.png)
%20(1).png){kind=small}
Education
Baruch College
Finance, General
CUNY New York City College of Technology
Architecture
Bentley Zhao
Chairman & Chief Executive Officer
Bentley Zhao is the Chairman & CEO of New Empire Corp., a New York City-based development and construction management firm. Since becoming CEO in 2004, Zhao has transformed New Empire into a leader in the NYC real estate market, overseeing the completion of over 120 projects, including condominiums, hotels, and mixed-use properties, adding over 2,000 units to its portfolio.
Under Zhao's leadership, New Empire handles every aspect of real estate development—from property sourcing to unit marketing—ensuring efficient, high-quality results. With a background in architecture from CUNY New York City College of Technology, Zhao is dedicated to delivering innovative designs and value.
Zhao is also a committed community leader, with a focus on education and sustainable city initiatives. He serves on the Board of Directors for Sing Tao Daily USA, is an Honorary Professor at Huali College, and founded the Asian Commercial Real Estate Association to promote housing attainability and diversity in real estate leadership. During the pandemic, Zhao made significant contributions to local hospitals and charities, earning recognition from the America-China Hotel Association.
He has been honored with numerous awards, including Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business and recognition as an Outstanding Business Leader by the New York State Assembly.
Moment of Recognition
Professional Recognition
2016 New York State Government Evaluates New Empire Corp. as An Outstanding Company
2016 World Jiangmen Youth Conference Top Ten Outstanding Youth Awards
2016 Best Businessman of the Year: Brooklyn, NY
2017 New York State Government Endorses New Empire Corp.
2017 Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business
2017 Outstanding Citizen of Brooklyn Community
2017 Enhancement to the Business Community of NEC
2017 Outstanding Business Leadership Award
2018 Star Under 40 Awards & Networking Event
2018 President Award: Lifetime Achievement Award
2019 The Stars & Stripes Democratic Organization Community Service Award and Honoree
2020 N.Y. City Council – Citation
2020 Certificate of Congressional Recognition, U.S. Congressman Max Rose
2022 Crain's New York Business Notable Leaders in Real Estate
2022 CACP Outstanding Award
2023 NY Republican State Committee, American Dream Lifetime Achievement Award
2024 New York Commercial Real Estate RED Award for Most Active Developer of the Year
Professional Affiliation
President of the Chinese American Construction Professionals (CACP) New York Chapter
Honorary Professor of Huali College, Guangdong University of Technology (01756.HK)
Executive Vice President of Youth Association in Jiangmen, China
Executive Vice President of AMERICA HOTEL OWNERS CHARITABLE ASSOCIATION
President of Real Estate Department of AMERICA HOTEL OWNERS CHARITABLE ASSOCIATION
Vice-President of New York, Guangdong Overseas Chinese Association
Board Director of Sing Tao Daily USA (01105.HK)
Candidate for the Board of Directors at NYC Development Corp.
FORUM FOR WORLD EDUCATION (FWE) member of committee and young leader