CSPA was founded in July 1988 by a group of dedicated and enthusiastic Silicon Valley computer professionals. Historically, its membership was mostly Chinese-American software engineers who wanted to exchange ideas and network with each other. Over the years, CSPA established a reputation in the Valley as an all-volunteer-based organization that organizes high-quality programs and events. Attendance at its events and annual technology conference grew, and the group became popular with both technical and business professionals from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds. While the CSPA membership base now includes a broad mix of backgrounds and professional roles, a common thread that ties our members together is their interest in promoting leadership in the software industry ‡° whether as a corporate employee, executive, or entrepreneur.