C.C. Yin - Founder and Chairman of CAASC and APAPA

C.C. Yin is an established entrepreneur who recognizes the need to serve the community as much as he can. Besides being one of the founders of APAPA, he is also a co-founder of the Solano County Chinese-American Association. He serves as president of the Vacaville Chamber of Commerce and is active in the Fairfield-Suisun Chamber of Commerce. Although being the owner of twenty McDonald's restaurants alongside his wife Regina might be his area of achievement in the eyes of the public, C.C. Yin is also recognized as a continuing active leader and a participant in community and civic organizations. He is actively involved in a number of organizations and institutions such as the Vacaville Rotary Club, the Vacaville Counter Force program, his local NAACP chapter, and local schools as well as other educational programs.

Born in Chengdu, China, C.C. Yin grew up during times of upheaval and distress caused by the Second World War going on at the time. After seeking refuge in Taiwan for a number of years, C.C. Yin arrived to the U.S. in 1964 and attended the University of Washington, where he earned his Master's Degree in Civil Engineering. He also met his wife at the university, and the two were married two years later. C.C. and his wife Regina have been working as a team ever since they were married. They have three lovely daughters: Mary, Betty, and Carol. C.C. worked as an engineer for companies like Bechtel and Fluor Corp. for a number of years before taking over an Oakland McDonald's in 1984.

Owning a McDonald's was C.C. Yin's dream while leading the career as an engineer. He wanted to engage in the business of running his own McDonald's and along with his wife, he decided to take the plunge. Getting started was difficult because they were among one of the first Chinese-Americans to apply for a McDonald's franchise. However, C.C. Yin did not give up and finally in 1984, C.C. and Regina were offered the McDonald's in Oakland. Although it was not in the best neighborhood, C.C. and Regina managed to improve not only the business, but also the neighborhood as well. After opening four more McDonald's in Oakland, they decided to sell them and bought four other units in Solano City. C.C. Yin and Regina currently own twenty McDonald's, located in both Solano and Yolo counties.

C.C. Yin's involvement and financial support of the community can be based on the motto of McDonald's when the company first started. The motto was to reinvest in the community one lives and raises their children in. C.C. Yin and his wife picked Vacaville as their home because they felt that the atmosphere and environment there fit them well. When the Asian programming KTSF Channel 26 was in jeopardy of being cancelled in Vacaville, C.C. Yin immediately came forward and organized an effort to save Channel 26 from being cancelled. The attempt might not have been successful if C.C. Yin had not stepped up to the plate. C.C. Yin further extended his support for the community by helping to found Asian Pacific Islander American Political Association http://www.apapa.org, a nonprofit organization which aims to promote political awareness and participation among Asian Pacific Islander Americans. APAPA is growing rapidly today in numbers as well as in its influential role in the politics. In addition, because of C.C. and Regina's innumerably generous activisms and involvements in the community, it was without surprise that California Assembly Majority Floor Leader Thomas M. Hannigan wrote a letter to McDonald's Corp. chief executive Michael Quinlan in support of their efforts to acquire ownership of a proposed restaurant. Nonetheless, C.C. Yin and his wife have demonstrated that good deeds and a warm heart can only bring about gratifying rewards

