ASIAN-AMERICAN ELECTED OFFICIALS HONORED
Hyatt Regency Downtown
Honorees
The Honorable Hubert Vo
State Representative, Texas
 | State Representative Hubert Vo is the first Vietnamese-American to be elected to the Texas House of Representatives. He represents District 149. The district includes a large portion of Alief, parts of west Houston and one precinct in Katy. Vo grew up in South Vietnam. After the fall of Saigon in 1975, Hubert and his family came as refugees to the U.S. He attended the University of Houston during the day and worked at night. In 1983, he achieved his dream of a college education and graduated with a BS degree in Mechanical Engineering. Hubert Vo has a vast array of work experiences. They range from being a busboy, cook, salesperson, convenience store clerk, steel worker, business owner, realtor and now a successful entrepreneur and real estate developer. In addition, Hubert speaks four languages - Spanish, French, Vietnamese, and English. Hubert and his wife Kathy have been married for over 20 years. |
The Honorable Martha Wong
State Representative, Texas
 | State Representative Martha Wong is a native Houstonian and second generation Chinese-American, serving Texas District 134 since 2003. District 134 includes much of the heart of Houston, including the Texas Medical Center. She is Vice-Chair of the House Urban Affairs Committee and the House Rules and Resolutions Committee, and member of the House State Affairs Committee, which is given the task of hearing bills relating to a wide variety of state policy issues. Wong served six years on the Houston City Council and 20 years as a teacher, principal and associate superintendent in the Houston Independent School District. She earned a Bachelor’s of Science from the University of Texas and a Master's Degree and Doctorate of Education Administration from the University of Houston. Wong was named a Community Champion by the Texas Association of Community Development Corporations and received the Award of Excellence from the Houston Asian Junior Chamber. |
The Honorable M.J. Khan
Council Member, City of Houston
 | Elected to Houston City Council District F in December 2003, Council Member M. J. Khan has BS degrees in Physics, Mathematics and Engineering, a Master of Science in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois, and a MBA from Rice University. He is a registered professional engineer and president of MAK Development, Inc. Khan was President of the Pakistan American Association of Greater Houston and Vice President of the Islamic Society of Greater Houston. He has been honored by numerous organizations for his community leadership. Khan’s awards include Father of the Year Award, Pride Award, Friends of Filipinos Award and Torch Bearer Award from the Pakistan American Congress. Khan has been married for 30 years to Dr. Attiya Khan, a renowned cardiologist in Houston and the first female cardiology fellow at the Texas Heart Institute. |
The Honorable Gordon Quan
Council Member, City of Houston
 | Gordon Quan is the first Asian-American elected to an At-Large City Council position and Mayor Pro-Tem for the City of Houston. Born in China, Quan moved to Houston at the age of three. He earned his BA in History and Government at the University of Texas, his Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Houston, and a law degree at South Texas College of Law. Quan's practice has focused on immigration law. He has been selected for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America and Who's Who in American Law. His firm, Quan, Burdette & Perez, is one of the largest immigration law firms in the country. In 2003, Quan served as president of the Asian Pacific American Municipal Officials group of the National League of Cities. He and his wife, Sylvia, have three daughters. |
The Honorable Thomas Abraham
Council Member, City of Sugar Land
 | Council Member Abraham was elected as At-Large Position One Council Member in June 2004. He has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering and a Master of Science in Business. An independent business owner for over 20 years he is President and CEO of Transtar AC Supply, Inc. and Zoya Enterprises, Ltd. He has also taught as a professor at Lee College, San Jacinto College and Houston Community College. His current civic service includes work with the Sugar Land Finance and Audit Committee, Sugar Land Regional Airport, the US 90A Task Force, the Houston/Galveston Association Council, the Exchange Club of Sugar Land, the Fort Bend Rotary Club and the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of Family Worship Center and a Certified Christian Counselor. A resident of Sugar Land since 1989, Abraham is married to Sarah Abraham for 23 years and has two children. |
The Honorable Daniel Wong
Council Member, City of Sugar Land
 | After arriving from Macau, in 1980, Daniel Wong graduated from the University of Houston in 1983 with Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, a Master’s in 1985 and a Ph.D. in 1988. He co-founded Tolunay-Wong Engineers, Inc. in 1993, where he serves as President and CEO. Tolunay-Wong Engineers, Inc. has 130 employees and was named as one of fasting growing companies in Houston. Dr. Wong is a registered professional engineer in Texas. He served on the Board of Houston Council of Engineering Companies and as President of Asian American Engineering/Architects and is currently its Treasurer. He is a board member of the University of Houston Alumni Association and the University of Houston Civil Engineering Department Advisory Board. He served as President of Fort Bend Chinese American Voters League in 2001-2002. He is serving on the Board of the Houston-Galveston Area Council, the Transportation Policy Council and is a trustee of Fort Bend Economic Development Council. |
The Honorable Randhir Sahni
Council Member, City of Piney Point Village
 | Randhir Sahni was born in India, and migrated to the United States in 1966. He earned a Master of Architecture at Kansas State University and a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from Rice University. Mr. Sahni is president of Llewellyn-Davies Sahni, an international, award-winning architecture, planning, urban design and consulting firm. His work over the past 30 years includes: a $250-million building development program for Ben Taub and Lyndon B. Johnson in the Texas Medical Center; redevelopment of 70-city blocks on downtown San Antonio; and redevelopment plans for CBD Pittsburg, PA. and 42nd Street in New York City. 1n 1997, he became a Registered Investment Advisor. In 2005, Mr. Sahni was elected to the City Council, City of Piney Point. He is a senior fellow of American Leadership Forum, and serves on numerous not-for-profit boards and committees. He and his wife, Sunila, have two daughters, Rohini and Nandita. |
The Honorable Jay Aiyer
Vice Chair of Board of Trustees, Houston Community College System
 | Trustee Aiyer is in private practice specializing in immigration and public law. Previously, he served as an attorney with the firm of Chamberlain, Hrdlicka, Williams, White and Martin. A graduate of the South Texas College of Law, he has been a licensed attorney since 1995. He has also been a senior management consultant for Deloitte and Touche, L.L.P., Aiyer holds a Bachelors Degree from the University of Texas at Austin in Government and Economics, and a Masters Degree from the L.B.J. School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas. He also served as Chief of Staff in Houston Mayor's Office. Aiyer was elected in November 2001 to the Board of Trustees of the Houston Community College System (HCCS). He is the first Asian-American to serve on the HCCS Board of Trustees. He and his wife, Nirja Sharma Aiyer, a healthcare attorney, are the parents of two children. |
The Honorable Nghi Ho
Trustee, Alief Independent School District
 | Trustee Ho is serving his third term as a member of the Board of Trustees at Alief I.S.D. He attended The University of Texas at Austin on a Navy ROTC scholarship, earned a B.A. degree in Biology/Pre-Med, and was commissioned as a U.S. Navy Officer. He then served five years in the U.S. Navy, stationed in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii and San Diego, California. Ho resigned from the Naval Service as a Lieutenant shortly after the Persian Gulf War to return to his hometown of Alief. Ho is now a successful financial planner and the owner of the investment firm Royal Oaks Financial Group, an LPL Financial Services Company. He also served as Director for the Asian Chamber of Commerce, Houston West COC, Alief ISD Education Foundation, & President of the Alief Noon Lions Club. Ho is married to Agnes, and has two children. |
Photos by Kim Coffman