Kalamazoo Times

Zhang Financial has been named the recipient of the 2025 Business Arts Award by the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. The award recognizes the company’s contributions to supporting and strengthening arts organizations in the region.

Lynn Chen-Zhang, a trustee at Western Michigan University (WMU) and alumna, along with Charles Zhang, also a WMU alumnus, lead Zhang Financial as CEO and founder/president respectively. Their philanthropy has supported several local arts groups including Western Michigan University’s School of Theatre and Dance, the Kalamazoo Symphony Orchestra, and Gilmore Piano Festival.

“These honorees demonstrate how the arts build belonging, fuel learning and shape a vibrant community,” said Kristen Chesak, executive director of the Arts Council of Greater Kalamazoo. “Their work shows what is possible when talent and generosity move in step with purpose.”

The Business Arts Award is given for leadership in fostering partnerships with artists and institutions. According to representatives from WMU’s School of Theatre and Dance and Miller Auditorium, “Zhang Financial’s support directly impacts youth and students at WMU and throughout Kalamazoo County. Their sponsorship of the WMU Theatre Guild President’s Performance provides essential financial resources for theatre students to complete their degrees and prepare them for a career in the arts.”

In addition to financial sponsorships, Zhang Financial encourages engagement with the arts by purchasing event tickets for employees, clients, and friends. Nominators stated that this “breadth of commitment ensures that the arts in Kalamazoo not only survive but thrive. (The Zhangs’) visible support has strengthened arts organizations, attracted new patrons and contributed to the region’s reputation as a vibrant cultural hub."

In recognition of its ongoing partnership since 2018 as presenting sponsor of Broadway in West Michigan series, Miller Auditorium named its theatre after Zhang Financial in 2025.

“Leadership by example is central. Charles and Lynn Zhang personally attend, advocate, and serve in advisory capacities, underscoring that arts patronage is not just corporate giving but part of the firm’s ethos,” nominators wrote. “In doing so, they create a ripple effect that inspires others in the business sector to integrate the arts into their own organizational culture.”

Both Lynn Chen-Zhang and Charles Zhang have longstanding connections to WMU as alumni as well as donors.

A public celebration honoring all Community Arts Awards recipients will be held on December 9 at Lake Auditorium on Kalamazoo Valley Community College's Texas Township campus.