Artichoke Joe’s CEO Dennis Sammut dead at 77; remembered for philanthropy

Associates and colleagues mourned the loss of Sammut, CEO of the card room at 659 Huntington Ave. Established by his grandfather in 1916, Artichoke Joe’s was passed down through generations to Sammut in 1975.

Over the past few decades, he gained recognition locally as a central hub of the San Bruno business community, with deep ties to the Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club and various other outreach organizations.

Reflecting on his countless charitable endeavors, San Bruno Mayor Rico Medina admired Sammut’s work out of the public eye to lift up those needing assistance.

“There are many causes that he participated in or gave toward that people don’t even know about because it wasn’t about getting a plaque or acknowledgment,” he said. “It was about making a difference.”

Sammut was a deep thinker and straight shooter, said Medina, who shared his appreciation for Sammut’s contribution in the immediate aftermath of the Crestmoor pipeline explosion.

“It was because he felt for the city,” said Medina, recalling the support Sammut provided following the 2010 tragedy which killed eight, injured dozens and destroyed part of the San Bruno neighborhood.

Former mayor Jim Ruane remembered Sammut as a creative mind and innovator who always had a new thought designed to benefit San Bruno and San Mateo County.

“He was a joy to be around. Never a dull moment, but he always thought of what is best for San Bruno,” said Ruane, who reflected on Sammut’s vision of establishing a rail crossing designed to ease Bay Area transportation congestion as an example of his original ideas.

Head of the Sammut Family Foundation, he built a reputation as a selfless philanthropist who donated thousands of dollars annually to organizations, schools, campaigns and more throughout the Peninsula and broader Bay Area.

For the card club, Artichoke Joe’s is one of the city’s oldest and largest employers. In the previous fiscal year, it offered 425 jobs — behind only Walmart.com, YouTube and Skyline College in San Bruno. It also generated nearly $2 million to the city’s budget through card room fees, only about $500,000 less than the amount collected through business taxes, according to the most recent budget.

City Manager Jovan Grogan said he appreciated the prolonged support Sammut offered to San Bruno Community Day, when the Posy Parade takes place.

“We were always thankful for those donations because they helped put on a valued community event,” said Grogan, who also worked alongside Sammut on the city task force addressing homelessness.

Politically, Sammut pushed hard for the economic development of San Bruno — most notably when the city considered increasing height limits in and around its downtown through a ballot initiative.

“Looking for the future of San Bruno, the way to help move it forward is increase height limits,” he said in 2014 of the measure eventually approved by voters.

His term running Artichoke Joe’s was not without its rocky stretches though. Federal officials raided the casino in 2011 as part of a large-scale investigation into organized crime in which 14 people were arrested. Federal officials claimed suspects made nearly 400 deposits totaling nearly $3 million into personal accounts between 2006 and 2010 at the San Bruno casino and another card room in Emeryville, while engaging in racketeering, loan sharking and drug sales, among other charges.

Prosecutors acknowledged the crime ring acted independently from casino ownership in San Bruno but many of the defendants offered casino chips as loans, according to an indictment. Following the raids, Sammut condemned the alleged criminals and committed to installing more stringent security policies.

Later, the federal Financial Crimes Enforcement Network hit Artichoke Joe’s in 2017 with an $8 million penalty for allegedly skirting a variety of laws designed to crack down on money laundering over an eight-year period. In the aftermath, Sammut again committed to heightened security procedures and a willingness to work with federal agents to prevent further issues, in a statement provided to the San Francisco Chronicle.

For his part, Medina said he will miss a friend he could depend on for an honest conversation and who was quick to offer his support without a second thought.

He “had a good heart and wasn’t looking for accolades or acknowledgment and I always admired that about him,” said Medina.

austin@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 105