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2000-2001
Board of Directors and Professional Staff President's Message Corporate Membership 2000-2001 Year in Review The Japan-America Society of the State of Washington is a private, nonprofit, statewide organization founded in 1923. For more than 77 years, the Society has played a pivotal role in improving relationships between the United States and Japan and in helping the people of Japan and the U.S. better understand and appreciate one another and their respective cultures. The Society's American and Japanese corporate and individual members throughout Washington State support a diverse range of business and trade, public affairs, cultural, and educational projects to fulfill the Society's mission. The Japan-America Society of the State of Washington is a non-profit organization with IRS classification 501(c)3 (EIN 23-7282194). The Society is also registered as a Charitable Organization (JAA-M95-024) with the Office of the Secretary of State, State of Washington. Mission Statement of the Society The mission of the Japan-America Society of the State of Washington is to promote mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of Japan and Washington state by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information. Goals of the Society The goals of the Japan-America Society of the State of Washington are the following: 1. Provide leadership to increase understanding between the peoples of Japan and the State of Washington 2000-2001 Board of Directors and Professional Staff President Roger Williams, MithunPresident-Elect Mic Dinsmore, CEO, Port of SeattlePast President William A. Glassford, Bank of AmericaVice Presidents Daisuke Hashimoto, Marubeni America CorporationHonorary Vice Presidents The Honorable Gary Locke, Governor, State of WashingtonSecretary Christopher R. Helm, Davis Wright TremaineTreasurer Thomas Hartley, U.S. BankAt-Large Member Ray Waldmann, CIBER-University of Washington Hiroshi Arai, Arai InternationalClass of 2002 Robert C. Anderson, Individual MemberClass of 2003 Terry F. Brady, United Airlines Jeff Demetrescu, Executive Director Message from Roger Williams President, Board of Directors 2000-2001 This year, the Japan-America Society of the State of Washington has continued to embrace the traditional, common values and interests of Japanese and Americans in our state. Concurrently, we have embarked on several new, exciting ventures that strengthen our relevance to the community and the Society’s members. Our programs have grown beyond the ever-successful Annual Golf Tournament and Annual Holiday Dinner. This is the year our Strategic Plan has been implemented to its full potential. The Japan-America Society Industry Groups, known as JASIGs, have flourished, providing active dialogues and attracting new members to our organization. Our other ongoing programs have also been strengthened. Quarterly Business Briefings have kept our members current on the state of the Japanese economy; our Japanese language Living in the USA programs have assisted our Japanese members and their families to make the transition to living here; and our popular Japan in the Schools educational program has introduced Japanese language and culture to over 2,500 Puget Sound area students in the past year. Among the more than 50 business, trade, and public policy programs we have offered since last year at this time, we were honored to host U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas Foley, in addition to several other important government, business, media, and arts luminaries from Japan and the U.S. Responding to the growing interest in e-commerce by our members, former Executive Director Wistar Kay was employed to organize and lead our first e-business mission to Japan. Significant contacts with IT leaders in Japan have enhanced our relevance and secured many important future program opportunities. We look forward to our second mission in May of this year. Beyond these valuable on-going programs, we have advanced the mission of the Society this year by accepting the responsibility of U.S. Secretariat to the venerable Japan-Western Americas Association, taking over this duty from the Stanford Research Institute. As U.S. Secretariat, we planned and hosted the 2001 JWA Conference in March in Seattle. I want to recognize and thank David Keller for leading the world-class program featuring the top-level executives of key Japanese and Americans companies. We owe special thanks to former Society presidents Don Lorentz and Bill Glassford for recognizing the opportunity, then successfully negotiating the seamless transfer of the JWA-U.S. to our organization. As a not for profit organization, our goal (and responsibility) is to break even financially. I am pleased that in addition to increased program activity, we are able to declare a small surplus and therefore contribute to the reserve fund for the second consecutive year.  Our organization is on a very solid foundation. I am only a steward of a long tradition of leaders who keep the spirit of the Society alive. The real credit for our success goes to our talented and resourceful staff: Program Manager Charlene Balick; Japan Projects Coordinator Akiko Kawai; Office and Finances Administrator Toshie Ando; and our Japan in the Schools Intern for this year Miki Yoshizawa. Our Executive Director, Jeff Demetrescu, has guided this wonderful staff and the Board of Directors, elevating the stature of our Society with each new idea he has successfully introduced. His brilliance and leadership inspires all of us to contribute to our organization and to reinforce it as the model international organization in the Pacific Northwest.
Finally, and most importantly, I want to thank each individual and corporate member for the opportunity to serve as your President. Together, you, the staff, and the Board of Directors have validated the purpose of this remarkable Society.
