IMMIGRATION SUCCESS
Four Immigrants Who Made It In Queens

By Azi Paybarah and Thomas Lin

Some of the most successful people in the borough came to Queens from around the world.

From the millions of immigrants who’ve made Queens their home are stories of awe-inspiring success.

One would-be millionaire launched a nationwide furniture business after his lack of English proficiency barred him from becoming a teacher. The founder of 1-800-MATTRES said using the telephone to boost sales was an idea he got while riding the train from his little store on Jamaica Avenue.

Another immigrant-success story began when a young Taiwanese man working as an apartment building superintendent started making window security bars in the basement. Four years after its launching as a window manufacturer, Crystal Windows posted $2.5 million in sales, and would be named the largest window manufacture in the Northeast United States.

The United States Labor Department and Queensborough Community College each are led by immigrants who came to this country with little more than a total dedication to their education.

Napoleon Barragan, founder of 1-800-MATTRES, was born and raised on his father’s farm in Bilovan, Ecuador. He worked his way across the border to Bogota, Colombia as a photographer’s assistant, and eventually as a teacher. Before leaving Colombia in 1969, Barragan founded a private school to teach foreign languages.

When Barragan came to Queens with his wife and child, he sought to continue his teaching career within the New York City public school system. But he had yet to grasp enough of the English language to meet the proficiency standards. Unable to teach, Barragan began working entry-level positions in several Long Island City factories.

With the help of his wife, who sold Avon cosmetic products, the couple opened a store called, "College Furniture Discount" on Jamaica Avenue in 1975, near York College. One year later, they expanded to a second store in Manhattan.

While commuting by train between the stores, Barragan saw an advertisement for steaks sold over the telephone. If ready to eat steaks could be delivered to people’s houses, so could mattresses, Barragan thought.

By using the telephone to make name brand mattresses available to costumers 24 hours a day, Barragan launched 1-800-MATTRES, whose misspelled moniker was explained with the jingle, "Leave off the last ‘S’ for savings." By 1999, the company reported $80 million in sales.

In 1982, Thomas Chen was a Taiwanese immigrant working 12-hour shifts on sweater-weaving machine. For extra money, and the chance to improve his conversational English, Chen took a job as the superintendent of a residential building.

The opportunity Chen found at this job was less focused on the English language, and more focused on American entrepreneurship. Most of the building’s tenants were Spanish-speaking, but like other city residents at the time, were conscious of the city’s alarming crime rate.

From the building’s basement, Chen built security bars to place over windows. Clients purchasing the window bars were also interested in replacing their windows altogether, Chen realized. From the window security bar business, Chen spun a second business in 1986.

With the help of two partners, Crystal Window and Door Systems, Ltd manufacturers was born. By 1990, with a mostly Asian clientele, the company posted $2.5 million in sales. With Chen’s improved English and broadening marketing approach, the company’s sales soared to $20 million within five years.

Chen, now a fluent English-speaking citizen, has launched one more endeavor. In 2003, Chen started the Crystal Windows Scholarship that awards $5,000 to college aspiring Asian high school students hoping to go to college.

Elaine Chao left Taiwan for the United States four decades ago at the age of eight. Arriving in Queens, she became a third-grader at P.S. 117 in Jamaica without knowing a word of English. She worked to learn the new language and culture, copying every word from the blackboard in class.

Chao’s work ethic was inspired by her father. In 1958, Chao’s father came to the United States with little money, but a lot of dedication. That determination and hard work trickled down to the six Chao daughters, all of whom received degrees from Harvard or Columbia University.

After completing her undergraduate degree in economics from Mount Holyoke College, Chao graduated with an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School. She has also studied at M.I.T., Dartmouth College and Columbia University.

Throughout her career, Chao has been awarded numerous honors for her professional accomplishments and community service. She has 21 honorary doctoral degrees from colleges and universities around the world.

In 2001, Elaine L. Chao became the 24th Secretary of Labor, the first Asian American to hold a cabinet-level position.

In nominating Chao for the job, President Bush described her as someone with "strong executive talent, compassion, and commitment to helping people build better lives."

"She’s opened the doors for us as sisters, as women, as Asian Americans and on so many different levels," her sister, Angela, said in a Newsday interview.

It should be no surprise that Queensborough Community College (QCC) – an institution where at least half the student body is foreign born – is headed by one itself.

Eduardo Marti came to this country in order to flee political oppression. In November of 1960, Marti left Cuba for the United States, and was joined a year later by his 12-year-old sister.

Marti entered the world of higher education by enrolling in New York University, where he eventually graduated with a Bachelor of Arts, a Masters and then a P.H.D. in biology.

Having risen through the ranks of education, Marti went to the head of the class, teaching at various community colleges in the Northeast. Although taught in a school with high admission standards, Marti has made a career of working in community colleges whose main focus is admitting all students willing to apply.