NAME: RIKI MAY AMANO

AGE: 52

ORGANIZATION: JAPANESE CULTURAL CENTER OF HAWAI'I

TITLE: PRESIDENT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

PREVIOUS POSITION: THIRD CIRCUIT COURT JUDGE

BORN: HILO, HAWAI'I

HIGH SCHOOL: HILO HIGH SCHOOL

College: University of Hawai'i-Manoa; Richardson School of Law

First job: Sales Clerk, Stationer's Corporation of Hawai'i 1967

Breakthrough job: Internship at Legal Aid Society of Hawai'i in 1974

LITTLE-KNOWN FACT: LOVES TO PLAY THE 'UKULELE

MENTOR: TOO MANY TO MENTION

MAJOR CHALLENGE: HELPING JCCH GROW MEMBERSHIP

HOBBIES: READING, GOLF

Books recently read: "Mediating Dangerously" by Kenneth Cloke; "No One's Perfect" by H. Ototake, "The Moral Imagination" by John Paul Lederach

Q: Since you joined JCCH in May, you've made boosting membership a top priority. How is that going?

A: We are at just a little under 3,000 right now, but there are about 1,500 or so people who didn't renew their membership in the last few months and we're in the process of calling to find out why. Some of those folks are people who joined as part of the "Save the Center" campaign (in 2002). We're following up with them and saying, "Hey we're wondering if there is a reason you didn't want to renew your membership." Some forgot. Some didn't get the mail, or just sort of put it by the wayside because its not urgent anymore.

Q: As the president of JCCH how can you leverage your position to help achieve that?

A: By making sure that at every event, every project, every program, we're out there letting people know that we want their membership. We want them to join and let them know that we have something to offer, and we need their support. I think people don't think we need them. But we do.

Q: How has your career as a lawyer and a judge helped you in your current post?

A: I think that when you're at my age you are at a place where you can draw on everything you've ever done. When you go to law school you think, "Well I'm drawing on my good grades." When you become a lawyer, you're drawing on your law school education. When I went to the bench I was drawing on my legal experience. But now I realize that I'm drawing on everything I ever did. Not just as a lawyer, not just as a judge, but I was a mediator for 23 years. And still do mediations and arbitrations. Those are all the skills that I think I bring to this job.

Q: What are some of the adjustments you've had to make?

A: On the bench we're so careful about not having any appearance of impropriety. Not a single lunch, not a free meal anywhere, not a free anything. Versus coming here, and saying, "Hey how about joining to be a member, and how about buying a ticket for (a fundraising) dinner?"

Q: The JCCH found itself in dire financial straits a few years back. How did the community respond?

A: The center had a defining moment ... in 2002 when they were at risk of losing the building. That drew effectively hundreds and thousands of people to come out of their comfort zones and commit to the effort of saving this place. In the last couple of months I've given a lot of thought to what caused those people to do that. I don't think it's any one reason. What I'm beginning to find is that perhaps there is a little commonality that for all of those people — something about this Japanese cultural center struck a nerve. That nerve is, "Hey, we believe in being Japanese." It's got to be this place. That's why they came out of the woodwork.

Q: How do you keep that spirit and enthusiasm alive?

A: I think we have to get ourselves out there and let people know that we're here, and that being a member means supporting this place. We have to guarantee that it will continue to exist.

Q: How important is fundraising at JCCH?

A: Fundraising is extremely important. We have a signature fundraising event in September. It's called the Celebration of Lifetime Achievement dinner. At that fundraiser we take the opportunity to honor people and organizations that have helped to preserve or at least represent things Japanese in Hawai'i. It gives everyone a chance to get together and socialize, but more importantly they get a chance to focus on our efforts as a community.

Q: How would you rate the organization's performance in carrying out its mission to educate present and future generations in the evolving Japanese-American experience in Hawai'i?

A: I've really been impressed with what I've seen. The resource center is a phenomenal place and it's been run on the backs of volunteers all these years.

Q: You've mentioned that the JCCH relies heavily on volunteers. Is it difficult to keep them motivated?

A: I think it goes to philosophy. First of all I never believed that people put out the most because of what they're paid. I think that people work hard for a lot of reasons, and these include whether they are fulfilled by what they're doing, feel appreciated, have an understanding of how they are contributing to the bigger cause, and feel they are part of a team. That doesn't go to whether or not someone is paid or how much they're paid. So I feel it's part of my job as a leader to get those levels of achievement, whether they are volunteers or paid staff.

Q: Do you have to help inspire their passion or does it come naturally from within them?

A: I think it works for both of us. They inspire my passion and I hope that I at least reciprocate. They're very very passionate about whatever they're into, whether it's the gift shop or if it's the gallery or if it's the research center or if it's our programs, they are really passionate about it as it connects to things Japanese.