Jiro Hagiwara appointed President & CEO of Janome America, Inc.

Jiro Hagiwara has been appointed President and CEO of Janome America, Inc. The new position became effective for Hagiwara on April 1, 2007.

Hagiwara joined the Janome Sewing Machine Company in Tokyo in April of 1972 and since that time, has been continuously employed by Janome’s International Business Department holding overseas positions of increasing responsibility in the U.K., South Africa, New Zealand, Germany and The Netherlands. His most recent position at Janome Tokyo prior to joining Janome America was that of Director and Chief of the International Business Department of Janome Sewing Machine Co., Ltd. in Tokyo, where he has been making decisions concerning all aspects of Janome’s overseas operations. While here in the U.S., Hagiwara will remain an active member of Janome Sewing Machine Company’s Board of Directors.

This is not Hagiwara’s first trip to the U.S. in this capacity. He was president of JAI in the mid 1990s and stayed with the company for about five years. It is a pleasure to have him return once again to Janome. We are confident that his more than 34 years of experience with the Janome organization and the sewing machine business will have a positive impact on the company’s business strategies and objectives.

Hagiwara said of his move, “I am very pleased to once again join the Janome America Management Team; I have long admired the North American sewing machine market and believe it to be the strongest in the world. I look forward to renewing friendships with Janome dealers in the U.S. and Canada.”

Reprinted from SQE Professional, May 2007