Board Of Directors
Fion Chong
HKBAN President
Ms. Fion Chong is the business owner of Honor Global Entertainment & Consulting LLC. She is serving as the President of the Hong Kong Business Association of Nevada- Las Vegas. She is the current Secretary of National U.S. Hong Kong Business Association. She was the co-chair of the scholarship foundation for the Northern California Chapter in 2021.
Ms. Chong has been in the entertainment and casino marketing industry for over 20 years navigating the Asian communities and business development nationwide. She conceptualizes the business visionary plan of the gaming industry. She has been working with various casino corporations like Mandalay Bay Group, Caesar’s Entertainment, and MGM Resort International prior to her entrepreneurial journey. She served as the certified business mentor for SCORE Organization Las Vegas Chapter, assisting with the development of business plans for entrepreneurs.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Ms. Chong graduated with honors with her Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas; she completed her tertiary education in Culinary Arts, Hotel and Tourism Management at Domino Carlton Tivoli University/ Cesar Ritz College in Lucerne Switzerland. Ms. Chong has traveled and built up various business networks with over 35 countries, as well as 40 States in the U.S. She is conversant in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin.
HKBAN Board Member-Vice President (Past)
William N. Thompson is Professor Emeritus of Public Administration at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. B.A. and M.A. degrees (Political Science) are from Michigan State. Ph.D. is from the Univ. of Missouri-Columbia. Thompson served on faculties of SE Missouri State, Western Michigan Univ., and Troy State Univ. (Europe), and he was a visiting professor with Macau Polytechnic. He consulted for The Presidents Commission on Organized Crime, and National Gambling Impact Study Commission. His books include the International Encyclopedia of Gambling (2010), Ethics in City Hall (co-authored 2009) International Casino Law (3 eds. Co-edited), Gambling in America: An Encyclopedia (2001), Native American Issues (1996, and 2004),Casino Customer Service=The WIN WIN Game(co-authored, l992, 1996), Legalized Gambling: A Reference Handbook (1994,1997),The Last Resort:Success and Failure in Campaigns for Casinos (co-authored, l990), and State Attorneys General and the Environment (co-authored, 1974).His articles have appeared in The Annals of the American Academy, Indian Gaming, Journal of Gambling Studies, Casino Executive, Gaming Law Review, Casino Lawyer, European Casino Lawyer, UNLV Gaming Law Journal, International Gaming and Wagering Business, and The Washington Post.
Dr. Michelle Chan
Vice President - Operations And HKBAN Board Member (Past)
Dr. Michelle Chan has be a Nevada resident for the past 7 years. She has over 25 years of experience in higher education leadership, online learning, and technology. Her strengths are technology organization management, project management and various learning management system server technologies, in addition to a very strong background in AV technologies and production. She completed her BA and MLS degrees from SUNY at Buffalo. She obtained her Ed.D. degree from the University of New England in 2016. Her dissertation was to better utilize MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) as a mean to allow for mass educational content sharing and collaborations. MOOC had since achieve a major successes in utilizing this course delivery methodology. Dr. Chan currently serves as Senior Analyst at the College of Southern Nevada (CSN) supporting online learning.
Dr. Chan has a strong passion of serving the community and to bring together all community stakeholders for better communication, strengthens work relationships and service improvements. Dr. Chan is especially interested in bridging the gaps to improve international trades amongst business communities, which is the reason why she serves as a volunteer mentor for SCORE Chapter 243. She believes that when everyone works together, everyone wins in their business ventures, therefore lead to greater prosperity and harmony.
Dr. Cass
(Wai San) Shum
Secretary General And HKBAN Board Member
Dr. Cass Shum is an Assistant Professor in Hospitality Organizational Behavior at William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV). She received her Ph.D. in Management from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. Her research focuses on interpersonal relationship and behaviors at work including abusive supervision, coworker support and influence, and employee’s ethical behaviors. Dr. Shum’s works can be found in Organizational Science, Journal of Business Ethics, International Journal of Hospitality Management, and other peer-reviewed journals. Her teaching interests includes organization behavior, leadership, and research methods. Prior to joining UNLV, Dr. Shum was a visiting scholar at University of Florida.
