by Lee Keller, The Keller Group (this article is retrived from Uwajimaya’s press release on May 16th)
Uwajimaya announced today that it has added iconic Northwest chef, restaurateur, author and entrepreneur, Tom Douglas, to its Board of Directors. The company has also hired Stephen Keller as VP of Finance and Stephanie Steiner as VP of Sales & Marketing.
“As we aim to modernize and streamline Uwajimaya which celebrates its 90th anniversary this year, I am very excited to bring new members with fresh perspectives and strong
experiences to the team,” said President & CEO Denise Moriguchi. Moriguchi took over as the third generation leader of the family-owned company in March 2017 when her aunt, Tomoko Moriguchi-Matsuno, retired. “The two in-house team positions are new to our company and both are important as we continue to grow and look for additional opportunities to bring our unique brand of high quality foods and Asian gifts to the Pacific Northwest.”
“We are very fortunate to add the talent, knowledge and energy of Tom Douglas to the Board,” said Uwajimaya Lead Director of the Board, Jim Warjone. “He is a true leader in Seattle’s food scene and has successfully grown his brand through innovation, hard work and his savvy business sense. He will bring a lot to the table.”
Stephen Keller, VP of Finance, is new to the grocery industry and brings a wide range of experience from his former finance roles in technology, apparel retail and manufacturing including local favorite, Eddie Bauer.
Stephanie Steiner, VP of Sales & Marketing, joins Uwajimaya from Unified Grocers /SuperValu where she was Director of Sales & Marketing, responsible for the creation of their natural foods divi s ion. Prior to SuperValu, Steiner was with PCC Community Markets as the grocery merchandiser.
