Kumamoto Elected to Lead HCNC
Alan Kumamoto, one of the early organizers of the Historic Cultural Neighborhood Council (HCNC), has been
Alan Kumamoto
elected president and will lead the organization into its 14th year.
Kumamoto is the founding partner of Kumamoto Associates, an L.A.-based marketing, management and communications consulting firm. He represents St. Francis Xavier Japanese Catholic Center on the HCNC board and also belongs to the Little Tokyo Community Council and Little Tokyo Rotary Club board. He was named earlier to replace HCNC president Brian Kito, Fugetsudo owner, who stepped down to focus on his growing business.
HCNC representatives come from Little Tokyo, the Arts District, Chinatown, El Pueblo de Los Angeles, Solano Canyon, and Victor Heights.
Also elected during the June 14 meeting was Little Tokyo resident Steve Nagano, a filmmaker and retired computer teacher, who will become second vice president. Rounding out the slate of officers are: Dafne Gokcen (Victor Heights), first vice president; Laura Velkei (at large), third vice president; Yuval Bar Zemer (Arts District), fourth vice president; Lydia Moreno (Solano Canyon), treasurer; and Shirley Zhang (Victor Heights), secretary.
Matthew Glaser, partner in the Wolf and Crane Bar, will serve as the Little Tokyo business representative. Others serving on behalf of Little Tokyo are Ron Fong of the Little Tokyo Service Center, nonprofit representative, and Howard Nishimura, resident. June Aochi Berk sits on the HCNC board as an at-large representative for seniors.
Certified by the City of Los Angeles in 2002, HCNC is one of 96 neighborhood councils throughout L.A. composed of people who live, work, own property or have some other connection to the neighborhood.
Each neighborhood council receives public funds to support activities, which may include creating events and programs that respond to the community’s unique needs or advocating on behalf of issues such as crime, roads and streets, safe spaces for children, and economic development.
For more information, visit https://empowerla.org/hcnc/.