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Introduction The Beginnings Preston Martin F.Chow Chan Cathay Bank
East West Bank Far East National First Public Savings General Bank Trust Savings
Standard Bank Golden Security Eastern International The Continental Bank  

Los Angeles Chinese American
Banking Pioneers

Standard Bank

In 1979, Dan Louie, Jr., John Lee and Jack Jue applied for a savings and loan bank charter which was approved in 1981. It opened for business in 1982 in Los Angeles Chinatown with the goal of serving new Chinese American immigrants and businesses. The bank offered much needed financing for quality housing and real estate.
L to R, Paul Oshima represented his grandfather Dan Louie, Jr., Jack Jue and John W. Wong, CHSSC President.

With twenty four years of outstanding performance and a strong capital base, Standard Bank was merged with East West Bank in 2006. At the time of the merger Standard Bank had six branches, in Monterey Park, Diamond Bar, Hacienda Heights, Los Angeles Chinatown, San Gabriel and San Marino, with $923 million in assets.

Dan Louie, Jr. served as a director from its inception until 2006, and as Chairman of the Board until 2000. John Lee was President and Chief Executive Officer, currently serves as Vice Chairman of East West Bancorp.

Dan Louie, Jr. was born and raised in Los Angeles. After obtaining his B.S. in agriculture, he helped manage his family's farms and wholesale produce business. He later obtained a Ph.D.in plant physiology from UCLA. He grew over 30 kinds of Asian vegetables in California and Mexico. He imported other vegetables from Hong Kong, Fiji, and Japan; and shipped them all over the United States.

Jack Jue and his father specialized in asparagus farming. They expanded their operation from Van Nuys to Saugus and Newhall and to a wholesale market produce in Los Angeles. Jack Jue graduated from UC Davis in 1950. He was president and co-owner of National Appraisal Corporation. He was also an Associate Professor for the Los Angeles Community College District for twenty years.