RECAP: 2023 BUSINESS AWARDS
Awardees & Finalists
Business of the Year
This award identifies and recognizes an AAPI-owned business that has made a significant contribution to the community while supporting the economic growth of the community it serves by practicing great work ethics, processes and systems at their business to provide quality service/product to their customers. Must be an operational and profitable business for at least 3 years.
AN OX CAFE (Awardee)
AN OX CAFE was established in August 2018, located at 7411 W. Hampton Ave, Milwaukee, WI 53218. This full-service family-style restaurant offers Asian comfort food, including Lao, Hmong, and Thai dishes, in a relaxed atmosphere with background music from the 80s, 90s, and top 40 hits. Customers can choose to dine in the main seating area, the patio (weather permitting), or at the bar, all while enjoying sports and entertainment on numerous TVs. AN OX CAFE also hosts live music events, DJ nights, and karaoke. The building’s interior was designed to be accessible for everyone and features a low bar top and a doorless bathroom.
Located amidst a diverse community, AN OX CAFE has hosted various events, including meet and greets, weddings, and parties. The restaurant has also received recognition, including being featured in Milwaukee’s 40th-anniversary magazine, receiving the 2022 Mayor’s Design Award, and being chosen as a vendor at the Harley Davidson 120th Homecoming event. It has also garnered attention from notable figures such as Governor Tony Evers, Mayor Cavalier Johnson, and famous basketball players like Kevon Looney and Bobby Portis Jr., as well as hosting performances by Hmong artists and DJs.
Thai Orchid (Finalist)
Thai Orchid Restaurant was established in May of 2018 in Eau Claire, WI. Owner, Carrie Cha, acquired the business from her uncle, who initially opened 18 years ago under the name Pad Thai. It is currently one of a handful of Hmong owned restaurants in the Chippewa Valley. Located near the University of WI Eau Claire campus, Thai Orchid serves local residents, students, parents of international students visiting from all over the world and visitors passing through from various parts of the country. Like many Thai restaurants, Thai Orchid serves traditional Thai cuisines as well as popular dishes from Vietnam, Laos and Hmong.
Thai Orchid distinguishes itself from other restaurants by striving to participate in a variety of community events and causes. Carrie believes that in order to grow in the community, one must build genuine relationships. Her idea stems from a strong Hmong heritage and culture of hospitality.
Emerging Small Business of the Year
This award recognizes an AAPI-owned small business that has demonstrated significant growth and success in the areas of economics, job creation and market demand. Must be an operational and profitable business for at least 2 years.
Project Wise Consulting (Awardee)
Jodie Gardner and Mary Thao created ProjectWise Consulting, LLC, in December 2021 during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. After spending 20+ years working in healthcare and corporate America, they both decided to pursue their dreams of being entrepreneurs and working for themselves. The decision to be self-employed came with risk and uncertainty, however, they knew with each other’s partnership and background, they would be sustainable.
ProjectWise Consulting provides consulting services supporting organizations with cultivating their biggest challenges to enhance the value of their organizations. ProjectWise Consulting takes an adaptive approach such as Waterfall, Hybrid, and Agile practices to achieve an organization’s effectiveness. The consulting practice provides supplemental staff augmentation, Project Management Office (PMO) leadership, training, and strategic planning.
They pride themselves as being the best-in-class portfolio, program, and project leaders in Central WI. ProjectWise Consulting has unmatched skills compared to others in the industry and their proven track record speaks for itself. After fifteen months in business, Jodie and Mary have accumulated over $1 million in sales revenue.
Fish Cave (Finalist)
One aquarium turned into multiple aquariums and soon a whole room in Ton Vang’s basement was dedicated to aquariums; that room was named “Fish Cave”. Now it is a brick-and-mortar store located in Appleton, WI. Fish Cave first opened its doors to the public on September 25, 2021. Fish Cave imports all kinds of aquatic animals from all over the world. The shop has over 150 aquariums and has one of the largest varieties of fish in Wisconsin. They also offer shipping throughout the whole United States and even into Canada. Fish Cave also serves as a public aquarium gallery and hosts field trips.
Startup Business of the Year
This award recognizes an AAPI-owned new business startup that has demonstrated an upward trajectory towards sustainability and growth, while venturing into non-traditional business development industries. Must be an operational and profitable business for at least 1 year.
Wausau Family Pharmacy (Awardee)
Wausau Family Pharmacy, the first Hmong-owned pharmacy in Wisconsin, is dedicated to enhancing health literacy in underserved communities. We provide comprehensive healthcare services, including non-urgent walk-in care, free over-the-counter medications for Wisconsin Badger Care patients, Hmong-language prescriptions, ACIP-approved vaccines, and medication therapy management. Since opening in September 2022, we've grown our team and served over 2,000 patients, conducted 32,300 COVID tests, dispensed 20,000 prescriptions, and administered 1,200 vaccines statewide. We're transforming the role of pharmacies, emphasizing community health expertise. Recognized by the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin, we aim to bridge healthcare gaps, boost health literacy, and reduce overall healthcare costs, empowering patients to make informed health decisions. Wausau Family Pharmacy remains committed to pioneering innovative solutions for community health improvement.
