Board of Directors - About Us

History of JSSDT & Region
Staff
Board of Directors

JSSDT is governed by a board of directors…

Arlene Bolz

NYK Logistics AMERICAS

Assistant Vice President

Mr. Bill Boyer is the Assistant Vice President of U.S./Mexico Transportation Sales and in charge of, among other things, Strategic Border Development for NYK Logistics Americas (NLA). He assumed a Director level position with NLA on April 1, 2001 and quickly developed a multi million dollar International Logistics Services business and implemented an award winning infrastructure helping to make NLA an Industry leader in the Southern California and Baja, Mexico market place.

Before serving with NLA, Bill worked several executive level positions with California Multimodal, Inc. (CMI). There he served 7 years as the Director of National Accounts and Assistant General Manager of border operations. At CMI he was tasked with sales, overseeing their rail ramp, cross border and drayage operations.

In addition to his 20 years of combined over the road, warehousing, terminal operations, intermodal transportation and global logistics services; he has taught college classes at Alliant International University in their Global Logistics Services (GLS) program for 3 years. After joining Alliant International University, he was honored with the “Instructor of the Year Award” for their GLS program.

Mr. Boyer attended Missouri Southern State University and went directly into the Transportation business in 1987. Since then he has been recognized with high honors for his team participation, direct responsibilities and merits throughout the global transportation industry. Most notably Mr. Boyer received numerous awards from Sony Logistics Americas, Montgomery Wards Distribution, Burlington Motor Carriers, Hitachi Transport Systems, GST Corporation, Hyundai Translead and the Intermodal Association of North America.

In the last two yesrs he was a multiple award winner but most notably received the “Humanitarian of the Year Award” from NYK Logistics Americas at their National Conference held in La Costa, CA. In his years prior with NLA, Bill received “Account Manager of the Year – Western Region,” The “Innovate and Deliver Award,” “Top National Account Producers,” “Rain Maker Award” and “Distinction” and “Impact Awards” for the P.R.I.D.E. Teams at NLA he has served on.

Mr. Boyer has published articles in 3 different transportation publications, just ended his second term on the Board with the World Trade Center, served on the Board of Directors for the San Diego Transportation Club, was selected as a San Diego Port Advisory Committee member and has been recognized by the Union Pacific Railroad as a specialist and market leader in standard and expedited intermodal services.

Bill is married and has three children, is involved in numerous charitable organizations, and loves ranching in his spare time away from San Diego with his family at their “BAJA E Ranch” in South West Missouri.

Erika Cape

Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

Attorney

Enrique Carrillo-Barrios-Gomez

JSSDT Vice President, Education

Cesun Universidad

Vice President

Hugh Constant

San Diego World Trade Center

Vice President, Trade Services

Ellen Cook

University of San Diego

Professor of International Business

Richard Davis

JSSDT Past Chair

Kyoto Symposium Organization

Executive Director

Dick Davis has served as the Executive Director of the Kyoto Symposium Organization
(KSO) since 2004. He also consults to Kyocera Solar on a part-time basis.
KSO is responsible for the Kyoto Prize Symposium, bringing Kyoto Prize Laureates
to San Diego every year for presentations at USD, UCSD and SDSU.

Since its founding a decade ago, he has been active as a Japan Society volunteer, serving as president and chairman for several years. Before the Japan Society of SD&T was formed, he served on the Executive Board of the Japan America Society of Southern California – and chaired the San Diego branch for five years. In the early 80’s he served as the volunteer chair of the Japan Studies Institute (SDSU) support group – and assisted UCSD IRPS in its first years of growth.

His first significant work involvement with Japan and Mexico began when he became CEO of the San Diego Economic Development Corporation in 1977. During four years at EDC he tripled EDC membership, quintupled private sector funding and recruited over 30 US and Japanese firms to the San Diego/Tijuana region.

At EDC he successfully focused on California (new firms and retention), Japan, Mexico (maquiladoras) and other opportunities to meet/exceed goal of 3000 new jobs per year (with multipliers> 10,000+ per year) in San Diego. Although no one anticipated the ultimate growth of the TV industry in San Diego and Baja California, he recruited Matsushita as the first Japanese maquiladora. In recruiting firms such as Sanyo and Nissan Design, EDC and he played a critical role in the expansion of Japanese business in the region.

