Community Elite

March Fong Eu

Dr. March Fong Eu, Secretary of State of California, is widely regarded as one of the hundred most important women in the United States, according to Ladies Home Journal 1990.  A third generation Californian, Dr. Eu holds a Bachelor's degree from UC Berkeley, a Master's degree from Mills College, and a Doctorate in Education from Stanford University. She first entered the political arena in 1966, representing Oakland and Castro Valley. After serving four terms in the California Legislature, she was elected Secretary of State in 197 4 by a record-setting margin. Her election made Dr. Eu the first Asian woman ever to be elected to any State Constitutional office in America, and the first woman to be elected Secretary of State in California. She has been re-elected since then, typically receiving more votes in contested races than any other candidate for state office. She began her fifth term in 199 I.
 
 Although busy with public affairs, Dr. Eu has by no means neglected her efforts to improve herself spiritually and intellectually. Neither speaking nor reading Chinese, she was first introduced to Chinese painting and calligraphy during a trip to Taiwan in 1988 to study the Chinese language. Her interest in Chinese art has since grown immensely, and she has been using every spare moment to enrich her knowledge and refme her technique in painting and calligraphy, as well as learning Chinese. From the very start of learning to write and paint, she has never limited herself to one instructor. She feels that everyone is her teacher, and because of this, she has studied under many famous Chinese painters and artists, both in the United States and Taiwan.

Even though some of Dr. Eu's work echoes forms similar to those of her instructors, these first steps of mimicking the masters of today and the past provide a strong foundation. This type of experience may culminate into something dramatic in the future, having blended the essence of each master's style into her work. One of Dr. Eu's teachers from Taiwan once said, "If March Fong Eu had started painting 20 years ago, she would eventually have become a master." When asked about her dedication to her art, Dr. Eu replied, "Painting and writing are the best forms of relaxation from my political life, and also a very rewarding way to go back to my Chinese roots."
 
 Dr. Eu's Chinese brush paintings reflect her traditional foundations. However, several of her works notably incorporate Chinese and avant-garde Western Techniques with traditional Chinese subjects. The majority of Dr. Eu's paintings emphasize balance and harmonious design that one would expect from traditional Chinese, however, color is used more innovatively. Dr. Eu is hoping to someday combine Chinese brush painting with Western abstract painting. 

C. C. Yin

CC Yin was born in Chengdu, China. He lost his mother when he was, and was therefore quite close to his older sister Eleanor, who is a year older. Growing up on a farm during WWII, he was unable to attend school until after the war. In 1948, CC moved to Taiwan with his father. In 1964, CC came to the US to attend the University of Washington. Penniless, he worked in Chinese restaurants every summer to save money for school.

CC and his wife Regina were married in 1966, and have worked as a team ever since. They have three daughters: Mary, Betty and Carol. CC received a Master's Degree in Civil Engineering and started working for Bechtel. Later, he became the Chief Engineer in Fluor Corp, and was put in charge of a $1.5 billion project developing a copper mine in Jiangxi, China. Meanwhile, CC dabbled successfully in engineering consulting and other businesses.

Finally, CC dreamed of owning a McDonald's. Because he was among the first Chinese Americans to apply for a franchise, he was put under a microscope. Even so, CC persisted.

In 1984, CC and Regina were offered an opportunity to take over a McDonald's in a very tough neighborhood in Oakland, which had six different owners in the previous twenty years. They accepted the challenge. CC mobilized the community to elect a can-do mayor and police chief to combat crime. He worked with the School Districts setting up programs to guide youths away from gang activities. The Oakland Unified School District Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration Oratorical Contest is one example. This year-round activity has kept many Oakland youngsters focused on education.

CC then organized the neighbors and turned the area around his McDonald's into a neighborhood safe enough for all to meet and to eat. Within 18 months, the Oakland McDonald's was out of the red. With the same commitment to community services, CC went on to own four more McDonald's in Oakland and Alameda, before they sold those units in 1991, and bought four units from a retiring franchisee in Solano County.

As the proud owner of eleven McDonald's restaurants, C.C. Yin's success in business is only overshadowed by his contributions to various communities. He is an active leader and participant in civic organizations, focusing on community improvements.

He gives liberally of his time and generously of his money to countless charities and schools. In addition, he assist senior, youth, sports, minority, disabled, and homeless organizations. The list is very long. His altruistic acts have enriched many communities and touched many lives.

CC's growing list of awards and recognition conferred by a diverse spectrum of organizations are living testimonials of the admiration and approval he so justly deserves.

Jimmie Yee

In 1992, Jimmie R.  Yee was elected to a four year term on the Sacramento City Council representing Council District Four. He was re-elected to a second four-year term in 1996 and was re-elected to a third four-year term on March 7, 2000. 

In 1999, Council member Yee had been asked by the Late Mayor Joe Serna, Jr. to accept the position of Vice Mayor for the 1999 City Council session. Mayor Yee became Acting Mayor on November 7, 1999. On December 14, 1999, Council member Jimmie Yee was unanimously selected as Mayor by the Sacramento City Council to fulfill the remainder of the term of the Mayor Serna.

Mayor Yee is a native of Sacramento. He attended local public schools prior to graduating from the University of California, Berkeley in 1956 with a Bachelor Degree in Civil Engineering. After beginning his career with the State of California in 1959, he established himself in the private sector.

He started his own structural engineering firm in 1966. During his 25 years of ownership, his firm had grown to one of the largest consulting structural engineering firms in the Sacramento Valley. His company designed many of Sacramento's landmark buildings including the Sacramento Convention Center, Capitol Bank, Riverview Plaza and Sutter General Hospital.

Mayor Yee is an active member of the Sacramento Optimist Club and the Chinese American Council of Sacramento. He has worked with the Sacramento Chinese Drum and Bugle Corps for more than twenty years. The Mayor has raised money for many organizations and efforts throughout the Sacramento community. He organized the first Asian bone marrow drive in the United States in 1989 registering more than 2,500 people in that effort .

Mayor Yee has been married to his wife for more than 46 years. They have six children, all college graduates. Mayor Yee and his wife have ten grandchildren.