Kelly Choi to Receive HBA's Positively Beautiful Award

Beauty & Well-Being Event Recognizes TV Personality's Work with Angelwish & Citymeals-on-Wheels

NEW YORK, June 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- National and Emmy Award winning TV personality, food journalist and former model, Kelly Choi will receive the 3rd Annual HBA "Positively Beautiful" Award from HBA Global Expo for her active support of Angelwish and Citymeals-on-Wheels and their missions to help chronically ill children and homebound elderly.

"I'm excited to have such successful relationships with these amazing organizations in order to help educate the new generation on important issues that hit home for me," said Ms. Choi.

The Positively Beautiful Award was established by HBA Global to annually recognize a celebrity who uses their name and talents to further a cause that champions inner beauty and self-esteem building. The Award Presentation will be part of the events Keynote and Kick-off Presentation on Tuesday, June 28th starting at 9:00 a.m. in the Special Events Hall at the Javits Center in New York.  HBA Global Expo & Conference (www.hbaexpo.com) is the largest product development event for the cosmetic, fragrance, skin care, personal care, and well-being industries.

"We are extremely proud to present Ms. Choi with the HBA Positively Beautiful Award. Her philanthropic works with these two worthy organizations are examples of true beauty that transcends the physical," said Jill Birkett, Brand Director, Beauty & Wellness.

Born in Seoul, Korea, Kelly Choi is a former model, and won the Elite Modeling Agency's "Look of the Year" contest. Ms. Choi began her television work as a VJ for MTV Korea, as well as an entertainment reporter on the TV Guide Channel.

Having grown up in her parent's grocery store, Ms. Choi turned her love for food into a highly successful career.  She has hosted Bravo TV's Top Chef Masters, the USA finals of Bocuse d'OR, a prestigious culinary competition held in Lyon, France, every two years, as well as the James Beard Media Awards ceremony with colleague and friend, Andrew Zimmern, of Bizarre Foods. Ms Choi has also appeared as a judge for Iron Chef America and Master Chef.

Currently she is the creator, producer and host of New York's premier restaurant shows, "EAT OUT New York," and "VERY APPETIZING WITH KELLY CHOI." These weekly shows on NYC LIFE feature and highlight this city's incredible local restaurants, and the talented chefs that helm them. Ms. Choi's upcoming shows, which premiere this week, include "Late Night Kung Fu" on FUEL TV and "Secrets of New York" on NYC LIFE.

In addition to her work with Angelwish and Citymeals-on-Wheels, Ms. Choi also supports and hosts charity events for diabetes research, New York Cares, and Animal Care and Control in New York City. She has a Masters of Science from Columbia University in New York.

Prior to the Positively Beautiful Award presentation to Ms. Choi, Daniel Brestle, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Personal Care Products Council, will deliver a keynote address, followed by a sneak preview presentation by Mike Indursky, President of Bliss World to kick-off the HBA Global Expo & Conference. The entire program in the Special Events Hall is open to all attendees of the event. To register for HBA Global Expo or for more information go to www.hbaexpo.com.

About HBA Global Expo & Conference

HBA Global Expo & Conference (www.hbaexpo.com) produced by UBM Live, is the most important product development source–from concept to market–for the cosmetics, personal care, skin care, fragrance and wellness industries and features more than 600 educational and exhibitor partners and attracts more than 16,000 attendees from the top prestige, mass and emerging beauty and personal care brands worldwide. Connect with the HBA Global communities on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter.

About Angelwish

Angelwish was created to help busy people grant the holiday and birthday wishes of children living with chronic illnesses.  In 2010, after 10 years of focusing on HIV/AIDS, Angelwish expanded its mission to include children living with chronic illnesses such as asthma, diabetes and kidney disease. Angelwish achieves its mission by ensuring that 100% of individual donations are used for program services and that those funds are extended, where possible, to incorporate an educational component giving young people a hands on lesson in philanthropy. For more information go to www.angelwish.org

About Citymeals-on-Wheels

Citymeals-on-Wheels provides a continuous lifeline of nutritious food and human company to homebound elderly New Yorkers in need, helping them to live with dignity in their own familiar homes and communities.  Gifts specifically designated to cover administrative expenses make it possible for us to promise that 100% of all other donations will be used entirely for the preparation and delivery of meals. The organization was founded in 1981 by Gael Greene and James Beard after reading a newspaper article about homebound elderly New Yorkers with nothing to eat on weekends and holidays. For more information go to www.citymeals.org.