International District Board Member Honored

Leeshan Birney

In the winter of 2010, Mrs.Birney was honored with a feature cover article by the magazine Chinese21.com, a sort of “Fortune Magazine” for China, published in the US, but distributed worldwide. In connection with that article, she was later one of just 50 persons honored for the business success and philanthropic endeavors. She and Mr. Birney and 7 members of their staff flew to Beijing to receive the honor.

Her biography was featured, along with the other honorees, in a beautiful hard cover book and the Chinese issued a commemorative postage stamp with her photo on it. While she was in Beijing, representatives of a similar organization and publication based in Hong Kong approached her to be featured in their “100 Famous Chinese” publication scheduled for release in November 2011. She and her biography were included along with such notable Chinese persons as Yao Ming and Michelle Kwan. Representatives affiliated with the USPS became aware of the “postage stamp” honors and contacted Mrs. Birney to see if she was interested in having a US stamp issued.

Through stamps. com, a commemorative US postage stamp, similar to the one issued by the Chinese, was issued as well. Stone Mountain Properties has 9 apartment communities and 4 commercial properties in Houston as well as real estate interests in Fort Bend County. Combined with the New Jersey holdings, they have in excess of 2,500 apartments total. The business was founded by Mrs. Birney in 1981 and the Texas operations began in 1989.