Chang Bio

	contact the city \| home


Biography of Henry Chang
Henry and Gismo
Councilmember Henry Chang, Jr. Councilmember-at-Large for the City of Oakland Appointed December 6, 1994 Resident of the East Bay for more than 42 years 1952-1962 Berkeley 1962-Presently in Oakland (Over 32 years in Oakland)
Educated in China, Hong Kong, Australia and the U.S.A. Obtained his Bachelor Degree in Architecture in 1961, University of California, Berkeley Owner of Henry Chang, Jr. & Associates in Oakland since 1972 Architecture & Urban Design/Real Estate Development Owner of Galaxy Associates, Inc, in Downtown Oakland - Travel Agency
Serving on the Oakland City Council 1997 Economic Development Community Development Committee Chair: Public Works Committee Life Enrichment Committee Education Partnership Committee Association of Bay Area Governments Executive Board Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Authority

Serving on the Oakland City Council 1994-1996 Rules Committee Public Safety Committee Education Partnership Committee City Port Liaison Committee Alameda Reuse and Redevelopment Authority Oakland Base Reuse Authority
Serving in City and State Commissions for over 20 Years 1974-1979 Oakland City Planning Commission (5 years) Recommended by Councilmember Frank Ogawa Appointed by Mayor John Reading Served as Chairman, 1978-79 1980-1990 Oakland Community Development Commission 1990-1992 Oakland Port Commission (2 years) (Played an important role in the reorganization of the Port) Served as Chair of Real Estate Committee Served as Chair of Finance Committee 1993-1995 S.F. Bay Conservation & Development Commission 1993-1995 Board Member of the Oakland Chamber of Commerce Former Co-Chair of the International Trades Committee for Far East Trade 1994-1995 Oakland State Building Authority State appointee to the 3-Member authority

Personal History
My childhood was not particularly happy. I was born in China in 1934. During the occupation of China, my family and I were sent to a concentration camp. There I witnessed unspeakable torture and brutality. My brother and I escaped the camp by crawling over a wall at night and hiding in a farm house. In 1952, I had the opportunity to come to the United States and enrolled in the University of California at Berkeley. I fell in love with this country and with Oakland.
While at Cal, I volunteered to do magic for children at hospitals in Oakland.

At Cal I was an o.k. art student but a very good architectural student. One of my first jobs was designing the military housing at Oak Knoll Naval Hospital.

Henry Chang as Prince Tora in Madame Sen

As a small businessman and an architect, I have had the opportunity to become involved in my children's schools and in numerous civic and cultural programs in Oakland - everything from helping Mother Wright establish the first homeless shelter in Oakland, forming the Friends of the Oakland Parks, to serving on the Oakland Planning Commission.
Frank Ogawa When Frank Ogawa died in July, 1994, I was honored to be nominated to replace him on the City Council.
From left to right: Maria, me, my wife Connie, Evelyn, Harrison, and Betsy
I am extremely proud of my family, my wife Connie is a teacher at the UC child development program. Maria works in the Economics Department at Cal. Evelyn is a supervisor for a high tech company. Betsy is an actress in numerous productions on Broadway in New York, and my son, Harrison, is a Baptist minister in San Jose.

Back to the top

Biography of Henry Chang

Councilmember Henry Chang, Jr.