Treasurer And HKBAN Board Member (Past)
Tom Shu has been working as a commercial loan underwriter and portfolio manager at various banks in Las Vegas and California. He also has a specialty in SBA guaranteed loans. Tom enjoys assisting small business owners on the development of their business plans and reviewing their financial information to provide recommendations on improving their cash flow.
Tom is the owner and operator of Shu Business Consulting Services, which provides consultations to business clients in improving their cash flow operations and assisting them in securing capital resources. He also serves as a certified business mentor with the SCORE Organization in Las Vegas in assisting clients in developing business plans as well as financial projections. In addition, Tom serves as the Treasurer for the Las Vegas Chapter of Chinese American Citizens Alliance (C.A.C.A). C.A.C.A. is a non-profit organization founded in San Francisco, California to secure equal rights for Americans of Chinese ancestry and to better the welfare of their communities. C.A.C.A. is the oldest Asian American civil rights organization in the United States.
Tom received his master’s degree in business administration and has a bachelor’s degree in economics. He was also a guest lecturer on business ethics for financial institutions at Webster University in Irvine, California in 2015. Tom is also a tax preparer with the Internal Revenue Service. Tom is fluent in both English and Mandarin Chinese.
Lucio Arancibia
HKBAN Board of Director
Lucio has over 40 years’ experience in the hospitality industry in all facets of food and beverage operations and has held senior positions with Mandalay Resort Group, Bally’s Grand Resort, The Hermitage Hotel, the New York Hilton and Starwood (Sheraton).
Lucio’s career focus and vast knowledge in key areas such as; operation analysis, performance evaluations, training, staff development, business acumen, policies & procedures implementation, training programs including, efficiencies on food safety rules, cost control, labor requirement, covering the culinary, beverage & front of the house departments.
Lucio has master responsibility within organizations - how high performing individuals, teams, and business cultures influence responsibility to create impact. The commitment, his work, and his passion is the first how-to approach for taking and teaching personal responsibility, something that he has shared with staff, that how we choose to experience accountability & responsibility is a moment-to-moment personal choice and not about title, tenure, or position.
As the visionary force behind his leadership gif, Lucio applies groundbreaking discoveries about personal responsibility and performance to support future leader’s intent on rapidly building highly reliable, agile, sustainable, and accelerating teams and cultures
Lucio Arancibia CEC ACC MCFE, focused on entrepreneurship and innovation, Lucio was the brainchild behind INFOODSYS® creation, development, and execution of a simple interface design App.
He is convinced that simplicity will improved the life of hard working Chefs of all walk of life. His always inspired and guided by the same obsessive drive and belief, that everything should be simple.
Andrea Szew
Owner of Law Offices Of Andrea F. Szew and HKBAN Board Member
Owner of Immigration Law Firm that specializes in business immigration law. Focuses on providing international business and immigration solutions to our clients. Works with large companies and individuals to bring employees tothe United State s to work. Also, assists international business owners in opening new businesses in the United States or bringing their foreign businesses to the United States. She was awarded Delegate on Governor's Trade Mission to China and Mexico City by the Governor of Nevada.
Julia Zhang
HKBAN Board of Director
Julia Zhang is currently the Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of Joy Communications, and international TV Host of TV Program “ East Meets with Julia Zhang ”. She studied at Wuhan University of Technology in China, and UCLA in the U.S., and earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration and Management .
Ms. Zhang has more than 10 years sales, marketing and PR experience in different industries, as well as 10 years experience working with government related organizations, and key accounts in Greater China and North America. Over her past work experience, Ms. Zhang has accumulated and maintained rich relationships with senior foreign and domestic government officials, NGO leaders and various entrepreneurs. She has successfully promoted North American enterprises, cities or states/provinces in overseas markets, and vice versa for Chinese companies coming to North America, through her strong PR and marketing skills. She has reached effective business cooperations among different cultures and approaches.
Cesar Navarrete
Founder and CEO of iAdPro - Internet Advertising Professionals
Cesar Navarrete is the founder and CEO of startup iAdPro - Internet Advertising Professionals, an advertising agency specializing in Facebook Advertising, Website Development and Sales Funnels. He's advertised for different businesses, from car dealerships, restaurants, tech startups, to service professionals, such as attorneys and more. He has started multiple e-commerce stores and has taught others how to do the same. Cesar has gained his knowledge from some of the best online marketers and advertisers in the industry and stays up to date with the latest techniques in the online world. He's passionate about teaching other entrepreneurs how to start and grow their businesses and business ideas online.
