FRANK JAO
FOUNDER
BRIDGECREEK GROUP CO.
WHY: Prominent local real estate executive best known for developing the cultural enclave known as Little Saigon, which spans Westminster, Garden Grove, Fountain Valley and Santa Ana.
IN THE NEWS: Life journey from Vietnam refugee to becoming an influential developer was highlighted in a Business Journal special issue commemorating the 50 years since the fall of Saigon, titled “Vietnam’s Loss, Orange County’s Gain.”
NOTABLE: Bridgecreek has developed over 2M square feet of retail, condo and apartment space, including the 165K-square-foot Asian Garden Mall—the first Vietnamese American shopping center in the area and centerpiece of Little Saigon.
QUOTABLE: “Orange County then was providing not only good, affordable housing but also a lot of jobs to people who moved there.”