Prism Health and Wellness (Finalist)
Prism Health and Wellness, LLC is a Hmong-owned private practice based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, established in 2022. The practice is led by Ka Lee, MA, LPC, LPCC, a licensed professional counselor with extensive experience dating back to 2012. Ka holds dual licenses in both Wisconsin and Minnesota, allowing her to serve a broader range of clients.
Ka is dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding mental health. Through education, advocacy, and compassionate care, she aims to create a supportive environment where individuals can seek help without fear or judgment. This dedication to mental health de-stigmatization aligns with her mission of promoting overall well-being and ensuring mental health services are accessible and welcoming for everyone. Her commitment extends beyond her practice, as she actively collaborates with local resources to address healthcare disparities within her community. By recognizing the challenges, she strives to bridge the gap and ensure that all individuals have access to the mental health support they need.
Professional of the Year Award (40+)
This award recognizes an AAPI professional who has achieved significant milestones in their professional career, elevating the community with their accomplishments.
Caitlin Lee (Awardee)
Caitlin is the Director of the Office of Multicultural Student Services at the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire.
She is a community builder and grassroots organizer with over 20 years of workforce diversity expertise in higher education. She has engaged in many equity, diversity, and inclusion taskforces and initiatives to advance EDI goals. She is also owner of CML Consulting, allowing her to expand the reach of her EDI work.
Caitlin deeply believes in creating equitable and inclusive spaces for dialogue and change. In the spirit of community building and creating platforms of inclusion, she is the co-founder of the Hmong Women Summit: The Authenticity Project centered on the development of authentic and inclusive leadership to build inclusive communities.
As a local grassroots effort to better represent and address learning needs and family engagement with the Hmong families and learners within the Eau Claire School District, Caitlin is President and Co-founder of the Eau Claire Area School District Hmong PTA.
This past election cycle, Caitlin was part of the Wisconsin AAPIs for Biden Leadership Council and was one of the co-leads of the Hmong Outreach Advisory Committee. Caitlin looks forward to the continued community building as a Co-Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic AAPI Caucus.
Kabzuag Vaj
Kabzuag Vaj is a feminist Hmong refugee thought leader and organizer who was born in Laos and raised in Madison, WI.
She is the founder and former co-executive director of Freedom Inc until 2022 and Freedom Action Now. Currently she is the founder and executive director of Moving Mountains, a US based global feminist organization. Kabzuag has dedicated the majority of her life to racial and gender justice movement work. Her advocacy started when she was 16 years old, assisting and housing at-risk teens, and challenging abusive gender norms within her community. She is a strong believer that those who are most deeply impacted must be at the forefront of the movement and when given opportunities and resources can liberate themselves.
In the past 20 years, Vaj has spent her life working to build collective power and social change. She is known internationally for her ongoing work for liberation and gender equity within her community. She is an accomplished movement leader and revered as a thought leader and NorthStar within movement spaces. Amongst her political accomplishments, Kabzuag is also a proud mother of 4 kids and an artist. She was a co-owner/co-founder of RedGreenRivers, the first of its’ kind social enterprise that works with women/girl artisans from the Mekong Region in Southeast Asia.
Young Professional of the Year Award (39 & under)
This award recognizes an AAPI professional who is an emerging leader who showcases their passion and drive to move the community forward through their innovative community projects and efforts.
E Her Vang (Awardee)
E Her Vang (she/her/hers) is a proud second-generation, Hmong American womxn from Milwaukee, WI. Currently, E serves as the Managing Director for the City Year Network for School Improvement, where she leads, coaches and encourages educators in 10 Milwaukee Public Schools to network by sharing best practices and introducing new strategies to improve student outcomes.
E is also the co-founder, Board VP and Executive Director of a non-profit, Our Scholarship, that is dedicated to providing higher education scholarships to Southeast Asian students in WI. One of the inspirations behind Our Scholarship is her experience as a first-generation college student navigating the educational system. These experiences have also led E to be engaged with the AAPI Coalition of Wisconsin pushing Assembly Bill 232/Senate Bill 240 to include Asian American & Hmong American History into the WI K-12 educational curricula.
During E's free time, she runs an online small business called Lily Fierce selling women's apparel that ranges from business wear, lounge, trendy and everything in between. E believes all womxn are FIERCE and fashion is a way to express their boldness in all areas of their life.
In 2022, E was named WI's Most Influential Asian American Leaders and this year, was honored to accept the Community Shareholder Jacken award. She looks forward to telling more Hmong American and Asian American stories so others can celebrate the rich diversity that WI has to offer.
Michael Nguyen
Michael Nguyen is the Executive Director of Teach For America Milwaukee. Formerly, Michael was the Chief of Staff at Carmen Schools of Science and Technology, principal at St. Anthony Middle School and a teacher at St Anthony School and Dr. Benjamin Carson Academy.
He started his career as a Teach For America Milwaukee corps member after graduating from theUniversity of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. Michael has a Masters in Education from Marquette University and certification in Education Administration and Curriculum and Instruction through Alverno College.
Most importantly, Michael has known his wife, Brianna, since they were 13 years old. They have three children together, Alice, Apollo and Russell, and fill their free time with their kids’ activities. The Nguyens live in Milwaukee’s Enderis Park neighborhood.