Working closely with Kyocera, Sony, HP, the Japanese Consul General in LA, JETRO, Japanese banks and other Japanese (and U.S.) organizations to build San Diego presence in the Pacific Rim, he called on over 500 firms in California and Japan to build investment and jobs in San Diego. EDC also worked very closely with City of San Diego, San Diego County, the Port of San Diego and other jurisdictions to make the San Diego/Baja California region more business friendly.

As CA State World Trade Commission Executive Director in 1993 and 1994, he consolidated all State foreign office (Tokyo, Mexico City, San Diego CA-Mexico Affairs and four others), along with Foreign Investment and Export Finance (CEFO) under one, newly created agency. Under his leadership the CA State office in Israel was created, using a private sector partnership on a contract basis.

Dick’s private sector Japanese experience includes several years as VP Marketing/Product Development for California First Bank (then Bank of Tokyo group – now Union Bank) and Kajima Construction. While consulting to Great American Savings, he was instrumental in securing 0,000,000 funding for the One America Plaza project.

Dick earned his AB in politics at Princeton – and his MBA from Harvard. He is the author of a Praeger book and Harvard Business Review article on “Strategic Management of Not-for-Profit Organizations.” His first experience in East Asia was in Osan, Korea, where he served as an Artillery Air Defense First Lieutenant with the 38th Artillery Brigade in 1967 and 1968. He has been recognized by JETRO for “outstanding contributions to U.S.-Japan relations.”

George Ekita

JSSDT Chair

Account Manager

Ekita Insurance Agency

Sharmane Estolano

California Bank & Trust

Vice President

Kenji Funahashi

JSSDT Past Chair

Partner

Baker & McKenzie LLP

Chuck Hansen

Viejas Enterprises

Vice President of Community Relations

As Vice President of Community Relations, Chuck Hansen has served as a primary liaison between Viejas Enterprises and community groups throughout San Diego County since 1993. Chuck is responsible for a number of programs working with charitable organizations on behalf of the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians as a way of giving back to the community. Chuck has developed extensive community relations through his service, dedication and involvement on many boards, committees, and with organizations focusing on civic responsibility, community development, the arts, and tourism. With his staff, he extends Viejas relationships as a government and as a neighbor into the multi-ethnic communities that extend from the Los Angeles Basin into Baja California. In 2003, Hansen was appointed by the Governor to the position of Commissioner on the California State Travel and Tourism Commission.

The San Diego Chapter of the American Marketing Association voted him Marketer of the Year in 1997. An avid sportsman, he played a central role in the success of the America’s Cup, serving as the Executive Director of America's Cup Services—a worldwide, non-profit marketing agency created by the America’s Cup Organizing Committee. In this role, Hansen oversaw advertising, promotions and travel services for yachting’s most prestigious regatta.

Before the America’s Cup, Hansen was the vice president of marketing for Atlas Hotels in San Diego. He also served as vice president of marketing for Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) for seven years. A native New Yorker, Hansen began his career in the New York metropolitan area with Avis Rent-A-Car.

Community Service:

    * Asian Business Association, Board of Directors
    * California Council on Problem Gambling, Board of Directors
    * California Travel Industry Association (CalTIA), Board of Directors
    * Cuyamaca College, Board of Directors
    * FleetWeek San Diego, Past Chairman, Board of Directors
    * Holiday Bowl, Board of Directors
    * Japan Society of San Diego and Tijuana, Board of Directors
    * Junior Seau Foundation, Board of Directors
    * Olaf Weighorst Museum Foundation, Board of Directors
    * Port of San Diego, Vice Chairman, Marketing Committee
    * San Diego Aircraft Carrier Museum (USS Midway), Marketing Committee Member
    * San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau, Board of Directors
    * San Diego East Regional Chamber of Commerce, Past Chairman, Board of Directors
    * San Diego East Visitors Bureau, Chairman of the Board
    * San Diego International Sports Council, Board of Directors
    * San Diego State University, School of Hospitality and Tourism, Board of Directors
    * Union of Pan Asian Communities, Board of Directors

Jeffrey Hanson

Del Mar Financial Partners

Financial Advisor

Lynn Renee Hijar

Exclusive Events, Inc.

