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Promote Democratic Engagement Among Chinese Americans!

2024-2026 IAPAC Board of Directors

2024 - 2026 Supervisory Board

2024 - 2026 Advisory Board

2024-2026 Executive Committee

The 11th, 12th Chairman

Dr. Charley Lu (卢春雨)

Born in China, holds a Ph.D. in from Tsinghua University. Since 2022, he has been the IAPAC chairman. He also serves as a public safety commissioner in South Pasadena. Dr. Lu has served as President of CESASC(Chinese-American Engineers and Scientists Association of Southern California) in 2019, founding chairman of CUAAASC(Chinese University Alumni Association Alliance of Southern California) in 2017, and President of THUAASC(TsingHua University Alumni Association of Southern California) .

The 9th, 10th Chairwoman

Donna Chen （庄春惠）

Born in Vietnam. Ms. Donna Chen became the 9th, 10th Chairwoman for I - Chinese American Political Action Committee. She has supported various organizations and political figures in hopes of making real change in the community and beyond.

The 7th, 8th Chairman

Tony Ding（丁言愉）

Born in China, Mr. Tony Ding was the 7th, 8th Chairperson for I - Chinese American Political Action Committee. He was elected as San Gabriel City Council in 2020 and become mayor in 2022. He has supported the Chinese community throughout the years and continues to do so.

The 6th Chairman

William Su(史振发)

Born in Vietnam. Mr. William Su was the 6th Chairman for IAPAC. He is also co-founder of IAPAC.

The 3rd, 4th, 5th co-Chairman

Mr. Jim Tsai（蔡松芳）

Mr. Jim Tsaiwas the Founding Chairman of IAPAC, serving during 2000~2005. He also served as co-Chairman of IAPAC during 2007~2012.

Mr. Chak Por Tea（张作波）

Mr. Chak Por Teawas the co-chairman of IAPAC between 2007-2012

Peter Lin （林雄国）

Mr. Peter Linwas the co-chairman of IAPAC between 2007~2012

The 2nd Chairman

Mr. Frank Yeh（叶安利）

Mr. Frank Yeh was the 2nd Chairman of IAPAC during 2005~2007.

Founding Chariman

Mr. Jim Tsai（蔡松芳）

Mr. Jim Tsai was the Founding Chairman of IAPAC, serving during 2000~2005. He also served as co-Chairman of IAPAC during 2007~2012.

Biannual Journals

2024 Journal

2022 Journal

2020 Journal

IAPAC Bylaw

bylaw in pdf format.

BYLAW OF

the I-Chinese American Political Action Committee (IAPAC)

 (Adopted by the Board of Directors on 05/08/2023)

ARTICLE I

NAME:

 The official name of this California non-profit organization shall be the I-Chinese American Political Action Committee (hereinafter referred to as the "IAPAC").

 It is also hereinafter referred to in these Bylaws as the Association.

 NOTE:

The Association was founded by the founding chairman Mr. Jim Tsai and the co-founder Mr. William Su under the name of “Indo-Chinese American Political Action Committee” in 1999.  To expand the services to the whole Chinese Americans communities. In Chairman Tony Ding’s term, the name was changed to I-Chinese American Political Action Committee in 2014.

 ARTICLE II

Purposes:

The purposes of the Association are:

 1. To assist and educate members & communities in the voting process:

A.    To increase the awareness and participation of Chinese Americans in the electoral process

B. To eliminate all prejudice and inequities against ethnic minorities, particularly Chinese Americans and Asian Americans

2. To assist in the election or appointment of qualified candidates to further the purposes of this Association.

3. To raise and disburse funds where the expenditures are consistent with the purposes.

4. To be nonpartisan in general.

 ARTICLE III

 Participation:

 1.      All members of the Association who shall be residents in the United States and shall abide these bylaws are eligible to contribute to IAPAC.

2.      All members of the Association shall pay the annual membership fee adopted by the Board of Directors in the designated time frame.

