The purpose of this brief is to inform you of Dennis A. Yao, the first Asian American nominated as one of the five Federal Trade Commissioners for the Federal Trade Commission

FEDERAL TRADE COMMISION DENNIS A. YAO CHINESE AMERICAN POPULATION IN THE US (2000 CENSUS) SUMMARY CLOSING

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is an independent agency of the United States government. The FTC is headed by five Commissioners who are nominated by the President and confirmed by the United States Senate.

Has 3 departments- Bureau of Consumer Protection, Bureau of Competition, and Bureau of Economics. The FTC carries out its mission by investigating issues raised by reports from consumers and businesses, pre-merger notification filings, congressional inquiries, or reports in the media. These issues include false advertising and other forms of fraud. FTC investigations may pertain to a single company or an entire industry.

Born August 29th 1957 in Urbana, IL Mother immigrated to US before the Communist took power over China Father was from China but came to the US via the Philippines where his family had moved before WWII Parents met as graduate students at University of Illinois.

Moved to Pittsburgh when in the second grade where his family still resides. Went to school in the North Hills Community where there were very few Asians. He remembered being the only Asian in most of his classes. Father was the creator of Heinz 57 Seafood Cocktail Sauce Raised in a relatively wealthy environment with a focus on academic achievement.

Grew up with very little knowledge of an extended family. All relatives except for one uncle and an aunt lived in China or the Philippines Because he grew up in a location where he had very little day-to-day possible interaction with other Asian-Americans He found it hard to fit in and assimilate with Western culture.

Mr. Yao has a BSE in civil engineering from Princeton, an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley, and a PhD from the Graduate School of Business (economics group) at Stanford. Mr. Yao was nominated by George Bush Sr. to serve as one of the five Federal Trade Commissioners from 1991-1994.

Dennis Yaos thoughts while working at the FTC While I was at the FTC I had some policy responsibility for antitrust and consumer protection technical assistance programs FTC was doing in eastern and central Europe. I think that the government officials there were quite surprised (and perhaps somewhat nonplussed) to have the head of the US delegation be an under 40 year old Asian-American.

Currently Dennis Yao is Lawrence E. Fouraker Professor of Business Administration and member of the Strategy Unit at Harvard Business School. He joined the faculty in 2004 after having been at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (1994-2003) Professor Yao's research involves the application of microeconomics and game theory to incentive and information problems affecting firms. His recent work has focused on understanding contracting and knowledge flow issues in markets for ideas and inventions

During my first visit to China, I was surprised at the extent to which I felt comfortable (even though my Chinese language skills are very bad). This feeling may have come from looking like everyone else which I had never previously experienced for any extended time while in the US.

Chinese culture teaches one to be very respective of one's elders and tends to avoid conflict (saving face is important). While the latter characteristic tended to make one somewhat easier to get along with in social situations, I found I had to battle it somewhat in business and government settings involving management and negotiations.

Federal Trade Commission Dennis A. Yao Chinese Americans in the US

To me success means effectiveness in the world, that I am able to carry my ideas and values into the world -- that I am able to change it in positive ways. - Maxine Hong Kingston (Chinese born American Writer, First-generation Chinese American writer)