CEO

Former Director / Chief of Protocol for the City of San Diego, Director of Community Relations and Protocol for the United States Commander of Naval Air Forces, and Trade Research Manager for the World Trade Center San Diego.

Lynn graduated from the University of San Diego with a Business Administration degree and a Masters in Global Leadership. She has several other professional certificates including Event Management, Marketing & Media, Project Management, and an All-Services Protocol and Diplomacy from the U.S. Department of Defense at The Pentagon.

Serves on the boards of the World Trade Center San Diego, Japan Society of San Diego and Tijuana, Ensure Charity, Point Loma Nazarene University's Institute of Politics and Public Service, InterAmerican College, The Museum of Man, Citizen Diplomacy Council, and participates in activities with the San Diego Military Advisory Council and other organizations. Lynn speaks Spanish fluently, and some Japanese and French.

Linda Hobbs

Telisimo International Corporation

President/CEO

Hiroyoshi Horikoshi

HFX Pharma

President

Tetsuya Ishida

Deloitte & Touche, LLP

Director, Lead Tax Services, Pacific Southwest Region

Margaret Iwanaga-Penrose

Union of Pan Asian Communities

President/CEO

Rick Jaime

North American Production Sharing

President

Ikunosuke "Mike" Kawamura

Kyocera International, Inc.

Manager of Training & Development

The Date of Birth
Born in the City of Hiroshima on May 1, 1943

Education
          March, 1967 Graduated from the Doshisha University in Kyoto.
                        Major: Industrial Chemistry
          March, 1969 Received Master of Sciences (Chemistry) from the Doshisha University Graduated School.

Professional Experience
          March, 1969 Joined Kyoto Ceramic Corporation. (Present Kyocera Corporation)
          May, 1971 Transferred to Kyocera International, Inc. in the U.S. to establish the Kyocera's first manufacturing plant outside of Japan.
          1980  Division Manager of Cerdip Division in the San Diego Plant.
          1981  Plant Manager of the Sorrento Valley Palnt in San Diego
          1985  Executive Vice President and Plant Manager of Kyocera Northwest Corp. in Vancouver, WA.
          1990  Division Vice President of AVX MLC Division.
          1992  Vice President of Kyocera Europe Gmbh in Dusseldorf, Germany.
          1994  President of Kyocera Eourope Gmbh.
          1998  President of Kyocera Yoshica Brazil in Sao Pulo, Brazil.
           2000 to present Transfered to Kyocera International, Inc. due to health reasons as Manager of Education & Palnning for the Kyocera's North American operations.

Other Professional Experiences
          1985-1992 Director, Japanese Chambers of Commerce in Portland, Oregon
          1992-1998 Director, Japanese Chambers of Commerce in Dusseldorf, Germany
          1998-2000 Director, Japanese Chambers of Commerce in Sao Paurlo, Brazil
          2004-Present Director, JapanSociety of San Diego and Tijuana
          2009-Present Director, Japanese Friendship Garden Society of San Diego

Josh Knoefler

Knoefler Enterprises Inc.

President

Josh Knoefler has construction and engineering in his blood, putting it to work for him and the world. As a teen-ager, he worked at a variety of jobs in his family’s land development company, gaining practical experience he draws on as an adult. His next stop was Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in Terre Haute, Indiana, ranked for over a decade as the best undergraduate engineering school in the United States, where in 1997 he received a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering.

Prior to starting his chosen profession upon graduation, Josh volunteered with Habitat for Humanity in Brazil, where he built houses for the poor. Soon after, he excelled on many challenging engineering, construction and real estate projects in the U.S., Europe and South America. At 23 he was transferred to Brazil to work on a peak power plant in the heart of the Amazon jungle, and only two years later, he was sent to Croatia to manage the construction scheduling and project controls for three years on a 0 million clean energy re-powering project.

