25th Anniversary Gala Dinner

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L to R: Dr. Johnson Lau, Tsutomu Tanaka, Raju Vegesna, James Zukin, the Honorable John Chiang, Sue Wong, Daniel Kim, Eric Nakamura, and Thomas McLain. (Dan Avila Photography)

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LOSANGELES, CA, June 22, 2010 - More than 450 guests, including dignitaries anddiplomats from more than 15 countries, attended AsiaSociety Southern California's 25th AnniversaryGala Dinner, at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel.

Asia Society SouthernCalifornia honored six extraordinary "Asian Visionaries" representing the fiveAsian countries of Korea, Taiwan, Japan,India, and China. They included: Daniel Kim, CEO, Nexon America; Dr. Johnson Lau, Executive Chairman, Kinex Pharmaceuticals,XenoBiotic Laboratories, and XBL-China; EricNakamura, publisher of Giant RobotMagazine; Tsutomu (Tom) Tanaka,Deputy President, Mitsubishi UFJ Securities Holdings Co.; Raju Vegesna, Chairman and CEO, Sify Technologies Limited; and theiconic fashion designer Sue Wong. California State Controller John Chiang moderated a livelydiscussion between the honorees. Asia Society President and CEO Vishakha Desai delivered the keynote address "Asia Rising: Are We Ready for New Realities?"

Asia Society Southern California Chairman JamesZukin kicked off the evening by introducing the Visionary Panel discussionwith the honorees. Vice Chairman ThomasMcLain presented the 25-year history of AsiaSociety Southern California to an audience filled with its founders, past supporters, and new sponsors.

The Asia SocietySouthern California 25th Anniversary Gala Dinnerwas underwritten by Skadden Arps, AECOM, Arnold & Porter, Houlihan Lokey,HSBC, KPMG, Margolis & Tisman, 99 Cent Only Stores, Union Bank, Bank ofAmerica, Ambassador Frank Baxter, The Chugh Firm, Comerica Bank, Deloitte, EastWest Bank, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, Goldman Sachs, The Long FamilyFoundation, Mitsubishi UFJ Securities USA, Panda Restaurant Group, StonningtonGroup, TAWA Charitable Foundation, Brian Treiger, Avery Dennison, CB RichardEllis Investors, James Flanigan, Fox Rothschild, Nina Hachigian, HauptmanFamily Foundation, Higdon Partners, Lee Tran & Liang, and Robert Shahin.