3.      IAPAC is authorized to solicit and accept contributions from all members of the Association.

4.      Student members need to pay a one-time membership fee and can be converted to a member after they reach adulthood, and the annual membership fee must be paid accordingly.

 If the annual membership fee is not paid, the membership will be automatically withdrawn. Any student or adult member who violates the purposes of the Association or damages the reputation of the Association will be decided by the vote of Board of Directors after discussion, if more than half of them can be dismissed his/her membership.

 Contributions:

 All contributions to IAPAC shall be voluntary and no contribution to IAPAC may be solicited or secured by force, intimidation, financial reprisal, as a condition of employment,  or by any other means prohibited by the laws and regulations of Federal Election Commission and California Secretary of State.

 The Organization:

 1. Board of Directors:

2. Executive Committees:

3. Supervisory Committee: Honorary Chairpersons:

4. Advisory Councils:

 Term of Organization:

 The organization stated in this Article shall serve terms of two years each.

 Offices:

 The corporation may also have offices at such other places, within or without its state of incorporation, where it is qualified to do business, as its business and activities may require, and as the board of directors may, from time to time, designate.

 ARTICLE IV

Board of Directors:

 1. General Powers: The property, affairs, and business of the Association shall be managed and controlled by its Board of Directors. The Board of Directors may by general resolution delegate to officers of the Association and to committees such powers as provided for in these Bylaws.

2. Qualification: All directors must be US citizens.

3. Numbers: Number of Directors shall be no more than forty.

4. Meetings:

A.      The Board of Directors may provide by resolution the time and place, whether within California or not, for the holding of the regular meetings of the Board.

B.      Special meetings of the Board of Directors may be called by or at the request of the President or 1/5 Board of Directors who may fix any place, whether within or without California, as the place for holding any special meeting.

C.      Online meetings are acceptable.

 5. Notice; Quorum:

 A. Notice of any regular meeting of the Board of Directors shall be given at least Five days in advance by written notice delivered personally by the email, phone text message or other reliable electronical communications to each Director as shown by the records of the Association. The attendance of a Director at any meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting, except where a Director attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business because the meeting is not lawfully called or convened. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any regular or special meetings of the Board of Directors need be specified in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting, unless specifically required by law or by these Bylaws.

B. Notice of the special meeting of the Board of Directors should be sent to board members by email, phone text message or other reliable electronical communication within 48 hours, or as early as needed with consensus of 2/3 of board members.

C. The presence of a majority of the Board of Directors shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of business at any meeting of the Board; but if less than a majority of the Directors are present at said meeting, no vote shall be casted or no official decision/direction from the Board of Directors shall be made.  All board members need to attend half of annual Board meetings, unless with valid reasons and to be excuse by the President.

 6. Manner of Acting: The act of a majority of the Directors present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the Board of Directors, unless the act of a greater number is required by law or by these Bylaws. Directors may attend a meeting by phone or with similar equipment, including e-mail, by means of which all people participating in the meeting can hear or communicate in writing with each other.

7. Terms: The term of the director shall be 2 years each. There should be no term limit for the directors.  To terminate a Director require at least 2/3 of the votes with minimum 2/3 board directors attending the meeting, Chairman can decide the termination case if in case of tie votes. The board of directors needs to be reelected every two years and approved by a minimum of 50.1% of the full board member votes. Directors may succeed themselves in the office.

 8. Compensation: Directors shall not receive any stated salaries for their services as such, but by resolution of the Board of Directors a fixed sum and expenses of attendance may be allowed for attendance at each regular or special meetings of the Board; however, nothing herein  contained shall be construed to preclude any Director from serving the Association in any other capacity and receiving reasonable compensation therefor.

 9. Informal Action: Any action required by law to be taken at a meeting of Directors, or any action that may be taken at a meeting of Directors, may be taken without a meeting if a consent in writing, setting forth the action so taken, shall be signed by Chairman with approval of 2/3 of the paid board members.

