Written by Dr. Kichiemon Asoma, Co-Chair of the Annual Dinner
On Friday September 13th, 2024, JMSA hosted its 52nd Annual Dinner at the Metropolitan Club. Over 240 guests attended the memorable dinner with the theme of “Connecting, Serving, and Moving Forward.”
The evening was kicked off by the world-famous Senri Oe, who performed several of his new style jazz pieces on the piano, combining Japanese pop tunes and New York Jazz.
Ms. Kaoriko Kuge, the evening’s MC, introduced JMSA President Maki Kano-Lueckerath, who gave her welcome remarks. The dinner marked the end of the first of Dr Kano’s successful two-year term and she spoke of the excitement she felt in seeing the initiative, enthusiasm, and commitment to service from the younger generation of JMSA members that have reinvigorated JMSA. Ambassador Mikio Mori of the Consul-General of Japan in New York next greeted the guests and gave thanks to JMSA’s commitment to supporting the Japanese and Japanese American community.
The 2024 Nominations Committee presented the slate of new executive officers and board members to be approved by the members in attendance. Dr Maki Kano-Lueckerath was voted in for her second two-year term as President of JMSA, with Dr. Kamal Ramani and Dr. Akira Nishisaki as the Vice Presidents, Dr. Jay Starkey as the Secretary and Dr. Kamal Ramani as the Acting Treasurer.
At the start of the main course, the Annual Dinner Video titled “Serving Our Community and Paving the Way for our Future” was presented. The video was met with high acclaim by the audience and showcased the journey of JMSA from its humble beginnings as a dinner club of a few Japanese American physicians into its rise to a national and international medical community service organization that it is today. The video also highlighted Dr Karen M Kling, a past recipient of a JMSA medical student scholarship and who is now a pediatric surgeon in San Diego. In recognition of Dr Kling’s generous support of JMSA over the years, JMSA inaugurated a scholarship in her name at this year’s dinner.
This year, JMSA presented the “JMSA Corporate Community Leadership Award” to Mr. Sayu Ueno, President and CEO of Mitsui & Co. (U.S.A.), Inc. in grateful recognition of his enthusiastic and unwavering support of JMSA over many years. Dr Yuichi Shimada and Dr Sei Higuchi, co-chairs of the scholarship committee, presented the thirteen recipients of the scholarship awards to the guests.
The evening was closed by thanking Mr. Yoshio Kano and Ms. Lydia Horiguchi for their dedication to making the 52nd annual dinner a great success and finally also to Dr Kano-Lueckerath, who gave a final word of thanks to the guests and wished all a safe and pleasant evening. Dr. Kano-Lueckerath also thanked the Annual Dinner Co-Chairs, Dr. Kichemon Asoma and Dr. Mio Sawai and the Annual Dinner Committee for their input and support.
JMSA and its Board would like to thank the many donors, supporters, and benefactors. Without their support, none of JMSA’s programs would not be possible.
