Who am I?

I am the great-grandson, grandson and son of San Francisco natives. Like so many of them, my ancestors came to America around 1900 from countries such as Ireland, France, Scotland and Greece. I was born during a heat wave after the Summer of Love on Oct. 6, 1967, at UC Medical Center – a stone’s throw from Golden Gate Park’s panhandle and the burgeoning “campaign for peace and love,” as John Lennon put it. Both my grandfathers served in World War II and one in Korea as well. My parents, Pam and Joe, were both born in 1946 and were high school sweethearts. I have an older sister, Karin, who lives in Southern California with her husband and their two children.

When I was five we moved about 90 minutes north of San Francisco into the vineyards and redwood trees of a small resort town along the Russian River called Guerneville. I spent most of my adolescence living in Sonoma, Marin or San Francisco. When I was 17, I ventured out on my own and started college at California State University in Sacramento pursuing an English major with a history minor.

At 19, feeling compelled to pursue a career as a professional musician, I formed a pop-rock trio and supported our ventures on my pittance earned as a dishwasher, busboy, waiter and parking attendant. We played music, wrote and recorded our own material, and had some wonderfully satisfying moments. I promised myself that if we hadn’t hit it big by the time I was 25, I’d give it all up and “get a real job.” But 25 came too quickly. I still greatly appreciate many genres of music and always will.

As a doorman at the Westin St. Francis Hotel during the San Francisco Bay Area’s dot-com era, I witnessed firsthand the electric pulse of rapid development. The city was bursting with excitement and business was booming. The streets were filled with people that had an added bounce in their step. One of those people was my future wife, Takako. She was an accomplished hair stylist at a boutique shop on Union Square, and we fell in love immediately. We were married on April 19, 1999, a year to the day after our first date, and now have two little boys. Like all new parents, we are beginning to comprehend the unspoken lessons our parents learned a generation ago, and that the wonderful cycle never stops.

Moving up the management ranks in San Francisco, Kyoto and Dongguan, China, has helped me appreciate the potential power of a group of people working toward a common goal. I believe that the sway of a group working together in synergy is greater than that of the same number of people working separately. As I’ve managed larger teams with more responsibility and in more challenging circumstances, my sense of satisfaction has increased.

WHAT ARE MY FIRST IMPRESSIONS AFTER SEVEN DAYS ON THE JOB AS GM?
As I get to know the people around me, one thing is clear: Many care a great deal about what happens on the top two floors of the Yurakucho Denki North Building, and they’re not afraid to tell me. They are very smart people; passionate advocates whose agendas sometimes collide. Some sugarcoat their position; some grab me by the sleeve. Some are for upheaval within the Club, some for stability, some for mentorship, many for a cultural renaissance. Members and staff alike sense the possibility for improvement; that is exciting. I’m learning that a lot of water has passed under the FCCJ hashi; it hasn’t always been tranquil; and that we are at a crossroads in many ways. If ever in recent history there was an opportunity for a positive and comprehensive shift, this is it.

HOW DO I ENVISION THE FCCJ’S FUTURE?
I’m excited about our newer members and the bright promise they hold for our organization’s future. I also deeply value and respect the wishes and opinions of our more senior members, as without them and all their contributions we would not be here today. I envision a smooth operation that is driven by an attentive, well-trained, confident staff that is focused on improving member satisfaction and, therefore, our financial future. I foresee improved member support, facilities, food and beverage, transparency and accountability in Club management. I want standardized human-resources practices, daily training and a culture of continuous improvement. I will seek the removal of bottlenecks and roadblocks and an environment in which men and women, young and old, foreign and native feel equally comfortable, satisfied and at peace within this private retreat. I envision an infectious optimism that won’t get bogged down. ❶