 10. Removal: The vote of two-thirds of the Directors shall be required to remove a Director from the office prior to the expiration of the term for which that Director has been elected.

 11. Vacancies: Vacancies among the Directors, whether caused by resignation, death, removal, or expiration of a term, may be filed by any potential person who has been involved with IAPAC activities, with approval of the majority of the remaining Directors at any regular or special meeting.

 12. Chairman shall identify the mailing and email address for the bylaws with the approval of Board of Directors.

 ARTICLE V

Executive Committee

1.   Officers: The officers of the Association shall be a President, a Secretary, a Treasurer, and all the 3 officers should be elected in accordance with other provisions of this Article. The President will also be the Chairman of the Board. The President may appoint such other officers or agents, including paid Executive Director, Executive Vice presidents, Vice presidents, one or more Assistant Secretaries, and one or more Assistant Treasurers, as it shall deem desirable, and such officers shall have the authority and perform the duties prescribed from time to time by the President with the approval of Board of Directors. The President, Secretary, and Treasurer, these three officers cannot be held by the same person.

2.    Election: The officers of the Association shall be elected biennial by the Board of Directors at least 3 months before the biennial meeting of the Board. New offices may be created and filled at any meeting of the Board of Directors. Each officer shall hold office until his/her successor shall have been duly elected and shall have qualified.

3.    Removal: Any officer elected or appointed by the Board of Directors may be removed by the Board whenever in its judgment the best interests of the Association would be served thereby, but such removal shall be without prejudice to the contract rights. The officers can be removed with a two thirds anonymous vote of the Board of Directors.

4.    President: The President shall be the principal officer of the Association and shall exercise general supervision over the affairs of the Association, its officers, and personnel consistent with policies established by the Board of Directors. The President may sign any deeds, mortgages, bonds, contracts, or other instruments, except in cases where the signing and execution thereof shall be expressly delegated by the Board of Directors or by these Bylaws or by statute to some other officer or agent of the Association; and in general shall perform all duties incident to the office of President and such other duties as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors. The President may authorize and approve expenditures and take such other steps he or she shall deem necessary to advance the purposes of the Association, provided such steps do not exceed the scope of authority determined by the Board.

5.      Treasurer: If required by the Board of Directors, the Treasurer shall give a bond for the faithful discharge of his or her duties in such sum and with such surety or sureties as the Board of Directors shall determine. The Treasurer shall have charge and custody of and be responsible for all funds and securities of the Association; receive and give receipts for monies due and payable to the Association from any source whatsoever and deposit all such monies in the name of the Association in such banks, trust companies, or other depositories as shall be selected in accordance with the provisions of Article V of these Bylaws; and in general perform all the duties incident to the office of Treasurer and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the President or by the Board of Directors. The Treasurer shall be responsible for the administration and oversight of the Association's financial records, initiation of an annual audit, compliance with statutory reporting requirements, tax returns, and tax payments.

6.      Secretary: The Secretary shall keep the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors and shall oversee the keeping, preparation, and filing of all other records required by law or by the policies of the Board; be custodian of the Association records and of the seal of the Association and see that the seal of the Association is affixed to all documents, the execution of which on behalf of the Association under its seal is duly authorized in accordance with the provisions of these Bylaws; keep a register of the post office address of each Director which shall be furnished to the Secretary by such Director; and in general perform all duties incident to the office of Secretary and such other duties as from time to time may be assigned by the President or by the Board of Directors.

7.      Assistant Treasurers and Secretaries: If required by the President, the Assistant Treasurers shall give bonds for the faithful discharge of their duties in such sums and with such sureties as the Board of Directors shall determine. The Assistant Treasurers and Assistant Secretaries, in general, shall Perform such duties as shall be assigned to them by the Treasurer or the Secretary or by the President or the Board of Directors.