2000-2001 Corporate Membership Benefactor The Boeing Commercial Airplane GroupPatron Bank of AmericaSustaining Achilles USA, Inc.Regular ABC Legal ServicesAssociate ACI Communications, Inc.Individual Members: 2000-2001 Year in Review April 2000 April 7: Breakfast Roundtable with David Satterwhite, The Economist, on Imperatives for Economic Reform April 13: Luncheon program with Kazuhiko Nishi, ASCII Corporation, on Japan’s Information Age April 20: Living in the USA program with Chris Helm and Tamotsu Takura, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, on U.S. and Japan Legal Systems May 2000 May 12: JAS-CIBER Quarterly Business Briefing with Douglas Ostrom, Japan Economic Institute (JEI) May 20: Wakabakai at Emerald Downs May 21-24: First Japan-America Society e-Commerce Business and Trade Delegation to Japan June 2000 June 1: Wakabakai Billiard Party June 8: High Tech JASIG: Debriefing on e-Commerce Delegation to Japan led by Delegation Manager Wistar Kay June 13: Trade, Shipping, and Transportation JASIG with Oshu Go, Director, Port of Seattle in Asia June 15: Doing Business in Japan program with three former ACCJ presidents June 20: Wakabakai at Seattle Mariners Game June 22: Living in the USA program with Takashi Kasai, Ernst & Young, on Taxes and Payroll Issues July 2000 July 13: Financial Services JASIG with Akira Tanaka, Development Bank of Japan, on securing low-interest loans for entering the Japanese market July 23: Wakabakai at Bon Odori Festival July 26: @Japan.com program: T.W. Kang, former Intel Japan G.M., on High-Tech Marketing and Partnering in Japan August 2000 August 22: Japan-America Society 40th Annual Golf Tournament at Trophy Lake August 29: Living in the USA program with Masashi Kato, U.W., on Understanding the U.S. School System September 2000 September 6: Marketing and Sales JASIG with Brian Unmacht, Vice President - International, REI, on Keys to Successful Retailing in Japan September 8: Financial Services JASIG with Todd Schneider, Financial Attache, U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, on Japanese Financial Services Sector September 11: Wakabakai at Seattle Mariners Game September 14: Medical Services JASIG with Dr. Ryoichi Nagata, President & CEO, SNBL USA Ltd., on The Japanese Biomedical Industry September 19: First New Economy Leaders Program features Terrie Lloyd, Publisher, J@pan.Inc Magazine September 26: JAS-CIBER Quarterly Business Briefing with Masanori Tsuno, Pres., Frank Russell Japan September 27: JAS-China Relations Council Joint Program on Wireless Communication in Japan and China October 2000 October 4: Wakabakai Dinner October 17: Opportunity Japan Program with Bill Farrell, CEO, Dynamic Strategies/Asia October 18: Dinner with U.S. Ambassador to Japan Thomas S. Foley October 26: First Services and Consulting JASIG with David Faries, NeuralTech, on Due Diligence October 30: Living in the USA program on insurance with John Gissberg, Pacific Northwest Advisors November 2000 November 3: JAS-CIBER Quarterly Business Briefing with T.J. Pempel, University of Washington November 8: High-Tech JASIG with Tom Bell and Dax Hansen, Perkins Coie, on The Internet and Legal Issues in Japan November 13: Wakabakai Happy Hour December 2000 December 5: 2000 Holiday Celebration Dinner and Auction at Bell Harbor International Conference Center December 7: Living in the USA program on real estate with Aiko Suganuma, Kohtoku Enterprise December 13: Wakabakai End-of-Year Celebration Dinner January 2001 January 18: Travel and Tourism JASIG with representatives from the OTED, SKCCVB, and the Port of Seattle on the Japan Tourism Market January 24: JAS/CIBER Quarterly Business Briefing with Craig Allen, National Center for APEC January 30: Welcome Luncheon for Consul-General Fumiko Saiga February 2001 February 5: Prospects and Progress: A Model for Investment and Development, The Kobe Business Environment, and the Medical Industry Development Project February 7: Wakabakai Happy Hour February 14: Living in the USA with Megumi Kobayashi, Merrill Lynch and Tomiyasu Fukami, Fukami Management Consulting, presented Financial Planning Seminar February 20: Japan-America Society Annual Members-Only Reception February 27: High Tech JASIG with Katja Suletzki, EnCompass Globalization, on Japanese Website Localization Requirements March 2001 March 5: Information Technology Investment Opportunities (Co-Sponsored with JETRO) March 12-13: Japan-Western Americas Association 2001 Annual Conference March 21: Wakabakai Dinner and Cross-Cultural Program March 23: The Next Wave of the New Economy in Japan with Fujiyo Ishiguro, President and CEO, Netyear Group April 2001 April 1: Yokoso Ichiro! Welcome Program aqt Safeco Field for the Seattle Mariners' Ichiro Suzuki April 4: Dr. Tomohito Shinoda on The Role of the Prime Minster in Japan with commentary by Dr. T.J. Pempel and Craig Allen April 9: Living in the USA with Dr. Kumiko Nomoto, M.D., Group Health Cooperative, International Services on the U.S. Healthcare System April 11: Doing Business in Japan Program featuring five senior executives from Amazon.com on the Launch of Amazon.co.jp April 16: Wakabakai Dinner April 19: Japan-America Society Annual Meeting with Keynote Speaker Robert F. Grondine, President, American Chamber of Commerce in Japan April 23: Japan-America Society/CIBER (U.W.) Quarterly Business Briefing with Prof. Tom Roehl, Western Washington University April 25: Taichi Sakaiya, Special Adviser to the Prime Minister of Japan and Former Minister of State for Economic Planning, on The Revival of the Japanese Economy Last Year's Annual Report |
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