NEW YORK, Dec. 28 (Xinhua) -- Chinese-American leadership organization Committee of 100 (C100) on Monday expressed its sadness and condolences over the death of its co-founder and former chair Shirley Young.

Young passed away on Saturday evening at Memorial Sloan Kettering hospital in New York City at the age of 85.

"Shirley cared deeply for the mission and future of C100. It was her wish that all members will come together, as accomplished citizens of this country, to enhance the role of all Chinese Americans," stated Yo-Yo Ma, Henry Tang and Oscar Tang, who co-founded the organization with Young in 1990.

Young served as the chairperson of the Committee of 100 from 1990 to 1996 as she worked as vice president of General Motors from 1988 to the end of 1999.

"This is heartbreaking news, and our deepest condolences go out to her family and friends who are grieving her loss, many of them at C100," said H. Roger Wang, chairman of Committee of 100.

"Ms. Young was an active member in all of the Committee of 100's work and continued to support the organization for the past 30 years. Her passion for arts and cultural exchange between the U.S. and China will long be remembered, and her legacy on Chinese American issues will continue to guide our work at Committee of 100. She will be greatly missed," said Zhengyu Huang, president of Committee of 100.

Young was one of C100's four governors before her death and served as chairwoman of the U.S.-China Cultural Institute.

The Committee of 100, a non-profit U.S. leadership organization of prominent and extraordinary Chinese Americans in business, government, academia, healthcare, and the arts, is committed to the dual missions of promoting the full participation of Chinese Americans in all aspects of American life and constructive relations between the United States and greater China.