David Lee, the Chinese-American CEO of ‘Hing Wa Lee Jewelers,’ one of the largest jewelers in Southern California, which operates three Rolex specialty stores in the region, recently donated $1 million to the non-profit organization ‘Door of Hope,’ which helps the homeless, gaining widespread attention.

With this donation, Door of Hope will open a homeless shelter in Pasadena that will accommodate 20 families. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on the 6th of this month, with David Lee in attendance.

The homeless shelter, made possible by Lee’s generous donation, will be named ‘The David & Katherine Lee Home.’

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by numerous high-profile figures, including U.S. Congresswoman Judy Chu, LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, State Assemblyman Chris Holden, Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo, Pasadena City Manager Miguel Márquez, and Door of Hope CEO Megan Katerjian. David Lee said, “Hing Wa Lee Jewelers has grown thanks to the support of Southern California residents, and I wanted to give back to the community by addressing one of the most pressing issues – homelessness. We hope to continue supporting the community and addressing homelessness through future donations.”

Under Lee’s leadership, Hing Wa Lee Jewelers has grown significantly, securing an authorized Rolex dealership, one of the most difficult to obtain in the luxury brand industry.

Since 1992, Lee has expanded ‘Hing Wa Lee Group,’ and currently operates three stores: Hing Wa Lee Jewelers in San Gabriel and Walnut, and Larchmont Jewelers in Larchmont Village near LA’s Koreatown. All three locations offer Rolex watches as well as other luxury timepieces and jewelry.

Hing Wa Lee Jewelers is a popular choice among Korean customers, and David Lee expressed his deep appreciation for the Korean community and The Korea Times.

“I stay updated on the Korean community through The Korea Times, and I’m deeply grateful for the many Korean customers who frequent our stores,” said Lee. “We have a dedicated Korean customer service team to provide the highest level of sales and service to our Korean customers.”

A graduate of USC’s Marshall School of Business, David Lee was inducted into the ‘Entrepreneurs Hall of Fame’ in November 2016, an honor awarded only to distinguished alumni.

In April of last year, Lee was appointed to the California Volunteers Commission by Governor Gavin Newsom, who cited Lee’s extensive community service and charitable donations as the reason for his selection.

Store Addresses:

Hing Wa Lee Jewelers, 1635 S. Del Mar Ave, San Gabriel, Phone: (626) 280-3993
Hing Wa Lee Jewelers, 1569 S. Fairway Dr, Walnut, Phone: (909) 595-6767
Larchmont Jewelers, 119 N. Larchmont Blvd, LA, Phone: (323) 772-8888
Korean Customer Service Team, Phone: (714) 987-1132


<Hwandong Cho>