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Mary Graybill, APR, Fellow PRSA,
Graybill Communications
310-441-2899
mary@graybillcom.com
Sato-Yamazaki Steps Aside for New GFBNEC Leadership and Growth
Board elects Ozawa chair, appoints Yamauchi to be interim president/CEO
(TORRANCE, CA - May 3, 2010)— Christine Sato-Yamazaki, who has served as Go For Broke National Education Center (GFBNEC) president and chief executive officer since 2008, has stepped aside for new leadership to take the organization to its next levels of growth. The organization's board of directors appointed second-term Alhambra City Councilman and fellow GFBNEC Board Member Gary Yamauchi to be interim president/CEO. The Board also elected Michael Ozawa, CPA, CIRA, CFE, senior managing director, Corporate Finance, FTI Consulting, as chairman.
"It has truly been my honor to be part of the organization for the past 12 years, and more importantly, to play a role in helping to preserve the legacy of the Japanese American World War II veterans by using their stories to educate the public about citizenship," Sato-Yamazaki said. "I recognize that new leadership is now needed to take Go For Broke National Education Center to the next level of growth and look forward to seeing the progress that will be a permanent and eternal tribute to the Nisei soldiers."
GFBNEC board members credit Sato-Yamazaki for her work in establishing and developing some of the organization's most significant programs. She was instrumental in starting the Hanashi Oral History Program and the An American Story Teacher-Training Program now provided throughout the country. She co-produced A Tradition of Honor, which has been incorporated into the GFBNEC teacher training program, and was executive producer of the DVD film, Going for Broke. Sato-Yamazaki is the granddaughter of a World War II Nisei veteran.
"Go For Broke National Education Center has been fortunate to have had someone as dedicated to our mission as Christine," said Ozawa. "In the 12 years she has been with our organization, it has grown, developed and reached significant milestones. On behalf of the board of directors, we thank Christine for her excellent work and look forward to her continuing accomplishments and successes."
Sato-Yamazaki's departure becomes effective on Friday, June 4, 2010.
Bringing deep financial and management experience developed through work as a corporate consultant, restructuring organizations and establishing effective infrastructures, Ozawa demonstrated able leadership and strong commitment in his previous GFBNEC board role as vice-chairman. He was drawn to the GFBNEC mission and programs through two of his uncles, both Japanese American World War II veterans of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
Yamauchi, who served Alhambra as Mayor in 2007, is president and owner of Tri-Star Vending in Alhambra. Tri-Star was singled out as Asian Pacific Islander Business of the Year for the 49th Assembly District in 2004 and by Homeboy Industries as 2006 Employer of the Year. Yamauchi is actively involved with numerous community groups and is on the boards of several nonprofit and service organizations. Among these many commitments, he has been a Japanese American National Museum honoree and honorary advisor for the organization's annual dinner.
GFBNEC celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2009. With more than 1,000 oral histories in its archives, the organization's Hanashi Oral History Program is the largest of its kind in the nation. Its American Story Teacher Training Program has been provided in California, Hawaii, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC and will be introduced in Texas in 2010. Through these programs and more, GFBNEC is committed to keeping the story of the World War II Japanese American veterans alive as real-life examples of responsibilities, challenges and rights of citizenship. Hanashi oral histories and additional information about the organization are available on the GFBNEC website at www.goforbroke.org.
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