Along the way, he developed an affinity for foreign languages, becoming proficient in French while studying in Paris, Spanish when living and working in an isolated river valley in the Bolivian Andes, Portuguese, and attaining a basic knowledge of Serbo-Croatian. He even spent part of a summer studying Chinese at Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China.

At age 27, he moved back to his hometown, Terre Haute, Indiana, and rediscovered his passion for land development while working on a master-planned subdivision project with his father. In July 2003, he then moved to San Diego to start a West Coast division of his family-owned company that focuses on sustainable development. Not knowing anyone, Josh joined the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce and began setting the pieces in place while obtaining his professional civil engineer registration, becoming a licensed real estate broker, and a general engineering & building contractor.

Currently Josh is bringing his education and experience to bear on a 5 million mixed-use development in National City, California called Green Village. This project seeks to preserve natural resources while creating a high-quality environment where people can live, work and play far into the future. Utilizing his managerial and scheduling skills, after only eight months of planning, land acquisition and design, the project’s concept plan was submitted to the city in December 2005.

Since the sub-prime financial crash and downturn in the U.S. real estate market that began in 2007, Josh has been focused on creating an international business hub in Atlanta, Georgia and expanding the Knoefler family’s international presence as well as solidifying strategic relationships with various countries for economic development, investment, and real estate development services both in the United States and abroad.

Brian Kramer

Attorney at Law

Morrison & Foerster, LLP

Richard Kwiatkowski

San Diego County Regional Airport Authority

Director, Marketing

Rodney Lanthorne

Kyocera International, Inc.

President

Vice Chairman, Board of Directors

Kyocera International, Inc.

Director,

Kyocera Corporation

Chairman and President,

Kyocera Wireless Corp.

Rodney N. Lanthorne serves as a Director of Kyoto, Japan-based Kyocera Corporation (NYSE: KYO), parent company of the worldwide Kyocera group; President of San Diego-based Kyocera International, Inc., the group’s North American holding company; and Chairman and President of San Diego-based Kyocera Wireless Corp., a leading global supplier of CDMA wireless phones and communications equipment.

As the head of Kyocera’s North American holding company, Mr. Lanthorne has ultimate responsibility for a group of seven other wholly-owned Kyocera subsidiaries, which include Kyocera Communications, Inc., Kyocera Wireless Corp., and Kyocera America, Inc., of San Diego; Kyocera Tycom Corporation, of Costa Mesa, California; Kyocera Solar, Inc., of Scottsdale, Arizona; Kyocera Industrial Ceramics Corporation, of Vancouver, Washington; and Kyocera Mexicana, S.A. de C.V., of Tijuana, Mexico.

Mr. Lanthorne also serves on the boards of directors of Kyocera Mita America, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary; and majority-owned AVX Corp. (NYSE: AVX).

Mr. Lanthorne was introduced to Kyocera in 1976 as a CPA for the accounting firm of Coopers and Lybrand, when he was involved in the initial public offering of Kyocera’s American Depository Shares. He joined Kyocera International, Inc. in 1979 as Chief Financial Officer and was named President in 1987. Mr. Lanthorne was named as a director of parent Kyocera Corporation the following year, becoming one of the first Americans to serve on the board of a publicly traded Japanese corporation.

Mr. Lanthorne is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and the proud father of twin daughters. He is a past chairman of the YMCA of San Diego County; a current director of the non-profit Kyoto Symposium Organization; and is involved in various community activities.

* * + *

About Kyocera: Japan-based Kyocera Corporation (http://global.kyocera.com / NYSE: KYO), the parent and global headquarters of the Kyocera Group, was founded in 1959 as a producer of advanced ceramics. By combining these engineered materials with metals and plastics, and integrating them with other technologies, the company has become a leading supplier of telecommunications equipment, office document systems, solar energy products, semiconductor packages, electronic components, cutting tools and industrial ceramics. During the year ended March 31, 2008, Kyocera Corporation’s consolidated net sales totaled approximately US.9 billion (JP¥1,290,436 million) with net income of approximately US.0 billion (JP¥107,244 million). The company marks its 50th anniversary, and the 40th anniversary of its U.S. operations, in 2009.

Robert Latko

President

LMI Global, Inc.

