Behind the scenes with Honda Aircraft's CEO

Michimasa Fujino, the CEO of Honda Aircraft Co., is an avid sports fan and history buff.

by Katie Arcieri

Have you heard of Honda Aircraft Co.? If so, then you’ve likely also heard the name Michimasa Fujino, the Japanese-born president and CEO of the Greensboro-based company and the mastermind behind the $4.5 million lightweight business jet now being produced at the Piedmont Triad International Airport.

Late last year, I had the rare occasion to sit down with Fujino, one of the subjects of our 10 to Watch edition that's published Friday. Make no mistake, Fujino works a lot. But he does have several interests outside of work and I was also able to glean some personal details about Fujino during the interview.

Among them? Fujino is an avid sports fan who played basketball as a youth in Japan and at one point had aspirations to become a professional table-tennis player.

"I practiced several hours a day because I wanted to be a professional," he said.
And sports continues to be a passion.

"I'm kind of sports nuts," Fujino joked. "My children say please don’t talk about sports at home."
Since arriving in the United States, Fujino has also developed an appreciation of Japanese history and has been reading more on the topic.

"My father was a history professor," he says. "When I was young I didn’t know what he was doing or why he chose history."

History, Fujino says, helps provide insights for his decisions today. That fits in with his decision-making process, one that is based on facts and not feelings.

“The probability of success increases if you take a logical step," he says. “I am not looking for big success or big fortune in one day.”

Want to know more about Fujino? Check out the 10 to Watch edition of The Business Journal, published on Friday.

Source;
http://www.bizjournals.com/triad/news/2013/01/02/behind-the-scenes-with-honda-aircraft.html