Cesar was born and raised in the country of Chile. He enjoys playing soccer, ping-pong, and spending time with his family. Him and his wife have 4 beautiful girls, and a little boy. He's bilingual in Spanish and English.
John Phillips
Honorary Board of Director- Government And Trade relations
Former Diplomatic Officer (UK), & Economic Revitalization Executive Yorkshire Forward RDA (UK) representing Government interests in international relations & trade development-recognized in USA, Europe, Mexico, and Executive Director of the French-American Commercial Exchange, New York (USA) Appointed 2001 to Yorkshire Forward RDA to deliver European Union initiative guiding Public-Private Partnerships for sustainable economic development, Business Improvement Districts & Heritage investment- Europe. Past Directorships- Institute of Public Service Administrative Staff (UK); International Business Advisory Board-UNLV; Formed the International Business Resource Group-Las Vegas for Federal, State, Foreign Government Trade Attaches & Agencies; Southern Tier World Commerce Association & International Center for Emerging Markets (ICEM) SUNY Binghamton. Created the Ryedale Economic Development Trust (UK) for Public-Private sector policy and delivery of business-tourism (2005) in the North of England. Honorary French Citizen, Region d'Aquitaine, France, and ‘Visitante Distinguido’ for La Cuidad de Tuxtla Gutierrez, Capital del Estado de Chiapas, Mexico.
Jeanne Kei
HKBAN Secretary (Past)
Jeanne Kei grew up and studied in Malta. She has worked in the administration field of various companies in major cities in Europe and the United States. She started out at the University of London, then on to the travel business: Swan Hellenic Cruises in London and American Express in New York City. In San Francisco Jeanne worked on various projects at Bechtel Corporation (engineering and construction company), becoming Executive Secretary to the Chairman of the company. In Las Vegas she was a Board member and secretary of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance.
Tiffany Wong
Ex-Officio Director
Ms. Tiffany Wong is the Director of the Los Angeles Branch Office of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). As Director of Los Angeles, Ms. Wong leads HKTDC’s operations on the West Coast, facilitating enterprises in the United States to invest, trade and do business in Asia, particularly in China and ASEAN, through partnership with Hong Kong.
Ms. Wong joined the HKTDC in 2009 and was involved in various trade fairs and conferences. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, she was based at HKTDC’s headquarters in Wan Chai, Hong Kong and was responsible for formulating and implementing the promotional programmes for Hong Kong’s entertainment industries.
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Ms. Wong graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong with a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and earned a master’s degree in International Health Policy from London School of Economics. She is married with a young boy.
Ms Jacko TSANG
Ex-Officio Director
As Director of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in San Francisco, Ms. Jacko Shun Man TSANG represents the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in fostering economic ties between Hong Kong and 19 states in the western part of the United States.
Ms. Tsang joined the HKSAR Government as Administrative Officer in 2004. She started in policy formulation and management of minor modes of public transport. She then moved on to handling issues related to executive-legislative relations, assisting in the coordination of the Government’s legislative program.
In 2011, Ms. Tsang joined the Transport and Housing Bureau to work on civil aviation policy, participating in the negotiations of air service agreements on behalf of the HKSAR Government and dealing with matters related to air transport licensing in Hong Kong. After spending four years in the field of aviation, Ms. Tsang took up a position in the Civil Service Bureau assisting in the management of the Administrative Officer Grade in the Civil Service, where she spent three years handling the posting and training of Administrative Officers.
In 2015, Ms. Tsang joined the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau. She first worked to bring the Competition Ordinance into effect, and then took up the position of Principal Assistant Secretary in charge of consumer protection policies, where she monitored the implementation of relevant laws to combat unfair trade practices and regulate the safety of consumers goods. She was also heavily involved in policy analysis related to the proposal for a mandatory cooling-off period.
Ms. Tsang received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Wesleyan University, CT, majoring in Government. She is married with two children.