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Kevin Tamaki Becomes Go For Broke National Education Center Chair
Community leader and long-time volunteer takes on expanded role for nonprofit
Tamaki Welcomes Gala Dinner Guests at Evening of Aloha
Kevin Tamaki, Chairman, Go For Broke National Education Center Board of Directors, welcomes Evening of Aloha guests and introduces Masaaki Tanaka, President and CEO, Union Bank. Union Bank was one of two title sponsors for the event.
Photo credit: Shane Sato, Little Tokyo
TORRANCE, CA (Nov. 15, 2009) – Kevin M. Tamaki, a member of the Go For Broke National Education Center's (GFBNEC) Board of Directors, has been elected chairman of the Torrance, CA-based nonprofit organization. As a child, Tamaki learned about the World War II experiences of Nisei or second-generation Japanese American soldiers from his uncle, Tony Nakayama, a veteran of the 100th Infantry Battalion.
"I'm honored to be the new chair of Go For Broke National Education Center," Tamaki said. "As the proud nephew of a Nisei WWII veteran, I have a responsibility to educate the public about what it means to be an American citizen through the inspiring stories of the veterans."
GFBNEC's mission is to teach the values and American story of the sacrifices of the heroic Nisei soldiers and to keep their legacy alive for future generations. Its programs include Hanashi Oral Histories, the American Story Teacher Training, a Resource Center, interactive educational initiatives and the Go For Broke Monument located in the Little Tokyo district of downtown Los Angeles.
"Go For Broke is blessed to have a great staff, dedicated board, energetic volunteers and wonderful financial supporters. Without them, there would be no monument, no Hanashi oral history program and no teacher training," Tamaki continued. "My immediate job is to empower the board to act strategically and develop policies that will enable Go For Broke to not only survive the current economic downturn but also to hit the ground running once things turn around. I see opportunities for the organization as it continues to expand its educational programs on the rights and responsibilities of American citizenship through the stories of the Nisei soldiers of WWII."
GFBNEC Officials with Medal of Honor Recipient Hershey Miyamura
Kevin M. Tamaki, newly elected chairman of Go For Broke National Education Center, learned about World War II Nisei experiences from his uncle Tony Nakayama, a veteran of the 100th Infantry Battalion.
(L-R, GFBNEC President & CEO Christine Sato-Yamazaki, Terry Miyamura, World War II 442nd veteran and Korean War Medal of Honor recipient Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura, Adjutant General State of Hawaii Major General Bob Lee, Tamaki and Union Bank Senior Vice President, GFBNEC Board Member and 2009 Evening of Aloha Gala Dinner Chairman Marshall Ozawa.)
Tamaki has been with AT&T for 28 years. He is director-External Affairs and represents the telecommunications industry leader in legislative, community, regulatory and business issues involving the city of Los Angeles. He is a registered lobbyist and a liaison to members of the Los Angeles City Council, Mayor's Office, city departments and city boards and commissions.
Tamaki's community service and leadership reach across Los Angeles from the San Fernando Valley Business Advisory Commission to the Downtown Los Angeles Neighborhood Council. He was honored by the Korean American Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles for his work following the 1992 civil unrest. He received a distinguished alumni award from Los Angeles Valley College in 1996 and was recognized with a special award from the United Chambers of Commerce in 1997. The Valley Interfaith Council presented him with its Human Relations Award in 1998, and the Woodland Hills Chamber of Commerce selected him for its 1998 Presidential Award.
The new GFBNEC Chairman earned a bachelor of arts in political science from U.C. Santa Barbara and a master of urban planning from the University of Michigan. He is a graduate of the Valley Leadership Institute and the Coro Southern California public affairs leadership program for Asian Pacific Islanders. A Los Angeles native, Tamaki has one son and lives in Santa Monica, CA.
Go For Broke National Education Center Hanashi Oral Histories and information about the organization and its programs are available at www.goforbroke.org.
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