HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!

Gala celebrates Year of the Rooster

Celebration was the order of the evening as Calgary’s Chinese community gathered with friends and colleagues at the Regency Palace Restaurant to welcome the Year of the Rooster.

The Year of the Rooster, according to Sun Lee Chang of the Northwest Asian Weekly, will see “Boisterous periods (should be) followed by what appears to be a quick changing environment.” Further, “Not known for keeping quiet, the Rooster doesn’t care about what is expected or desired. Instead, it signals a clear break from what has preceded it. The comfort provided by complacency and indifference is out the window, and in its place a certain ambition or assertiveness will take hold.”

Hosted by the Hong Kong-Canada Business Association (HKCBA), Calgary Section, highlights of the SRO gala were numerous indeed including: a champagne reception, courtesy of Stikeman Elliott; a sumptuous 10-course meal; remarks from myriad politicians and HKCBA executives; the traditional Lion Dance; scholarship presentations; a raffle prize of two round-trip tickets Vancouver-Hong Kong, courtesy of Cathay Pacific; and wonderful auction items with the signature item being a diamond maple leaf brooch courtesy of Birks valued at over $5,000.

Among the more than 550 guests in attendance this night were: HKCBA National chair Alexandria Sham; HKCBA Calgary Section president Manford Kwan and his sister Scotia Wealth Management’s Audrey Kwan; Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office principal consultant, Western Canada, Catherine Yuen and colleague, Toronto office director Kathy Chan; HKCBA board members Lourdes Juan, Lisa Liao and Jenny Yu; Nick Hays, Cathay Pacific vicepresident, Canada and colleague Ross Cronin, director, sales and marketing; Perma Insurance agent/owner Raymond Kan; RBC Wealth Management vicepresident Kent Parlee; BedRock Realty Advisors principal John Savard and his wife, Savard Properties’ Mercedes Savard; Calgary Police Service’s Tracey Lowey; Bow Valley College’s Stacey Smith; MLA Richard Gotfried and his wife Cathy; Trico Homes founder Wayne Chiu; Trico Group director Chris Hopfner and his wife Patricia; BILD Calgary Region CEO Guy Huntingford and his wife Riina; Chris Lee, Deloitte managing partner, Prairie Region; Calgary Zoo’s Melody Song; Canadian Natural vice-president Chris Grayston and his wife Lynn; Domenic Mazzocchi, The Core, director property manager with colleague Allison Onyett; Birks general manager Susanne Ventura; Brooks Brothers assistant general manager, Ron Fetter; Mayor Naheed Nenshi; Alberta Party’s Greg Clark; Royal Liquor Merchants’ John Dong; U of C president Elizabeth Cannon; MRU president David Docherty and his wife Kris; and 2017 scholarship recipients U of C’s Graham Tait and Morghan Carline and MRU’s Alex Jewell.

PHOTOS: BILL BROOKS The annual Hong Kong Canada Business Association (HKCBA) Calgary Section Chinese New Year Gala held at the Regency Palace Restaurant was a feast for the senses. More than 550 guests attended the Year of the Rooster celebration. Pictured are HKCBA president Manford Quan and his sister, Scotia Wealth Management’s, Audrey Kwan.

Joining Alexandria Sham, HKCBA national chair at the annual Hong Kong Canada Business Association (HKCBA) Calgary Section Chinese New Year Gala are Cathay Pacific’s Ross Cronin, left, director, marketing and sales and Nick Hays, Cathay Pacific, vice-president, Canada. Cathay Pacific is a major supporter of the HKCBA.

Looking fashionably fabulous are, from left, HKCBA board members Lourdes Juan, Lisa Liao and Jenny Yu. The Year of the Rooster celebration was attended by more than 550 guests.

Pictured, from left, are Deloitte managing partner Chris Lee, Calgary Zoo’s Melody Song, Canadian Natural vice-president Chris Grayston and his wife Lynn Grayston.

Pictured, from left, at the HKCBA Year of the Rooster Chinese New Year Gala are The Core director of property management, Domenic Mazzocchi, The Core’s Allison Onyett, Birks general manager Susanne Ventura and Brooks Brothers assistant general manager Ron Fetter. Guests in attendance received surprise gifts from The Core and Holt Renfrew while Birks provided the featured auction item.

Alberta Party’s Greg Clark, left, and Mayor Naheed Nenshi were among the dignitaries in attendance.

Calgary Police Service’s Tracey Lowey, left, and Bow Valley College’s Stacey Smith were among the more than 550 guests in attendance.

Pictured, from left, are Trico Homes founder Wayne Chiu, Patricia Hopfner and her husband Chris Hopfner, director, The Trico Group.

BedRock principal John Savard and his wife Savard Properties’ Mercedes Savard had a great time at the gala. The SRO gala celebrated the Year of the Rooster.

Among the guests in attendance were Perma Insurance agent/owner Raymond Kan, left, and RBC Wealth Management vice-president Kent Parlee.

BILD Calgary Region CEO Guy Huntingford and his wife Riina Huntingford enjoy the gala.

Among the dignitaries in attendance were Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) principal consultant, Western Canada, Catherine Yuen, left, and colleague Kathy Chan, HKETO Toronto director.

BILL BROOKS