan committee members for their contributions and achievements.
The luncheon kicked off with remarks from PACE’s CEO, Kerry Doi, who highlighted the significance of AAPI Heritage Month and the organization’s dedication to empowering diverse communities and entrepreneurs. Representative Judy Chu followed with an inspiring speech, emphasizing the critical role of small businesses in the community and reaffirmed her unwavering advocacy for their growth and success.
An awards ceremony recognized the outstanding achievements of three of PACE’s small business clients:
- Energetic Acupuncture received the Resilience Award for demonstrating remarkable perseverance and adaptability.
- Indeed Construction Clean Up was honored with the Growth Award for their exceptional business expansion and success.
- Humble received the Sustainability Award for their commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainable practices.
Billy Chun, PACE’s COO, expressed gratitude to the members of PACE’s advisory board and loan committee for their invaluable support. Their efforts have been instrumental to PACE’s success as a community lender and its mission to improve access to capital for small businesses.
Jane Lee, Area Director at Citi, also delivered remarks and congratulated PACE for being selected as part of the fourth cohort of the Citi Foundation’s Community Progress Makers initiative. With this grant, PACE will receive $1 million in unrestricted support to further its impact through small business assistance, energy and environmental education, and workforce development.
The event concluded with a lunch catered by Chef Evi Catering, one of PACE’s esteemed small business clients.
“AAPI Heritage Month is a time to honor the rich cultural contributions of the AAPI community. Today, we celebrate not only the success of our small business clients but also the vibrant heritage that enriches our community,” said Kerry Doi, CEO of PACE. “We are grateful for the support from our advisory board, loan committee members, and Citi, which allows us to continue empowering underserved communities throughout Los Angeles.”