The Washington Athletic Club was packed on Aug. 14 as the Asian Hall of Fame held its Founders Gala, drawing together Seattle's business leaders, community figures and cultural ambassadors for an event celebrating individual achievement and collective giving.
Jerry and Charlene Lee, prominent Seattle philanthropists, were inducted as the organization's 2026 Class honorees—a recognition that felt particularly meaningful given Jerry Lee's role as one of the Hall of Fame's four founding members when the organization was established in 2004.
"It's deeply humbling," Jerry Lee said of the honor, reflecting on how his parents' values shaped his commitment to community. The Lee family's charitable philosophy is rooted in his parents' experience running a Portland-area grocery store for more than three decades in a neighborhood that wasn't always safe. His father extended credit to customers who couldn't afford groceries, accepting IOUs from retirees. Remarkably, every debt was repaid.
"The store was protected by the community because people knew it wasn't just a business," Lee explained. "It was a safe place where people felt cared for."
Jerry Lee's professional background as former CEO of MG2, a Seattle-based architecture and engineering firm, has given him the platform to translate those values into sustained community investment. Funds raised at the gala support the Asian Hall of Fame's Women in Tech, Entertainment, Science & Sports scholarship program, which this year distributed awards to 107 applicants from 32 states and Puerto Rico.
Three scholarship recipients traveled to Seattle to receive their awards on the red carpet: Samantha Rosales and Stormy Woodenlegs-Boling from Native Indian College, and Brianna Pavan Lopez from Washington High School. The program's commitment to supporting women across all ethnic backgrounds underscored the Hall of Fame's broader mission of fostering cross-cultural collaboration and community benefit.
Emmy-winning KOMO News anchor Molly Shen emceed the evening. The gala's musical performances featured Krist Novoselic of Nirvana and Kim Thayil of Soundgarden—both Hall of Fame inductees—performing alongside fellow honorees Hiro Yamamoto and Daniel Pak, plus musicians from Heart and other local acts.
Port of Seattle Commissioner Sam Cho presented Sapphire Awards to Jon and Bobbe Bridge and Mike Flood of the Seattle Seahawks for five consecutive years of supporting the Hall of Fame. Mary Knell, founder of Global Council, presented an award to the AHOF Founder Robert Chinn Foundation, accepted by Karen Wong, Letitia Fong, Aaron Olson and Taylor Safstrom.
Sponsors included Microsoft, the Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Omar and Christine Lee, Aaron Olson and others. Auction prizes included donations from Seattle SuperHawks owner Jacqueline Yang, luxury retailers and restaurateur David Wasielewski of Din Tai Fung.
Hall of Fame CEO Ming Xie emphasized in remarks that honorees aren't selected for wealth or titles, but for the character they bring to their communities.
"This is Seattle's city," Xie said, reflecting on why holding the gala in its birthplace mattered. "A city of progressive values, home to major corporate headquarters—we want to show leadership, creativity and innovation here."
Founded in 2004, the Asian Hall of Fame has worked for two decades to advance Asian and Native American heritage and development through trauma advocacy, legacy preservation, workforce development and women's advancement in technical and creative fields.
The 2026 class will be formally inducted at a Nov. 5 ceremony in Los Angeles.