8.      Paid Officers: with the approval of Board of Directors, the President may appoint one or more paid officers, including an Executive Director. Upon appointment, the Executive Director shall be responsible for carrying out policy as set by the Board of Directors, for conducting the daily affairs of the Association, and for the employment of all paid Association personnel. The Executive Director, by virtue of his position, shall be an Assistant Secretary of the Association and, ex-officio, a member of the Board of Directors.

9.    Term of Officers: The President stated in this Article shall serve terms of two years each and a maximum of two terms or four (4) years.

10. Legal Counsel: with the approval of the Board, the president shall appoint a Legal Counsel.

11. Accountant and other Professionals: with the approval of The Board, the president may hire an accountant or other professionals to assist in tile management of its affairs.

12. Resignation: Any officer may resign at any time by giving written notice to the board of directors or to the Chairperson or secretary of the Association. Any such resignation shall take effect at the date of receipt of such notice or at any later date specified therein, and, unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. The above provisions of this section shall be superseded by any conflicting terms of a contract which has been approved or ratified by the board of directors relating to the employment of any officer of the corporation.

13. Vacancies: Any vacancy caused by the death, resignation, removal, disqualification, or otherwise, of any officer shall be filled by the board of directors for the unexpired portion of the term. In the event of a vacancy in any office other than that of President, such vacancy may be filled temporarily by appointment by the Chairperson until such time as the board shall fill the vacancy for the unexpired portion of the term. Vacancies occurring in offices of officers appointed at the discretion of the board may or may not be filled as the board shall determine.

  ARTICLE VI

Honorary Chairperson:

The former Presidents/Chairpersons after completing his/her term will become an honorary chairperson immediately. The position is an honorary title.

Supervisory Committee:

The establishment of the Supervisory Committee consists of honorary chairpersons on a voluntary basis. The supervisory Committee shall have one chairman, one deputy chairman, and the other members. The supervisory Committee is responsible for supervising the Association's affairs, finances, directors, and members' performance of obligations.

The supervisory Committee can receive board meeting invites, attend all board meetings, and receive board meeting minutes. The supervisory Committee has no voting right in the board of directors meeting. 3 members from the supervisory committee will join the board’s nomination/discipline committee. The board of directors can remove the person from the supervisory committee with at least 2/3 of all board of directors.

 ARTICLE VII

Advisory Council:

The Board of Directors may appoint up to fifty (50) advisors in the advisory council of the Association. The duties of the advisors are to assist the Board in raising funds, promote IAPAC’s mission, and others as determined by the Board. The board can change the number of advisors.

Qualification:

 1.      Abide in the purposes and policies of the Association and decisions of the Board.

2.      Accept the provided position and obligate to fulfill the fundraising amount per the Board’s direction.

3.  Nominated by any two Directors and Approved by the Board of Directors.

4.  Shall serve terms of two years each.

ARTICLE VIII

 Committees

I. Authority:

A. The President, by resolution adopted by a majority of the Directors in office, may designate and appoint one or more committees of its members, each of which shall consist of two or more persons, which committees, to the extent provided in said resolution, shall have and exercise the authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the Association; provided, however, that no such committee shall have the authority of the Board of Directors in reference to amending, altering or repealing the Bylaws; electing, appointing or removing any member of any such committee or any Director or officer of the Association; amending the Articles of the Association; adopting a plan of merger or adopting a plan of consolidation with another Association; authorizing the sale, lease, exchange .or mortgage of all or substantially all of the property and assets of the Association; authorizing the voluntary dissolution of the Association or revoking proceedings therefor; adopting a plan for the distribution of the assets of the Association; or amending, altering, or repealing any resolution of the Board of Directors which by its terms provides that it shall not be amended, altered, or repealed by such committee. The designation and appointment of any such committee and the delegation thereto of authority shall not operate to relieve the Board of Directors or any individual Director of any responsibility imposed Upon it or him by law.

B. Other committees not having and exercising the authority of the Board of Directors in the management of the Association may be designated and appointed by resolution adopted by a majority of the Directors at a meeting at which a quorum is present, or by the President as authorized by a like resolution of the Board. ‘Membership on such committees need not be limited to Directors.

