nwasianweekly.com
Oct. 7, 2006

Wei Zhang (left) received the Workplace Warrior award at the National Employment Lawyers Association convention in San Francisco earlier this year. With him is NELA president Janet Hill.

By Yoon S. Park
For the Northwest Asian Weekly

In American history classes, children are taught that immigrants have played a significant role in the growth and development of this country. Their contributions to the economy and the basic infrastructure of the United States are indisputable.

Wei Zhang, president of Pacific Coast Fisheries Corporation, has stood true to the pursuit of one of the cornerstones of the American dream — owning his own business. Pacific Coast Fisheries is an importer and exporter of frozen fish to more than 18 countries around the globe, including the United States, Japan and China, as well as in Europe and Southeast Asia. Headquartered in Issaquah, this multimillion-dollar company also owns processing plants in California.

Zhang began in academia, serving nine years as the dean of the School of International Business at a top university in China, where he was also a professor of business and economics. According to Diana Wang, a longtime employee of Pacific Coast Fisheries, Zhang immigrated to America about 15 years ago to pursue an MBA at the University of Massachusetts.

Prior to starting his own company, Zhang also worked as a senior executive in the American fishery industry. Most notably, he was the executive vice president for American Gem Seafood’s Group and president of Pacific Gem Inc.

With such an illustrious educational background and leadership positions within the industry, one would assume that Zhang’s current success is a natural progression of his earlier achievements. However, there have been some major bumps along the road.

Zhang brought a discrimination lawsuit against a former employer and won. Despite a drawn-out legal battle that lasted nearly five years, he self-financed and opened his own company.

Instead of being defeated spiritually and emotionally by such a legal battle, Zhang has taken it upon himself to give back to the community by “helping Asian Americans to find … equal employment opportunity and to combat discrimination.” In 2004, he founded the Asian American Affairs Association, which provides free legal assistance and counseling to Asian immigrants who have been victims of racial discrimination at work.
In recognition of Zhang’s contribution, the National Employment Lawyers Association (NELA) gave him the Workplace Warrior award earlier this year.

The past few years have been especially rewarding for Pacific Coast Fisheries. Last year, Costco began selling Zhang’s frozen seafood. And in 2001, the company began supplying to Darden Restaurant Group, the largest seafood restaurant chain in the world.

Zhang has been nominated for the 2006 Asian American Entrepreneur of the Year Award, to be given out Oct. 14 by the Northwest Asian Weekly Foundation.

Zhang also sponsors local community events that promote Asian art and cultural activities. For example, he was a co-sponsor of the recent Seattle performance by the China Disabled People’s Performing Art Troupe, the Well Pacific Cancer Foundation and the Overseas Chinese Scholars New Year Celebration.

From the classroom to the boardroom, and even to the courtroom, Zhang has tested the American ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. And if his recent achievements are any indication, he is succeeding at all of them.

For more information, visit www.paccoastfish.com.

Yoon S. Park can be reached at info@nwasianweekly.com.

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