Ms. Sumiko Ito becomes Treasurer and Director of FUTI

On December 5th, the Board of FUTI elected Ms. Sumiko Ito-Allison as Director and Treasurer, effective January 1, 2012. In addition to her general duties as a director, Ms. Ito will assume responsibilities for financial matters of FUTI.
Ms. Ito is President of Arcadia Capital, Inc., a strategic consulting firm focused on cross border U.S.-Japanese business opportunities, which she founded in 1991. Prior to founding Arcadia, she worked as Head for Japanese Business Development for Alex Brown & Sons in Baltimore, Maryland. Ms. Ito began her career as an official for the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Japan. She subsequently moved to Strategic Planning Associates in Washington, D.C. and then to Nomura Securities International in New York.
Ms. Ito has a keen interest in contemporary arts as well as Japanese traditional culture. She is a tea master of Enshu School of Tea and serves as the New York representative for Enshu School. She serves as Executive Director of Hara Museum Fund and is a Board member of Kronos Quartet/Kronos Performing Arts Association.
Ms. Ito resides in Karuizawa during the summer months, where she has joined with local residents in helping children and mothers in the region of Fukushima, Japan who have been impacted by the nuclear plant disaster following the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake in March 2011.
She received her B.A. degree in Economics from the University of Tokyo in 1974 and an M. Phil degree in Economics from the University of Oxford in 1980.
“It is a great honor to serve FUTI as a Board member,“ said Ms. Ito. “I will try my best to promote international collaboration between UTokyo and American universities. Also I would like to contribute to the development of a ‘UTokyo community in the U.S.’ including alumni, non- Japanese students and teachers. “
Professor Kobayashi, President of FUTI, said, “We are very pleased to have Ms Ito as a new Board member. Her financial and business expertise and experience at non-profit organizations will be a great asset for further development of FUTI.”


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