Scroll down to see Nobel Prize Winner and SJC Alumnus praising Tom's father, "Small Man"

Philip and Mary Tom

EDUCATION B.S. degree in Civil Engineering (major in structural engineering) (Left Hong Kong in January 1961 for the University of California at Berkeley, in San Francisco Bay Area.) CAREER 1966 – 1977 & 1984 -- 1986 (13 years): T.Y. Lin International, a structural engineering firm headed by the famous Professor, T.Y. Lin himself, from University of California. He was well known as a pioneer who utilized "pre-stressed concrete design" for buildings and bridges. 1978 – 1983 (5 years): Palmer and Turner, a famous architectural and structural engineering firm in Hong Kong. 1986 – 2003 (17 years): Division of the State Architect, a state government organization that reviews structural design and oversees construction of public schools and colleges (and hospitals in the past). Took an early retirement. 2004 – 2007 (4 years): Building Department at Alameda County. Present: Looking for work after three months of full retirement. FAMILY Wife of 38 years: Mary graduated from San Francisco State University with a B.A. degree in accounting. She did not work until our first child reached the age of ten. She then worked part time. Now, she runs our small real estate development projects in this area. Daughter: Vicki, 36. Sons: Gerald, 34, and Eric, 32. Grand daughters: 2 -- ages 4 and 2; grand-son, 1 -- age 2. Relatives: Uncle, aunts, cousins, & nieces and their families: About 30 of them. We try to have a family picnic in a city park around July 4 (a National Holiday) every year. That will be the time we can see each other in one place. Otherwise we will see each other in weddings and baby parties. HOUSE The two of us have never moved out of the City. Five years ago, we had a contractor built our own house. It is a 4-story high timber building (with fire sprinkler system), but we have a small elevator (lift). The house is located 1-1/2 mile south of Golden Gate Bridge, and we have a view of the Bridge from our windows. We enjoy walking in the quiet neighborhood and in the near-by historical Park Presidio (used to be a military base for the US Army). INTERESTS Walking: 3 to 4 miles a day when not working. Exercise: Follow video on cardio/abs exercise – 30 minutes a day, about 4 days a week. Watch sport games on TV: Almost every day -- on baseball, basketball, football, tennis, golf etc. (Mary recently likes to watch TV series on Chinese channels) Reading: Light reading on history of China, Europe, Middle East etc. Travel: About two 3-week oversea travels per year. INFORMATION AVAILABLE Structural design and construction of buildings. Architectural design and development of residential buildings. WELCOME INFORMATION ON: Vitamins and Chinese herbs that promote good health. Highly recommended places around the world to visit. BRIEF HISTORY OF SAN FRANCISCO, where we live: Area of 47 sq. mi.; population of 800,000 1770s – Spanish explorers named the bay "San Francisco Bay" after Saint Francis of Assisi, Italy. 1776 – Spain established a military outpost in area now called the Presidio on north side of the City. 1820s – Spain authority gave way to that of Mexico. 1846 – America declared war on Mexico in a dispute over the Mexico-Texas border. A navy ship entered the bay and claimed California for the US. A navy lieutenant changed the name of the town from Yerba Buena to San Francisco – after the name of the bay. 1849 – At the beginning of Gold Rush, thousands of fortune seekers arrived. 1906 – An earthquake estimated at 7.7 to 7.9 on the Richter scale rocked the City. Fire broke out for 3 days. Because of the broken water lines, three-fourth of the homes was destroyed by fire. 1937 – Golden Gate Bridge was completed.

Mention of Philip's Father, our science teacher "Small Man", in 2005 autobiography of 2009 Nobel Prize winner for physics.

St Joseph's Alumnus: 2009 Nobel Prize winner for physics. Charles Gao

Picture of Philip's father, "small man". Front row on right, to the left hand of Bro. Brandan. Ah Soong front row on left. (circa 1953)