SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Tom Fetter, a 91-year-old philanthropist, received the prestigious “Mr. San Diego Award” at a ceremony attended by Mayor Todd Gloria on Thursday at Liberty Station.
The award, presented by San Diego Rotary Club 33, honors individuals who have made significant contributions to the community through service and commitment.
“I’m very proud, not something I expected,” said Fetter upon receiving the award.
He has spent decades supporting non-profits and played a pivotal role in conservation efforts at the San Diego Zoo.
“We’ve been doing this award for 71 years. Our club is all about service — service above self — and making an impact in the community,” a representative from the Rotary Club told FOX 5/KUSI.
Fetter’s work with the San Diego Zoo included a groundbreaking initiative to introduce 12 African elephants to North America, addressing the lack of genetic diversity in the region.
“We brought in 12 African elephants from Swaziland because there was no new gene pool in North America. And we felt that the African elephants, there wouldn’t be here in the next 50 years if we didn’t bring in a new supply of genes,” Fetter explained.
His career began as a car salesman, where he honed skills that he later applied to his philanthropic efforts.
“That taught me how to ask for money. I figure I’m giving people the opportunity to do something they may not otherwise do,” he said. “They may not but my goal is to get them to the table.”
Past recipients of the Mr. San Diego Award include former San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, the late homeless advocate Father Joe Carroll, and the late Padres owner Peter Seidler.
Fetter’s recognition as Mr. San Diego underscores his lifelong dedication to community service and conservation, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.
FOX 5/KUSI’s Juliette Vara contributed to this report.
All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KSWB. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KSWB staff before being published.
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