[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 13]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 18878-18879]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         A TRIBUTE MR. WING FAT

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT T. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 30, 1999

  Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker, I am honored to rise in tribute to Mr. Wing 
Fat of Sacramento, California. The Sacramento Chinese Community Service 
Center will honor him for all of his great contributions to the Asian 
and Pacific Islander communities in our area. I ask all of my 
colleagues to join me in saluting Wing Fat's outstanding philanthropic 
endeavors.
  Wing Kai Fat was born in 1926 in Canton, China to Frank and Mary Fat. 
At the age of nine, Wing and his mother joined his father in the United 
States. While his parents worked hard to achieve the American dream, 
Wing, being the older sibling to his brothers and sisters, became a 
father figure in the family.
  While helping to raise his younger brothers and sisters, Wing worked 
along side his father for very long hours at Frank Fat's restaurant 
when it opened in 1939. Wing graduated from Sacramento High School in 
1945 as a very accomplished athlete.
  From 1945 to 1947 Wing served in the U.S. Army Air Force during the 
end of World War II. He rose to the rank of sergeant while stationed in 
the Philippines. He returned home to graduate from Sacramento State 
College in 1951.
  Wing became the manager at Frank Fat's restaurant where he quickly 
acquired a reputation as a gregarious and gracious host. While working 
at Frank Fat's, a famous Sacramento eatery, he hosted presidents, 
governors, members of Congress, legislative leaders, and many 
celebrities.
  Governor Pat Brown appointed Wing to the California Veterans Board in 
1966 and Governor Ronald Reagan re-appointed him to that post in 1971. 
In 1981, Governor Jerry Brown appointed Wing to the California State 
Fair Board. Wing remains close with former California Governors George 
Deukmejian and Pete Wilson.
  Besides Frank Fat's, Wing is co-owner of Fat City, California Fat's, 
and a soon-to-be opened restaurant in Roseville, California. He has 
established a remarkable reputation for his business acumen, as well as 
his community service activities. He has served on the board of 
directors of Cathay Bank and River City Bank in Sacramento.
  Additionally, he has served on the boards of the California State 
University Sacramento Foundation, the Sacramento Host Committee, and 
the Golden State University Board. Wing is currently active on the 
University of California at Davis Hospital Leadership Council

[[Page 18879]]

and the Transplant Hope Foundation to raise funds for the UCD 
Transplant Research Center. He is also the past president of the 
Grandfathers Club of Sacramento.
  Wing Fat is truly a gentleman in every sense of the word. He 
epitomizes honesty in business and service to community. His strong 
links to the business community have made the Asian Pacific Rim 
Festival founded by his father a great success every year in Old 
Sacramento. With the passing of his legendary restaurateur father, Wing 
devotes himself to continuing Frank Fat's legacy of strengthening the 
influence of Asian Americans in business and politics.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask all of my colleagues to join me in applauding Wing 
Fat's great contributions to the Sacramento community. As he is honored 
I wish him a very enjoyable evening at the Sacramento Chinese Community 
Service Center's annual August Moon Night Dinner.

                          ____________________