Drums sounded and colorful lion dancers pranced in front of the podium at San Francisco’s Banker’s Club on Sept. 14 marking 37 years of service and the retirement of Dennis Wu, national managing partner of the Chinese Services Group for Deloitte and Touche USA.
About 150 people, including former San Francisco Mayor Frank Jordan, Judge Harry Low and KGO radio talk-show host Ray Talifarro, were on hand to honor the 62-year-old community leader.
His wife Susan, their infant son Dennis Casey, his 94-year-old mother Mae and his brother Kenneth also joined in the celebration.
Wu, who came to this country as a 16-year-old from the Philippines, said, “As an immigrant, I feel very lucky. I believe it’s very important to give back to the community and to this country. They made it possible for me to succeed.”
Speaker after speaker chronicled Wu’s many accomplishments and his contributions. Eunice Azzani, former chairperson of San Francisco’s Chamber of Commerce, credited Wu with encouraging his firm to join in the fight against AIDS and breast cancer. She pointed out that he became the first minority president of the prestigious Commonwealth Club and, in similar fashion, the first minority president of the UC Berkeley Business School Alumni Association.
Wu has also been active in local politics and served as the treasurer for the Committee of 100 for a decade.
In recognition of his service and leadership, a city proclamation was presented to Wu, and a large jade carving was unveiled and handed to him. It was announced that Deloitte and Touche will award annually a crystal replica of what is now dubbed the Dennis Wu trophy to the outstanding partner or employee who perpetuates the ideas of its namesake. Wu had encouraged his company to utilize the bicultural and bilingual skills of its Asian American employees to benefit both the company and its clients.
Wu says he’s not going to quit working.
“I want to work with young Chinese Americans and help them to be successful business leaders,” Wu declared. He plans to set up a consulting firm to help accomplish this. “When my son Den-Den [Dennis Casey] grows up, I would like him to love and care for his community as much as I do.”