{{Short description|American businessman}} {{for|the footballer|Stephen Garlock Liu}} '''Stephen Christopher Liu''' is an American internet entrepreneur, media executive and philanthropist. He is the founder of Privy Circle, a community of influencers and entrepreneurs, and M8, a matchmaking app. He is also the founder of the Asian Professional Exchange as well as the National Asian Breast Cancer Initiative.
==Career==
Liu is the CEO of Privy Groupe which owns Privy Circle, a luxury lifestyle brand, and M8, a dating app.<ref name="USC1">{{Cite web |url= http://www.uschina.usc.edu/article@usct?love_on_the_cloud_the_rise_of_online_dating_in_china_20518.aspx |publisher= US-China Today/USC US-China Institute|title= Love on the Cloud: The Rise of Online Dating in China|accessdate=August 26, 2017}}</ref> Privy circle was previously Privy.net, an exclusive private social network and online/mobile platform for executives and influential figures in the US and Asia.<ref name="AP">{{Cite web |url= http://www.kcet.org/socal/local_heroes/apahm/local-hero-stephen-christopher-liu.html |publisher= KCET.org|title= Asian Pacific American Heritage Month — Local Hero: Stephen Christopher Liu |work= KCET|accessdate=May 13, 2014}}</ref><ref name="PN">{{Cite web |url= http://www.tigerstartups.com/blogs/439/privy.net-an-exclusive-private-social-network-for-the-asia-focused-travelling-jetsetter |publisher= TigerStartups.com |title= Privy.net, An Exclusive Private Social Network For The Asia-Focused Travelling Jetsetter — Local Hero: Stephen Christopher Liu |access-date= May 13, 2014 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140517124733/http://www.tigerstartups.com/blogs/439/privy.net-an-exclusive-private-social-network-for-the-asia-focused-travelling-jetsetter |archive-date= May 17, 2014 }}</ref>
Previously, he Liu founded and was president of Reelplay, a Forbes Top 200 B2B Company. It was one of the early streaming video-enabled B2B digital marketplaces catering to the global film and television distribution industry.<ref name="AP"/> At Reelplay, Liu raised nearly $6 million in venture capital from Silicon Valley and Hollywood backers, including Softbank Capital and WaterView Advisors, run by Frank Biondi Jr. (a former Viacom, Universal Studios and HBO CEO).<ref name="SD">{{Cite web |url= http://www.screendaily.com/biondi-chen-tip-in-for-reelplay-financing/401735.article |publisher= ScreenDaily.com|title= Biondi, Chen tip in for Reelplay financing |accessdate=May 13, 2014}}</ref><ref name="SL">{{Cite web |url= http://apex.org/main/full_bio/chairman-of-the-board-ex-officio-director |publisher= APEX.org|title= Stephen Liu: Chairman Of The Board & Ex Officio Director |accessdate=May 13, 2014}}</ref>
Liu founded the Asian Professional Exchange in 1993 in the wake of the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Though there were many organizations that catered to particular Asian ethnicities and their professions, Liu was interested in establishing a pan-Asian organization for young professionals that mentored its members and gave back to the community. Despite initial naysaying, the organization grew. "Above all, I wanted to make sure that the group was inclusive, so that a new person coming into town would feel welcomed," he told Asian Week.<ref name="AW">{{Cite web |url= http://www.asianweek.com/2009/03/31/the-apex-of-a-new-generation/ |publisher= Asian Week |title= The APEX of a New Generation |access-date= May 13, 2014 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140517122639/http://www.asianweek.com/2009/03/31/the-apex-of-a-new-generation/ |archive-date= May 17, 2014 }}</ref>
He served as the organization's founding president from 1993 to 1997, and led the organization from conception to one of the largest Asian Pacific American organizations in United States, with over 10,000 members. Liu remains active in the organization and serves as chairman of the board.<ref name="AW"/>
In 2010, with Teddy Zee Productions, Liu produced a series of public service announcement videos alongside Teddy Zee (''Hitch'' / ''Pursuit of Happyness''), Adrian Zaw, and George Wang.<ref name="Stephen C Liu - Goldsea">{{Cite web |url= http://goldsea.com/Text/index.php?id=2520 |publisher= Goldsea.com|title= Stephen C. Liu |accessdate=May 13, 2014}}</ref> John Cho, Sandra Oh, Kaba Modern Legacy, Justin Chon, David Choi, and many other celebrities were featured in the announcements, which helped to secure funding for the Center for the Pacific Asian Family (CPAF) through the Chase Community Giving contest.<ref name="TS">{{Cite magazine |url= https://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/01/justin-chon-charity-twilight/ |publisher= Wired.com|title= Twilight Star Justin Chon Talks Charity, Eclipse |magazine= Wired|accessdate=May 13, 2014|last1= Silver|first1= Curtis}}</ref> The charity was in the top 20 out of 100 competing charities, creating awareness for issues regarding sexual assault and domestic violence.<ref name="CPAF">{{Cite web |url= http://www.8asians.com/2010/01/18/cpaf-psa-youtube-all-stars-united-against-violence/ |publisher= 8Asians.com|title= CPAF PSA: YouTube All-Stars "United Against Violence" |date= 18 January 2010|accessdate=May 13, 2014}}</ref>
His involvement in the entertainment industry also includes a credit as executive producer of the feature documentary film, ''Yours Truly, Miss Chinatown''.
