Asian community leader Benjamin Woo (1923-2008) was born in Seattle and attended Queen Anne High School and the University of Chicago. After military service he returned to Seattle and opened an architectural firm in Madison Park. He directed King County’s Construction and Facilities Management Department and served as president of the Seattle Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Mr. Woo also headed the Chinatown-International District Preservation and Development Authority, championed low-income housing for Asian elderly, and was active in the establishment of the Wing Luke Museum.

In January 1984, the BankAmerica Foundation made loans to two Seattle development authorities to complete housing projects aimed at low- and moderate-income families. Here, Bruce Perry (left), head of the Central Area Public Development Authority listens to Ben Woo (right), head of the Seattle Chinatown-International District Preservation and Development Authority.

Caption information source: The Seattle Times: "Seattle projects selected for loan program," February 2, 1984, p. D4; and February 12, 2008.
Caption information also derived from captions written by Post-Intelligencer staff and attached to the back of the photograph.