2. Term: Each member of a committee shall continue as such until the next biennial meeting of the Directors of the Association and until his successor is appointed, unless the committee shall be sooner terminated, or unless such member be removed from such committee, or unless such member shall cease to qualify as a member thereof.

3. Chairman: One member of each committee shall be appointed chairman by the person or persons authorized to appoint the members thereof

4. Vacancies: Vacancies in the membership of any committee may be filled by appointments made in the same manner as provided in the case of the original appointments.

5. Manner of Acting: Unless otherwise provided in the resolution of the Board of Directors designating a committee, a majority of the whole committee shall constitute a quorum and the act of a majority of the members present at a meeting at which a quorum is present shall be the act of the committee. Each committee may adopt rules for its own governance not inconsistent with these Bylaws or with rules adopted by the Board of Directors.

6.  The following Committees are recommended to be set up based on the conditions stated above in this Article:

A. Endorsement Committee

B. Scholarship/Internship Committee

C. Social issue Research/Education Committee

D. Fundraising Committee

E. Media/Publicity Committee

F. Internal Nomination/Discipline Committee

G. Event Committee

H. Outreach Committee

 7. The Board of Directors may approve additional committees based on criteria stated above in this Article.

 ARTICLE IX

Contracts, Checks, Deposits and Funds

1.   Contracts. The Board of Directors may authorize any officer or officers, agent, or agents of the Association in addition to the officers so authorized by these Bylaws, to enter any contract or execute and deliver any instrument in the name of and on behalf of the Association and such authority may be general or confined to specific instances.

2.    Checks. All checks, drafts, or orders for the payment of money, notes, or other evidence of indebtedness issued in the name of the Association,' shall be signed by such officer or officers, agent, or agents of the Association and in such manner as shall from time to time be determined by resolution of the Board of Directors. In the absence of such determination by the Board of Directors, such instrument shall be signed by the Treasurer or an Assistant Treasurer and countersigned by the President or Executive Vice President of the Association.

3.    Deposits. All funds of the Association shall be deposited from time to time to the credit of the Association in such banks, trust companies, or other depositories as the Board of Directors may select.

4.    Funds. The Board of Directors may accept on behalf of the Association any contribution, gift, bequest, or devise for the general purposes or for any special purpose of the Association.

ARTICLE X

Books and Records

The Association shall keep correct and complete books and records of account and shall also keep minutes of the proceedings of its Board of Directors and committees having any of the authority of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XI

Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the Association shall begin on the first day of January and end on the last day of December.

ARTICLE XII

Seal

The Board of Directors shall provide an association’s seal which shall be in a form selected by a resolution of the Board of Directors.

ARTICLE XIII

Indemnification

Any present or former Director or officer of the Association, or other such persons so designated in the discretion of the Board of Directors, or the legal representative of such person, shall be indemnified by the Association against all reasonable costs, expenses, and counsel fees paid or incurred in connection with any action, suit, or proceeding to which any such person or his legal representative may be made a party by reason of his being or having been such a Director or officer, or serving or having served the Association, except in relation to matters as to which he shall be found guilty of negligence or misconduct in respect of the matters in which indemnity is sought and in relation to matters settled or otherwise terminated without a final determination on the merits where such settlement or termination is predicated on the existence of such negligence or misconduct.

ARTICLE XIV

Procedure

The rules contained in the most recent edition of Robert's Rules of Order shall provide the rules of procedure for the Association where they are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Articles of the Association or these Bylaws.

ARTICLE XV

Amendments to Bylaws

These Bylaws may be altered, amended, or repealed and new Bylaws may be adopted by a majority of the Directors present at any regular meeting or at any special meeting, if at least thirty days' written notice is given of intention to alter, amend, or repeal, or to adopt new Bylaws at such meeting.

Adopted by the Board of Directors on 05/08/2023.