Albert Lee

Harrah's Rincon Casino & Resort

Asian Marketing Manager

Katherine Leonard

JSSDT Past Chair

Hutchinson and Bloodgood LLP

Partner, CPA

Kiyotoshi Mori

Kyowa Hakko Kirin

Director

Takashi Moriuchi

DENSO Wireless Systems America, Inc.

President

Robert Nadalin

The Law Offices of Robert Nadalin

Attorney at Law

Robert G. Nadalin is certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization as a Specialist in the field of Immigration and Nationality Law. He received his J.D. from South Texas College of Law in 1998 and his B.A. in Japanese from Ohio State University in 1993. Mr. Nadalin is a former president of the San Diego Chapter of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and previously served as a member of the AILA Board of Governors. He is a member of the State Bar of California and the State Bar of Texas and has been admitted to practice in the U.S. District Court, Southern District of California, Northern District of Texas, and Southern District of Texas. Mr. Nadalin is a principal in the Law Offices of Robert Nadalin.

Katherine Nakamura

Board of Education, San Diego City Schools

President

Tony O'Connor

Qualcomm

Senior Market Analyst

Jared Papin

UBS Financial Services, Inc.

Vice President

Manuel Pasero

Pasero y Deloitte & Touche

Attorney at Law

Diana Rowland

Rowland & Associates

Founder, President

Diana Rowland is president of Rowland & Associates, Inc., a globally respected consultancy providing essential international business skills to multinational corporations. Relying on four decades of experience in working across cultures, she founded Rowland & Associates in 1985. Their corporate coaching and training sessions are designed to facilitate productive communication and effective business interaction with people in various countries throughout the world.

Ms. Rowland is author of the best-selling book, Japanese Business Etiquette: A Practical Guide to Success with the Japanese (Warner Books 1993) which has sold 100,000 copies and is currently in its second edition, seventeenth printing. She is co-author of International Excellence: 7 Breakthrough Strategies for Personal and Professional Success, (Kodansha International, 1996). Her television appearances include the Lehrer NewsHour, and radio interviews include Australia radio. She is often featured in publications such as Fortune, Esquire, Business Tokyo, Japan Newsweek, the International Herald Tribune, American Chamber of Commerce in Japan, Asian Wall Street Journal and the Nikkei Weekly.

Since 1986 she has been on the faculty of the International Executive Programs at the Graduate School of Business Administration, University of Southern California, as well as on the faculty of USC's Asia/Pacific Conference. She has also taught programs at Mercer College, West Georgia College School of Business, and University of California in San Diego.

Ms. Rowland has lived abroad for ten years (seven years in Japan) and has traveled in fifty-six countries. After her return to the United States she functioned as a liaison for a Japanese trading company. She is the only non-Japanese to have completed a two-week sky diving course instructed entirely in Japanese by Self Defense Forces personnel. She has made 1,200 sky dives and has organized and participated in several world record jumps including the largest formation to be completed at night.

Rowland & Associates clients include: American Airlines, Amgen, Arco, AT&T Bell Labs, Beckman Instruments, BellSouth, Boise Cascade, Callaway Golf, Chevron, Deloitte & Touche, Electronic Industry Association, GE Capital, Georgia Power, George P. Johnson, Goodyear, Hughes Electronics and Space & Communications, Idaho Power, IDI, Intel, International Paper, ITOCHU International, ITT, Japan America Society of Georgia, Japan Society of New York, Johnson & Johnson, La Costa Resorts, Levi Strauss, Lincoln National, Litton Guidance Systems, Louisiana Power & Light, Medtronic, Merrill Lynch Realty, Mobil, Motorola, National Association of Realtors, NEC America, Nippon Express, Nokia, Nortel, NYNEX, Panasonic, Pacific Telecom, Public Relations Society of America, Raytheon, Roland Corporation, Southern California Gas, TDK, Toshiba, Toyota Motor Sales, TRW, Unisys, UPS and Verizon Wireless.

LeeAnne Scherer

TaylorMade - Adidas Golf

Project Leader | Operations

Jay Scovie

Kyocera International, Inc.

