August 2005

Profiles of Success

Shau-wai Lam, B.S. 1963, M.S. 1964, Mathematics

Shau-wai Lam took his degrees in mathematics from Purdue, combined them with an MBA from New York University, and rose through industry ranks to become president and CEO of one of the largest automobile dealerships in the United States.

Shau-wai joined Dah Chong Hong Trading Corporation (DCH) in 1967. His initial assignments were in international trade, which included the domestic sales of imported textile and food products. In 1977 DCH began to venture into automobile retailing with its first dealership, Paramus Honda in New Jersey. Shau-wai was sent to Los Angeles to launch DCH’s Western Region in 1979, and was responsible for the start-up of DCH Gardena Honda and DCH Tustin Acura, both of which became the top national ranking dealerships of their respective franchises under his supervision.

After his appointment as President of DCH in 1988, Shau-wai continued to lead the company’s expansion to 32 dealerships in California, New Jersey and New York with annual sales surpassing $1.5 billion. Besides winning numerous distinguished awards from its franchisors, the DCH Auto Group received prestigious J.D. Power and Associates Certified Retailers Awards in 2004 and 2005, considered the highest honor in customer satisfaction achievement. Shau-wai himself received the 2004 Time Magazine Quality Dealer Award for New Jersey, the 2004 National Association of Minority Automobile Dealers’ Lifetime Achievement Award, 2004 Champion of Life Award from GMAC as well as the 2005 Newsweek Magazine Dealer of the Year Finalist Award.

Shau-wai strongly believes in giving back to the community. In May 2004, the DCH Auto Group donated $270,000 to the National Automobile Dealers Charitable Foundation (NADCF), the largest donation ever received from a car dealer. Shau-wai and his wife, Marie, are very active in supporting organizations that provide heath, educational, cultural and community services. He is a Vice Chairman of the U. S. Chinese Chamber of Commerce and an Honorary Advisor of the U. S. Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce. He also serves as Directors of Toyota-Lexus Minority Dealers Association, New Jersey Chinese-American Chamber of Commerce and American Friends of the Shanghai Museum.

Shau-wai earned an MBA from New York University, and received a 2004 Distinguished Science Alumnus Award from the College of Science. Shau-wai and Marie have lived in Summit, New Jersey for sixteen years. They have two adult children. Their son, Brian, is a recent graduate of the NADA Dealer Candidate Academy.

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