Toichi Takenaka, Distinguished Alumni Award Recipient

Alumni Grand Awards

November 23, 2021

Bachelor of Economics, Faculty of Economics, Konan University | M.B.A., Broad College of Business, Michigan State University

 

The Distinguished Alumni Award is given to alumni who have differentiated themselves by obtaining the highest level of professional accomplishment.

 

He’s Honorary Chairman of the Board of Japan’s Takenaka Corporation, benefactor to MSU students and abroad and a Spartan.

Toichi Takenaka is one of Japan’s well-respected business leaders – through his illustrious career, he honors both his family and his Spartan roots. A 17th-generation descendant of the Takenaka Corporation’s original founder, Takenaka assumed the role of president and CEO in 1980.

The Takenaka family founded their business in 1610 as a shrine and temple builder and is now one of the largest architecture, engineering and construction firms in Japan. Among its many accolades, Takenaka Corporation pioneered quality management activities in the Japanese construction industry, and their passion for quality has received high praise over the years. The company has been involved a lot of landmark projects such as the Tokyo Tower and Singapore Airport Terminals 1 and 4. The company has also developed projects and owns assets in the United States,United Kingdom and Japan.

After spending two significant years in East Lansing, Takenaka returned to his firm and has preserved a “toryo (master builder) spirit” of architecture from his forefathers, passing it down to future generations. As a loyal global Spartan, Takenaka is an engaged member of the MSU Alumni Club in Japan. He also regularly welcomes MSU students to the “Business and Culture in Japan” Study Abroad Program, generously sharing his expertise and advice. On MSU’s campus, he was one of the contributors to help enable the development of the MSU Broad College of Business Edward J. Minskoff Pavilion in 2019.
 

“Sharing your expertise with future generations, especially in international interests, is critical to growing our globalization. That is why maintaining a relationship with MSU is so important to me.”

Spartans will have a global perspective.

 

Author: Aimee Klevorn
Contributing Writer(s): Amanda Vasas