Corporate Communications

Jay Scovie serves as Manager of Corporate Communications for Kyocera International, Inc., the North American headquarters of Kyoto, Japan-based Kyocera Corporation. His responsibilities include public relations, investor relations, internal communication and advertising. He holds a B.A. from Michigan State University (1984, English / journalism) and joined Kyocera in 1985. In addition to JSSDT, Jay serves as North American Liaison for the non-profit Inamori Foundation of Kyoto, Japan, and Communications Committee Co-Chair for San Diego’s Kyoto Symposium Organization.

Mink Stavenga

Southwestern College

Dean, Instructional Support Services

Yen Tu

Diana Vellos-Coker

Larrabee | Mehlman | Albi | Coker LLP

Partner

Ms. Coker is a Co-Managing Partner of Larrabee| Mehlman | Albi| Coker LLP, a national law practice dedicated to providing employment-based immigration services. Ms. Coker was awarded a Juris Doctor degree from The Washington College of Law at American University in Washington, D.C. Prior to law school, Ms. Coker obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Ms. Coker joined the firm in 2001.

Prior to joining Larrabee| Mehlman | Albi| Coker LLP, Ms. Coker previously practiced immigration law for Lichtman, Trister, Singer & Ross in Washington, D.C. She has over 10 years of experience in the field of immigration law. Ms. Coker is licensed to practice law in California, Illinois, and Washington, D.C. and is admitted to practice in the US District Court for the Southern District of California and the US District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

Together with her Partners, Ms. Coker is responsible for all aspects of Firm management and provides legal counsel on immigration matters to corporate clients, hospitals, and educational institutions. Ms. Coker’s practice focuses on corporate immigration matters for the high-tech, pharmaceutical/biotech and health care industries including implementing overall immigration policies and procedures.

Ms. Coker is a member of the American Bar Association, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA), and the Lawyers Club of San Diego. Ms. Coker currently serves on the San Diego AILA Chapter's Advocacy Committee and has served on the San Diego USCIS District Office Liaison Committee and the AILA National Waiver Committee. Ms. Coker serves on the Host Committee for the Kyoto Prize Symposium Gala.

Ms. Coker has published in the field of immigration law and frequently speaks with members of Congress and their staff regarding corporate immigration issues. She is named in the International Who's Who of Corporate Immigration Lawyers 2008 and in Who's Who Legal: California 2007 and 2009. Ms. Coker is also listed in The Best Lawyers in America for 2009.

Angelika Villagrana

JSSDT Vice President, Gala

San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce

Director

Edward P. Wallace Jr.

Sony Electronics, Inc.

Vice President, Community Affairs

Ed Wallace manages corporate contributions and volunteer activities for Sony Electronics Inc.

Mr. Wallace serves on the board of directors and is a member of the executives committee of the Association of Corporate Contribution professionals as vice-president (ACCP) – a national trade organization for corporate contributions and community relations professionals.

Ed is in charge of grantmaking in the United States and Mexico. He oversees the matching program, scholarship programs, corporate sponsorships and in-kind donations.

A graduate of St. Peter’s College, Mr. Wallace holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting. Ed sits on several boards on the west coast, (American Diabetes Association, San Diego Food Bank, Pro Kids, San Diego Hall of Champions, Japan Society of San Diego and Tijuana, University of San Diego Athletic Board, University of California, San Diego Athletic Advisory Board) as well as the east coast, (Heroes and Cool Kids, Teach Our Children Foundation, Ramapo College Foundation, Carl T. Osterlof Foundation).

Mr. Wallace resides in Murrieta, CA. He is married to Nancy Wallace and has 3 children, Kelly 25, EJ 20 and Kevan 17.

Sony Electronics is the largest component of Sony Corporation of America, the U.S. holding company for Sony’s U.S. – based electronics and entertainment businesses. Sony’s principal U.S. businesses include Sony Electronics Inc.; Sony/BMG Music; Sony Pictures Entertainment; Sony Computer Entertainment America; Sony Ericsson; and Sony Plaza Public Arcade and Wonder Technology Lab.

Mark Woods

JSSDT Treasurer-Secretary

Union Bank of California

Senior Vice President

Peter Zwick

California State University of San Marcos, University Global Affairs

Director, University Global Affairs

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