Gary Nakamoto, principal of the Nakamoto Group LLC, was the honoree at the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors’ Proclamation ceremony, held in celebration of the Asian Pacific Heritage Month in May. He accepted the Proclamation on behalf of the county’s Asian Pacific American population.

It’s not surprising that Nakamoto was chosen to receive the Proclamation on behalf of the county’s Asian American community. Nakamoto personifies the immigrant achieving the American Dream. He is also a dedicated and generous civic leader. He was the recipient of the Valor Humanitarian Award in 2009 for his numerous philanthropic activities.

Gordon Bernhard, author of “Profiles in Success: Inspiration from Executive Leaders in the Washington Area,” wrote that Nakamoto has “a sense of compassion tied closely to responsibility and trust, which create a strong team spirit that is at once enlivening and self-sustaining.”

Following the Proclamation ceremony, Nakamoto attended a reception where he spoke in front of a small group of Asian Americans sharing the story of his Japanese American ancestry.

Recalling his humble youth, he talked of his struggle to make ends meet, mowing lawns, collecting soda bottles by the highway, washing dishes, busing tables, digging ditches, to name a few. His upbringing helped mold him into a strong character, with an ideal work ethic, and a philosophy embracing the value of an open mind.

Nakamoto’s advice for a successful life: “Nobody can predict the future, so you must prepare to expand your mind beyond what you thought the game would look like…One must be able to wake up each morning with a good plan and be willing to adjust it throughout the day.”

Success Story

Nakamoto was the 2006-2007 Chairman of the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce. He was the first and only Asian American Chairman of the Chamber since it was founded in 1925.

In 2010, he was named among the “Fifty Powerful Men in Business, Minority Enterprise Executive Council.” In 2007, the Washingtonian Magazine recognized him as one of the “150 Most Influential People in Washington, D.C.

Under his leadership, The Nakamoto Group also earned the distinction of being named the 2011 Best Places to Work in Virginia, the 2009 GOVCON Finalist of the Year, the 2008 Top 100 Privately-Held Businesses in Virginia, and the 2008 Top 100 Diversity-Owned Business in Virginia.

Nakamoto’s clients include public and private agencies, across the country and across the globe, which support military technologies in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Kuwait. The company posts $45 million in annual revenue.

The Nakamoto Group LLC, according to a news release, is “a full-service business development company and management consulting firm, focused on generating real results to foster growth in the federal and public sector for small, medium-size and large companies in North America.”

Busy as he is, Nakamoto always finds time to give back to the community. As a contributor to the Youth for Tomorrow Foundation, Nakamoto assisted the at-risk youth to acquire the “skills, confidence, intellectual ability, and integrity to become responsible and productive members of society.” His company also honored public safety and law enforcement officers in the Valor Scholarship Foundation, which provided educational grants to their children.

Gary was appointed by Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell to many Commissions. He has been a member of 12 Board of Directors of several organizations, ranging from Youth, Health, Automobile, Red Cross, Chamber of Commerce, George Mason University, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, to the Police and Sheriff’s Department.

Bipartisan Support

The Heritage Month Proclamation ceremony took place on May 1 at the Fairfax County Government Center. It was televised on Cable Channel 16–Fairfax County Government Channel.

The Proclamation recognizes the distinguished cultures and contributions of the APA residents of Fairfax County in the fields of arts, sciences, military, law, business and government.

In his remarks as the honoree, Nakamoto lauded the government’s bipartisan support for Asian American Heritage programs.

He said, “I am very pleased that we are continuing with the Fairfax County tradition of bipartisan support for civic programs. Supervisor John Cook has agreed to join Chairman Sharon Bulova in co-sponsoring the Fairfax County Asian American History Project, or FCAAHP, as we move forward with our annual naturalization programs and our series of historical research/community outreach.”

He noted the progress “on the second book on ‘VALOR: Asian American Soldiers, Police, Firefighters Protecting Fairfax County and Our Nation,’ and our third book on ‘YOUTH: Asian American Perspectives on Intergenerational Issues in Fairfax County.’”

He added: “This development also continues the tradition of the Braddock District Supervisor as a leader in local historical projects, including the Fairfax County Asian American History Project.” He also thanked Chairman Sharon Bulova and Supervisor John Cook.