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Norman Too spent the first 13 years of his career working at Xerox and Hewlett-Packard, but his entrepreneurial spirit and desire to carve his own path taught him that there was more to life than punching the proverbial clock. was told that it was necessary.
In his mid-30s, Tu (Computer Science, ’69) attended a motivational seminar. Then one of the speakers said, “Nothing happens unless you make it happen.” He wrote: 1982” was written in the corner of the paper, and those words became the guiding principle for his life and business.
“I wanted to do something on my own and create something myself,” Tu, now 78, recalls. “It’s in my DNA, in my personality.”
In 1982, Tu founded DCL Logistics (formerly known as DisCopyLabs), a Bay Area-based company that provided warehousing, fulfillment, and shipping services. Now, more than 40 years later, DCL Logistics employs more than 350 people and has facilities in the Bay Area, Southern California, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. Tu serves as a testament to perseverance and the ability to turn dreams into reality.
“I started the company with very little money,” Tu said. “I said, ‘I’m going to put this paper in my wallet and wake up every day and tell myself that when I wake up in the morning, I’m going to make things happen.'”
Here are four burning questions posed to Norman:
Looking back on your career, what are you most proud of?
The key to starting your own business, or any type of business, is to not get discouraged. One of the things I’m most proud of over the past 42 years is that business has its ups and downs, but the most important thing is to stay focused on what you want to achieve. , I continued to become stronger towards my goals. believe in
Another thing I’m most proud of is making a difference in people’s lives. I look back at some of the people who have worked for me and remember a girl I hired when I was 18 years old. I watched her career grow from line worker to supervisor to manager and then she was promoted to run her one of the facilities. Although she didn’t have the money to go to college, she was hardworking and smart and took advantage of the opportunities given to her to succeed. That’s what I’m most proud of. I see people embracing opportunities and making the most of them. When I hear these, I am reminded of my personal history, where I came to this country as a refugee from China in 1956 when she was 11 years old.
What does it mean to be recognized as a Distinguished Alumni by Chico State University?
When I was 19, I was kind of lost. I didn’t know what I wanted. I came from a small high school and wasn’t ready for a big university with a 200-300 person auditorium. I wasn’t ready and the transition from high school to college is a big change. Going to Chico State University was the best decision for me. It had the atmosphere of a small university and was a student town. I joined the ski club and saw snow for the first time. I joined Alpha Phi Omega, a service organization. I rediscovered my passion for college and my grades improved. I was fortunate enough to meet Professor Bill Lane, who sparked my interest in computer science. Chico State University laid a great foundation for my career. I am honored to receive this award.
Can you give any career or life advice to today’s students?
There was too much emphasis on academics and not enough on other school activities. When I interview people, I don’t spend a lot of time talking about their grades or academic achievements. It’s a given. I ask about their outside interests. What did you do at university? Have you joined a club? Are you participating in activities? Do you play sports? Going to college means gaining college experience. You’re learning about teamwork and collaboration. You should be interested in things other than academics. Don’t go to university just to study and achieve one-dimensional results. Learn about other things related to life.
Another piece of advice I give is when meeting clients, try to find connections of common ground. One of the things about America is that everything is centered around sports. It’s our DNA, the fabric of America. Early on in my career, I realized that to connect with clients, instead of starting by talking about business or negotiating contracts, I tried to find common ground. I spend a lot of time getting to know their backgrounds. The world is not just dollars and cents. It’s about everything else. Sports are often the common denominator.
How can you create positive change in your workplace and the world?
I’ve been in this job for 42 years and am doing pretty well. But it was never a financial success. This country has been really good to me and my family. Giving back to the community is very important to her wife Antonia and me. I think paying it forward is a duty and an obligation, especially for people in my position. One of the biggest challenges facing the world is climate change. You don’t have to worry about it anymore, because it will be gone soon. But unless we solve the problem, the next generation will face great challenges. It’s turning the corner sooner than we think. The whole world needs to wake up. To solve this carbon emissions problem, we need to come together as humanity.
Also, listen to what people have to say. You can’t make change if you don’t listen to the people who work for you. I’m a big believer in managing by walking. Walk around the facility and talk to people. I talk to assemblers, line workers, and forklift drivers. Ask, “What do you recommend?” “Is there anything we could do better to make your life easier?” “Are there any safety issues?” Be transparent and open. DCL Logistics is like a car engine. There’s a cylinder, a spark plug, a muffler, and a cooling system, all of which must work together for your engine to run smoothly. Everyone has to work together to make the company successful. It’s no different than an engine. If some part doesn’t work well, the company won’t succeed.
Almendra (Journalism, ’11) is a bilingual content producer who empowers and inspires audiences through storytelling. She also assists with editorial and communications project management. She is a proud alumnus and former editor-in-chief of Orion.
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