In addition, Liu co-founded The National Asian Breast Cancer Initiative (NABCI). It is a pilot, not-for-profit initiative headed by the Privy Groupe, that aims to address the unique cultural, linguistic and biological challenges that Asian women face related to breast cancer; Liu's mother is a breast cancer survivor. The NABCI is fiscally managed by the Asian Pacific Community Fund, and endorsed by the Asian and Pacific Islander National Cancer Survivors Network, which is part of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum.<ref name="NABCI)">{{Cite web |url= http://www.apcf.org/what-we-do/national-asian-breast-cancer-initiative |publisher= Asian Pacific Community Fund |title= National Asian Breast Cancer Initiative (NABCI) |access-date= May 13, 2014 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140517120453/http://www.apcf.org/what-we-do/national-asian-breast-cancer-initiative |archive-date= May 17, 2014 }}</ref> The initiative was formed to address the cultural, linguistic and genetic challenges that Asian women face related to breast cancer.<ref name="ASIAN WOMEN DON'T GET BREAST CANCER">{{Cite web |url= http://blog.angryasianman.com/2013/10/asian-women-dont-get-breast-cancer.html |publisher= AngryAsianMan.com|title= ASIAN WOMEN DON'T GET BREAST CANCER |accessdate=May 13, 2014}}</ref><ref name="SC Times">{{Cite web |url= http://www.asamnews.com/2013/10/28/sc-times-asian-american-breast-cancer-survivor-says-asians-get-breast-cancer-too/ |publisher= AsAmNews.com|title= SC Times: Asian American Breast Cancer Survivor Says #Asians Get Breast Cancer Too |date= 28 October 2013|accessdate=May 13, 2014}}</ref>
==Honors and public recognition==
His varied accomplishments earned Liu the honor of "Icon of Inspiration" by Martell/APEX in 2014,<ref name="APEX">{{Cite web |url= http://apex.org/martellicons/|publisher= Asian Professional Exchange |title= Causes|accessdate=August 26, 2017}}</ref> as well as "Local Hero" by KCET and UnionBank in 2009<ref name="AP"/> and an "Emerging Leader" by the Asian Pacific Community Fund (APCF) in 2008. He was also recognized by the Boy Scouts of America as a "Distinguished Citizen" and Goldsea as one of the "Top 40 Young Asian American Professionals".<ref name="Stephen C Liu - Goldsea"/>
In addition, Liu is an active commentator on luxury marketing to Asian Americans and the media. He has been invited to speak at events such as, the Asian American Advertising Federation (3AF)<ref name="Model Minority to Model Consumer">{{Cite web |url= http://www.3af.org/mm2mc_agenda.html |publisher= 3af.org|title= Model Minority to Model Consumer |accessdate=May 13, 2014}}</ref> and the Internet Dating & Dating Industry Conference.<ref name="Internet Dating & Dating Industry Conference (Las Vegas 2014)">{{Cite web |url= http://www.internetdatingconference.com/agenda-las-vegas-2014.php |publisher= Internetdatingconference.com|title= Internet Dating & Dating Industry Conference (Las Vegas 2014) |accessdate=May 13, 2014}}</ref> He's also been recognized by the Asian Pacific American Studies School at Loyola Marymount University.<ref name="Model Minority to Model Consumer"/>
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120426071340/http://www.stephenliu.com/ Personal website] *[http://apex.org/ Official website of the Asian Pacific Exchange] *[http://privy.net/ Official website of Privy.net] *[http://www.privycircle.com Official website of M8] *[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1326279/ IMDB link for ''Yours Truly, Miss Chinatown'']
{{DEFAULTSORT:Liu, Stephen}} Category:American businesspeople in the computer industry Category:American media executives Category:American people of Chinese descent Category:American chief executives in technology Category:Asian-American culture Category:University of Southern California alumni Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people)