Cultural Historian Awards

George Ow, Jr. and Gerrye Wong received Cultural Historian Awards at CHCP’s Tenth Anniversary in 1997.

The Ow family from Santa Cruz has been active in community affairs for many years. George Ow, Sr. settled in this area in 1937 after emigrating from China at 16. He initially managed grocery stores and then entered into real estate development and investment. Their most notable projects are the King’s Plaza Shopping Center in Capitola and the King’s Village Shopping Center in Scotts Valley. George Ow, Sr. being active in community affairs was the first non-Caucasian national president of the Exchange Club.

Carrying on the family tradition, George Ow, Jr. the oldest child, took over management of the family’s real estate business in 1970. He has expanded the family’s real estate business into other retail enterprises such as pizza parlors and a book publishing company. George Ow, Jr. received his A.A. degree from Monterey Peninsula College, his B.A. in marketing from San Francisco State University, and his M.B.A. from U.C.L.A.

In furthering the Chinese history and culture in the Santa Cruz and Monterey Bay Area, his Capitola Book Company has sponsored and published Chinese Gold and Growing Up On Grove Street. These books record the struggles and early life of Chinese immigrants and their children in this area. George’s philosophy is to contribute to the community, not just receive benefits from the community. Continuing in this vein, the Ow Family has established the Ow Family American Dream Scholarship program, which has funded hundreds of scholarships to local high school students, Cabrillo Community College students, and University of California at Santa Cruz students. The program has been funding these $500 scholarships for the past 15 years. They also fund an NAACP Scholarship program for local Black high school and community college students.

George Ow, Sr. and George Ow, Jr. were co-recipients of the 1987 Man of the Year Award by the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce. George Ow, Jr. was also the Co-Chairman of the Santa Cruz County Library Bond Proposal to Raise Funds for Library Operations in 1996. The Santa Cruz area has greatly benefitted from the Ow family’s activities and contributions.