Achievements

Martin, Richard Yin McDonald's -Golden Arches Mark Golden Opportunity for Immigrant Husband-wife Team, Nation's Restaurant News, January 1998
Pierce, Stephen, Beanie Baby Craze Hits Fairfield, Daily Republic, April 19, 1997
C.C. Yin's Campaign for Channel 26, Letter from the Mayor of Vacaville, January 2, 1997
Operator Involvement List of C.C. & Regina Yin (Updated annually in January) 1997
Distinguished Citizen Award to C.C. Yin, by Air Mobility Command U.S. Air Force May 1997
Pierce, Stephen, McDonald's Serves Up 55-cent Breakfast, Daily Republic, April 3, 1997
Eberling, Barry, Ronald Hits Schools to Serve Up Advice-Clownishness, Daily Republic, October 11, 1997
Yins Get McDonald's Award, Reporter, Vacaville, California, September 1997
Yins Earn Ronald Award, People in Business, Daily Republic, September 2, 1997
Harness, Don, Lion Dance Welcomes Ox, Reporter, Vacaville, February 17, 1997
Yin Recognized as a Selfless Woman, Woman of the Year for Regina Yin, Reporter, March 6, 1997
News Release: McDonald's Owner/Operations Receive National Recognition for their Contributions to "Building the Business," Sacramento, California, August 22, 1997
" Letter of Acknowledgement of Mary Yin Liu, Candy Fucchi, Fairfield, California, July 1, 1997
LaMar, Andrew, Living the American Dream, Daily Republic, April 6, 1997
SHOP Vacaville Installation Highlights, undated
Letter to "Business Beat" from C.C. Yin, undated
Award of Congressional Recognition to Chei C. Yin, June 7, 1997
Chinese-Americans Celebrate Rich Solano County Heritage, Reporter, February 3, 1997
The Best of Solano 1997, Daily Republic, February 22, 1997
Vacaville Chamber of Commerce 47th Annual Installation and Awards Dinner, January 7, 1997
Asian-Pacific Islanders Association Banquet on May 30, 1997
Letter from Senator K. Maurice Joannessen to C.C. & Regina Yin, May 30, 1997
Congratulations! Regina Yin, Rotary News & Notes, March 11, 1997
Wilson Comes to Vacaville, Reporter, May 23, 1997
Recognition of Performance Letter to Carol D. Yin, USF, January 14, 1997
Faught, Judith, Drive Thru Best Under the Golden Arches, Daily Republic, 1996
Robson, Douglas, A Walk Down Memory Lane, Daily Republic, Fairfield, California, March 12, 1996
Rosenbaum, Joel, Vacaville Chamber Changes its Board, Reporter, Fairfield, California, June 10, 1996
Thompson, Ian, McNuggets, Masterpieces at New McDonald's in Mall, Daily Republic, November 1, 1996
Channel Changing, Campaign Headed Up by C.C. Yin, Reporter, Fairfield, California, December 26, 1996
State of California Legislature Award to Regina Yin, Woman of the Year
C.C. Yin Installed as President of Vacaville Chamber of Commerce, Vacaville, July 1996
McDonald's Grand Opening! The Monthly Grapevine, Fairfield, Suisun & Travis Edition, January 1996
August Mixer Thank You-Vacaville Fire Dept, SHOP Vacaville, September 1996
Kim, Shaighn Sung-Yun, Heroes & Sheroes: Profile of Mary Yin Liu, The Apaba Reporter, September to October 1996
Coburn, Eleanor, Thanks for Help at McDonald's, Daily Republic, April 29, 1996
Fitch, Mike, Vacaville Chamber Appoints Five to its Board of Directors, Reporter, April 1996
Fitch, Mike, Relishing Hard Work, Reporter, Fairfield, California, October 20, 1996
Thank you Solano County! Daily Republic, February 24, 1996 & Expressline, February 28, 1996
Regan, Kerri, TCI Bows to Public, Reinstates Channel 26, Reporter, December 20, 1996
Ferris, David, Civic leaders learn principals' lessons, Reporter, March 20, 1996
Thank you letter to C.C. Yin from Bernell P. Yoshiko McCoy Jr., December 23, 1996
Letter to notify the recognition of C.C. & Regina Yin, NAACP, January 11, 1996
Action News, McDonald's-Childnet in the News, December 1995
Solano Scene, 5th McDonald's opens next year, December 6, 1995
Vacaville Chamber of Commerce, Membership Drive Newsletter, May & November 1995
Roach, Rick, Golden Opportunities, Reporter, Fairfield, California, November 17, 1995
Robson, Douglas, Fifth McDonald's Opens Next Year, Daily Republic, December 6, 1995
Thank You Solano County! Daily Republic, February 25, 1995
President's Corner, Working Together-Winning Together, by C.C. Yin, SHOP Vacaville, 1995 SHOP Vacaville Installation Highlights
Letter to "Business Beat" from C.C. Yin, undated
PAL, McDonald's Partners in Achieving Literacy, Awarded to C.C. & Regina Yin
Flying with the Finest, Vacaville Chamber of Commerce, December, 1993
Appreciation Letter to C.C. & Regina Yin from Sam's Club, Vacaville, CA, September 29, 1993
Letter of Recommendation from Assembly, California Legislature, for supporting Yin's
President's Club, Get's First Diamond Member, Grand Opening of New Restaurant, SHOP Vacaville
Letter of Acknowledgement of C.C. & Regina Yin, from Sam's Club
Resolution to Regina Yin by California State Senator K. Maurice Johannessen
March 1993 Sales Leaders, McDonald's Corporation, April 8, 1993
August 1992 Sales Leaders, McDonald's Corporation, April 8, 1993
Daily Republic Partners in Education presents N.I.E. FOR K-3
"AAA Outstanding Store" Award, Oakland area, 1990
Outstanding Store Manager Award, Richard Hisieh, Oakland, 68th Store, 1989
Newsletter of McDonald's San Francisco Regional Office, Top Ten Volume Store, 1985