萬斯祺參選亞特蘭大市議員

游客 IP:68.211.226.* 发布于 2009-06-22 13:33 1 楼^#

<h1 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; ">Wan, who was raised in Atlanta, has been a resident of the city’s Morningside neighborhood for 15 years.  City Council District 6 encompasses the Morningside/Lenox Park neighborhoods, as well as the Virginia Highland, Ansley Park, Druid Hills, Candler Park and Lindridge-Martin Manor neighborhoods.   </h1>“My passion for public service and the availability of this City Council seat present an excellent opportunity to bring diversity to our city’s government and to send a strong message of inclusion,” Wan says.  “Having a seat at the table while matters impacting any minority group are being decided is the most effective way we can change the dialogue.”  In 2004, Wan was a candidate for State House District 57 and pulled 38 percent of the vote against popular incumbent Rep. Pat Gardner. He credits the time, talents and financial support of the Asian community were primary reasons he was able to run such a strong campaign.  “I’m so humbled by and proud of our work together on that first campaign and am ready to take it all the way this time,” Wan says appreciatively.  A graduate of Georgia Tech and the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, Wan is an engineer by training who until recently served as President of Optima, Inc., his own architecture-engineering consulting firm.  On June 1 he began a new job as Director of Development of Jerusalem House, a non-profit that provides housing to people with HIV/AIDS, and notes that the job is, “a perfect fit; it’s a coming together of my business skills and enthusiasm for the power of strong non-profit organizations.”  Wan may be best known for his community involvement, which includes current service on the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Development Authority, for which he serves as Treasurer and Finance Committee Chair.  He also serves on the board of the Asian American Heritage Foundation and is a former President of the Organization of Chinese Americans Georgia Chapter.   A graduate of both Leadership DeKalb and Leadership Atlanta, Wan is a member of the Morningside Lenox Park Neighborhood Association.  He is recognized as founding and serving as president of For the Kid in All of Us, Inc., a charity that spearheads toy drives, school supply collections and fundraising efforts for socio-economically disadvantaged children.    Wan’s awards include Georgia Asian Times “25 Most Influential Asian Americans in Georgia” in 2007, Georgia Trend Magazine’s “Forty Under 40” Rising Stars in 1997, and YouthPride’s Phillip Rush Award (for exemplary support of youth in Georgia) in 2005.  A fitness enthusiast, Wan enjoys tennis, running, weightlifting, and is a certified SCUBA diver.  He has completed marathons and half marathons.  He also enjoys cooking and travel and recently took up beekeeping.  He speaks Mandarin Chinese.  “Alex has proven himself to be a solid community leader,” says Ken Britt, executive director of Alston & Bird, LLP, who is serving as campaign director for Wan’s city council bid, “and that coupled with his also-proven business and finance experience is a great match for this challenge.  He is a consensus builder who can help ensure our city is run like an efficient, effective business.”    Media contact:B. Andrew (Drew) Plant<a href="mailto:AtlantaWriter@mindspring.com" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); text-decoration: underline; ">AtlantaWriter@mindspring.com</a>404-634-7102Cell:  678-637-5532