Press Release from…

The Commonwealth Club of California

595 Market Street ¨ San Francisco, CA 94105

Deloitte Partner and Community Leader Anna Mok

named commonwealth club board chair

Nation’s Premier Public Affairs Forum Appoints Innovative Businesswoman to Lead Club

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.  – (May 13, 2013) –Anna Mok, a partner with Deloitte & Touche LLP, has been named chair of the Board of Governors for The Commonwealth Club of California, the nation's oldest and largest public affairs forum.  Ms. Mok initially joined the Club’s Board of Governors in 1996 and served as its treasurer from 1996 through 2011. In 2012 she was elected vice chair of the Board.  Now, as Club Chair, Ms. Mok succeeds Maryles Casto, founder and CEO of Casto Travel, to become the 11th woman to head The Commonwealth Club's Board of Governors since its inception in 1903. Ms Mok is one of the youngest ever board member and the first Chinese American woman to become chair. She will join the ranks of an illustrious group of women including the president of the Bernard Osher Foundation Dr. Mary Bitterman, former Pillsbury Winthrop Firm Chair Mary Cranston, AAA Vice President Rose Guilbault, retired partner at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP Toni Rembe and actress and diplomat Shirley Temple Black.

“I am excited to be the new Chair for the Club and honored to bring a diverse perspective to the table. I’ve been involved in the community for many years and have had the opportunity to witness the great contributions we make,” says Ms. Mok. “In this new role, I look to continue our mission and provide the ideal platform for civic dialogue.”

Dr. Gloria Duffy, President and CEO of the Club, remarked, “Anna possesses the perfect combination of both business skills and community experience that is wonderfully suited to lead our dynamic and ever changing organization. Her sense of responsibility and commitment to social good is genuine and longstanding. For the past 17 years, she has dedicated herself in various capacities to Club efforts.”

With over 20 years at Deloitte, Ms. Mok provides consulting, advisory, and assurance services in a variety of business areas. She advises clients in enterprise transformations, globalization and growth strategies, mergers and acquisitions, operating improvements, initial public offerings, corporate governance and risk management initiatives.  In addition, she has deep global business experience and is also the managing partner of Deloitte’s U.S.-Southeast Asia Program.

Ms. Mok’s work in the community does not go unnoticed. She was the recipient of San Francisco Business Times Most Influential Women award, she was recognized by the Society of Asian Women Leaders for her outstanding community service, received the AICPA Minority Leader Award, the Jefferson Award for Public Service and Deloitte’s Community Involvement Leadership Partner Award.

In addition to her business acumen, she extends her influence across Asian American Community. As a first-generation immigrant, she brings a diverse perspective to the dialogue. Ms. Mok is a board member of numerous organizations including Ascend, a nonprofit organization which assists individuals of Pan-Asian decent to become leaders in the business world and Committee of 100, an organization which is focused on issues within the Chinese American Community in hopes to further U.S.-China Relations.   She is currently treasurer and director of the Asian & Pacific Islander American Scholarship Fund and volunteers with United Way. Prior, she served as president and director of the Hong Kong Association of Northern California and a director for the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce.  Ms. Mok is a certified public accountant and a graduate from the University of California, Berkeley, Haas School of Business.

Founded in 1903, The Commonwealth Club of California is the nation’s premier public affairs forum, with over 18,000 members.  Based in San Francisco and San Jose, the Club hosts over 450 speeches, debates and discussions each year on issues of regional, national and international significance.  The Club sponsors public policy projects on issues including structural reform of state government, social innovation and climate change.  At least half a million people hear the Commonwealth Club’s weekly radio broadcasts on more than 230 stations across the country.  The Club also podcasts its programs, with more than 1 million of its podcasts being downloaded every year.  The Club’s programs are now also televised on Comcast Premium Digital Cable, FORATV and ABC7.  For the past century, The Club has fostered free speech and civic dialogue on wide-ranging topics, addressing key issues in society, culture, politics, the economy and more.  For more information, visit www.commonwealthclub.org.

                                                                                 #     #     #