Tomio Moriguchi
Former chairman and CEO of Uwajimaya Tomio Moriguchi was named as this year’s Seattle-King County First Citizen Award recipient, along with the Moriguchi family.
The award will be presented at a civic celebration at a date to be determined.
The award recognizes the collective contributions of the Moriguchis in enhancing the quality of life throughout the area. They are only the fifth family to receive the prestigious award, joining Mary Gates & Family (1995 recipients), the Bullitt Family (2000), the McCaw Family (2004), and the Pigott Family (2018).
Phyllis Campbell, Pacific Northwest chairman of JPMorgan Chase & Co., said, “[Moriguchi] and his family were early pioneers in the specialty grocery business, catering to Asian and Asian American tastes. However, he is mainly deserving because of his lifetime of generosity, giving back to our community in countless ways to make it a better place. He is truly one of the icons in business and is a role model for up-and-coming diverse leaders, as his inspirational acts transcend generations.”