Katrina Leung (right), serving as M.C. for the banquet events, introduced the incoming NACA president, Y. K. Pan to the participants:

(The following article is taken from a letter written by NACA Secretary, Katrina Leung, to The Hyatt Corporation, whose Hyatt Wilshire was used for a NACA banquet. The letter is reproduced here in lieu of a report on the event.)

December 2, 1988

Mr. Coleman Coneely
The Hyatt Corporation
3515 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles CA 90010

Dear Mr. Coneely:

The Hyatt Touch of Garcia, Moy, and Wyatt at Hyatt Wilshire

On November 12 the National Association of Chinese Americans held their annual banquet at Los Angeles. When I started making arrangements for this national event, I started calling the Hotels I am used to, such as the Bonaventure, Biltmore, Beverly Hilton, Beverly Wilshire, Universal Sheraton, and the like. In fact, out of the 20 hotels I started wtih, only Sandra Garcia, your catering director at Hyatt Wilshire immediately returned my call.

Sandar was pleasant and persistent. She made lunch appointment for me and Hyatt Wilshire's controller, Vincent Moy the next day. Vincent gave us the best terms and they immediately worked out a special menu for us with Larry Wyatt, the banquet manager. Their package was far superior to all the other hotels I contacted.

The event went off without a hitch. The staff was always courteous and attentive, form Gina Jamarilo who always remembered my name at the Front, to the maintainence crew who climbed an 18 foot ladder eight times until they fixed our flag right (the wind kept wrapping it up.) More so, Larry, Sandra, and Vincent all stayed available the whole Saturday night. Vince authorized my personal credit card for the bill. When I mentioned to Larry that I had not time to eat during the event, he personally brought dinner to my room. This was in addition to the wine and sumptuous fruit basket Sandra left for us.

You could not have found better staff nor better event to impress the nation. In addition to Chapter representatives from Boston, Washington, Atlanta, Chicago, and Houston, we had these luminaries:

The Honorable Tom Bradley, mayor of Los Angeles,
The Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to USA,
The Consulate General of PRC in Los Angeles, Ambassador Ma,
Two Ministers who traveled from the PRC for the event,
Two Nobelists,
Mrs. Howard L. Ahmanson and Ms. Marcia Wilson Hobbs,
Representatives from two councilmans' office in LA, and
Many community leaders.

I have never seen the Mayor stayed longer than an hour in any party (except at his home), but the Mayor stayed that night for two hours and kept his next dinner appointment waiting. Amongst the quests, one said, "this is the best rubber chicken I ever had." These are people who know. By the way, the special oriental touch Larry made for us was great too.

The checkout next morning was efficent and billing for our out of town guests wer handled proper and efficient. All were impressed. Thanks again for a job well done.

Yours truly,

Katrina Leung,
Secretary to the National Chapter.
[On National Association of Chinese Americans, Southern California Chapter stationery]