CEO, Megatoys
Charlie Woo is the co-founder and CEO of Megatoys, an international toy manufacturer company headquartered in Los Angeles, California. He is also a real estate developer and investor.
Recognized for his effort in helping other immigrants start business in Los Angeles, Charlie was elected Chairman of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the first Asian American to head this prestigious civic and business organization. He currently serves as the chair of the Workforce Development Board for the City of Los Angeles, a citizen commission that oversees the nation’s second largest workforce development program. He has been appointed and reappointed by six successive mayors of Los Angeles. Under his leadership, the City’s workforce system is recognized as model for the country. He previously served on the California Commission on Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) Affairs and the State Commission for Economic Development.
Charlie has also found time to serve on the boards of many civic organizations. Currently, he is the Chair of Center for Asian Americans United for Self-Empowerment (CAUSE), a non-partisan community organization that provides leadership development as well as civic engagement programs for the AAPI community. He serves on the boards of Committee of 100, the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at California State University, Los Angeles; and Southern California Public Radio.
Charlie’s business accomplishments and his impact on international trade, economic and workforce development for the region were featured by various news organizations including: Fortune, The Economist, New York Times, Los Angeles Times, CNN, PBS, and CNBC, etc.
Charlie received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the President’s Volunteer Service Award, and the “Distinguished Business Leader” Award by the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce, Other organizations that have recognized him include: Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs, the League of Women Voters, the Anti-Defamation League, the UCLA Alumni Association, the California Chamber of Commerce, and the Asian Business Association. He was honored by the City of Los Angeles with the “Dream of Los Angeles Award” and the “Volunteer Citizen of the Year Award.” He also received the World Trade Center Association’s “World Trade Hall of Fame Award”; the Chinese American Museum’s “Historymakers Award;” and the “Lifetime Achievement Award” from both the Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association and the Chinese-American Elected Officials of Los Angeles.
Charlie immigrated to Los Angeles from Hong Kong at the age of 17 to study Physics at UCLA where he received both his BS and MS degrees. He and his wife, Ying, reside in Pasadena, California.
