Andrew Cherng

Andrew Cherng (pronounced: Chur-ng), born in 1948, is a Chinese-born American restauranteur and philanthropist. He is the founder and chairman of the board of Panda Restaurant Group Inc., based in Rosemead, California.^[2] He is perhaps best known for being the co-founder and chief executive officer of Panda Express.

Early life and education

Cherng was born in 1948 in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, China on the northern bank of China’s Yangtze River.^[3] His father was Ming-Tsai Cherng, a chef.

He and his family then moved to Taiwan,^[1] and in 1963, his family moved to Yokohama, Japan, where his father had taken a job as a chef.^[4]

In 1966, at age 18, he immigrated to the United States to study at an American university. He earned a B.S. degree in Mathematics in 1970 from Baker University in Baldwin City, Kansas, and an M.S. degree in Applied Mathematics from the University of Missouri in 1972.^[3] At Baker University he met his future wife, Peggy Tsiang, who went on to earn a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering also from the University of Missouri.^[4]

Business career

In 1972, he moved to the Los Angeles area to help his cousin run a restaurant.^[3]

In June 1973, along with his father Ming Tsai Cherng, they started a sit down Chinese fast-food restaurant called Panda Inn in Pasadena, California on Foothill Boulevard, using funds from the family and a Small Business Administration loan.

Andrew and his fiancee, Peggy, who was working for aircraft companies in the Los Angeles area, married in 1975.

In 1983, Andrew Cherng conceived of and opened Panda Express, a fast food restaurant, at the newly opened Glendale Galleria II mall in Glendale, California.^[5][6] He had been prompted to start the spin off by the developer of the mall who had eaten at Panda Inn and invited Cherng to take a place at the food court.^[7]

The company expanded to 100 restaurants by 1993 with the opening of an outlet at the University of California, Los Angeles.^[6]

The chain has become one of the biggest Chinese American family owned fast food chains in the United States. Cherng has stated a preference for keeping the company closely held. However, he told USA Today if the company could get a valuation close to that of Chipotle Mexican Grill, he could reconsider his stance.^[6]

Honors

• Since 2010, he has been a member of the Committee of 100, an international, non-profit, non-partisan membership organization that brings a Chinese American perspective to issues concerning Asian Americans and U.S.-China relations.^[8]
• Member of the Fremont College's Program Advisory Committee.^[9]
• 2008 Cherng, then age 61, was listed in Forbes' Twenty-Five Notable Chinese-Americans.^[10]
• 2008 California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, conferred the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters on Andrew Cherng ^[11]

References

External links

• Committee of 100 Member Roster