Mr. Gene Lee, founder of the Lee Printing Company of Houston, was born in 1926 in Taishan, Guangdong, China. He moved to the United States in 1949 and settled in Houston, Texas. Mr. Lee did not receive any formal education during his early years beside a printing and Chinese typesetting apprenticeship in China. After immigrating to Houston, Mr. Lee first worked in a relative's grocery business for room and board. Mr. Lee met his wife Hedy while serving in the U.S. Army in Europe from 1951-1953. After returning to Houston, Mr. and Mrs. Lee later opened their own grocery business and then a successful printing company. Mr. Lee is a member and leader of the Chinese American Citizens Alliance (CACA), the Chinese Professional Club, the Lee Family Association, and the Wuyup (?) Association. He also participated in the Retail Grocers Association of Houston, the Printing Industries of the Gulf Coast, the East-End Chamber of Commerce, and the Houston Minority Business Council.
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