This year, we honor Mr. Yuzaburo Mogi, Honorary CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kikkoman Corporation with the Keizai Silicon Valley Lifetime Achievement Award for US-Japan Business.
Mr. Mogi joined Kikkoman in 1958 and has since been laying the foundation for the company’s foreign expansion. In 1957 Kikkoman established a sales company in San Francisco. In 1973 Kikkoman built its first soy sauce manufacturing plant in Wisconsin. In 1995 he became President and CEO of the firm and was still tirelessly transforming and expanding Kikkoman to be a worldwide business.
Aside from giving the keynote speech, Mr. Mogi will participate in a fireside chat with Prof. Richard Dasher touching on the hardships of globalization and how to succeed in a global economy. We will also be performing our traditional Kagamiwari (sake barrel “breaking”) ceremony. The Consul General of Japan, Mr. Jun Yamada is expected to lead this tradition.
Yuzaburo Mogi is Honorary CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Kikkoman Corporation. He joined Kikkoman in 1958 after graduating from Keio University. In 1961, he became the first Japanese national to earn an MBA from Columbia University. He was appointed to the position of President and CEO in 1995, and Chairman and CEO in 2004. He assumed his current position in 2011.
Kikkoman established its U.S. headquarters in San Francisco in 1957 to start full-scale sales and marketing activities for its soy sauce. This was followed by a U.S. soy sauce manufacturing plant in Walworth, Wisconsin in 1973, which was one of the first Japanese manufacturing facilities on American soil. In 1998 Kikkoman began soy sauce production at a second plant in Folsom, California. Additionally, JFC International, a Kikkoman subsidiary, distributes oriental foodstuffs throughout the U.S.
Outside of Kikkoman, Mr. Mogi is currently Chairman of the Japan Productivity Center, Joint Chancellor of Japan Akademeia, Life-time Trustee of Keizai Doyukai (the Japan Association of Corporate Executives), Chairman of the Japan - Midwest U.S. Association, Trustee Emeritus of Columbia University, Member of the Board of Overseers of Columbia Business School and Honorary Ambassador of the State of Wisconsin. He also served in public roles such as Chairman of the Council for Administrative Reduction and Efficiency, Chairman of the Council for Comprehensive Review of Administrative Expenditures, and Member of the Government Revitalization Unit.
He was awarded the Medal with Blue Ribbon of Japan in 1999, the Order of Orange Nassau from the Kingdom of the Netherlands in 2003, and the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany in 2006. He has published a number of books including “The Day Soy Sauce Made it to America’s Tables,” “Overseas Strategies Without Friction,” “Kikkoman’s Global Management,” and “Borders are Made to be Crossed. ”
Friday, January 26th, 2018
5:30 – 6:45 p.m. Reception
6:45 – 9:30 p.m. Program
10:00 p.m. Venue Close
Early bird (before Sunday, January 7th 11pm PST): $55 (60 seats limited) SOLD OUT
Regular Registration (before Sunday, January 21st 11pm PST): $75
Late Registration (before Wednesday, January 24th noon PST): $100
Walk-in: $140
