News

California Triumphs at Taste-Off

It was a clean sweep for California at the Seasonal Wine Taste-Off on October 13.

At this biannual event, 86 Members sampled nine reds and nine whites before voting for their favorite two from each lineup.

Indigo Eyes' 2018 Chardonnay and Crimson Ranch's 2016 Red Blend were selected as the Club's seasonal wines for November to January.

Napa Valley's Crimson Ranch also won fans for its 2018 Chardonnay, which will be featured as a seasonal wine for February to April next year, along with McManis' 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon.

All the wines will be available in Club dining outlets.

Board Election Slate Announced

The Board of Governors has approved the slate of candidates for this year's Board election.

The election will be held in conjunction with the Annual General Meeting on November 17.

The Nominating Committee-proposed list of candidates is as follows:

• American Citizens (five to be elected)
      Michael Benner
      Trista Bridges Bivens
      David Hackett
      Lauren Kawasaki
      Joe Moscato
      Nathan Schmidt
      Christina Siegel
      Michael Van Zandt
      Jim Weisser
• Japanese Citizens (one to be elected)
      Fumie Iwasa
      Tetsutaro Muraki
• Other Nationalities (one to be elected)
      Gabriela Mandrea
      Anthony Moore

Other Nominations
In accordance with the Board's call for other nominations, the following Members will also run in the forthcoming election:

• American Citizens
      Ginger Griggs
      Gregory Lyon
      Michael Popov
      Sam Rogan
      Dean R Rogers

Electioneering
In accordance with Chapter 5, Section 31 of the General Rules, unauthorized electioneering, including written communication to Club Members, other than in official Club election materials, during any election period, is prohibited. Violations by a candidate for governor, upon review and recommendation of the Nominating Committee, may result in the disqualification of the candidate. Proper decorum is expected during the election period.

Club Signs Lease for Nihonbashi Facility

The Club has moved one step closer to opening its first-ever satellite facility—in Tokyo's Nihonbashi district.

At a ceremony in the Winter Garden on August 5, Michael Alfant, the Club's representative governor, signed a 15-year lease for the Club facility in Nihonbashi Muromachi Mitsui Tower.

Tadashi Ogawa, general manager of Mitsui Fudosan's office building development department, also signed the agreement.

The satellite facility, which is set to open in early spring next year, will feature a restaurant, private dining room, bar, fitness center and locker rooms on the sixth floor of the Mitsui Fudosan-owned building.

"The Nihonbashi facility promises to be an attractive hub for Members in a fast-developing part of town—and at no cost to the Club," says Alfant.

Mitsui Fudosan is responsible for all costs associated with the project and has guaranteed the Club a monthly payment of ¥1 million.

The Nihonbashi Club will be open on weekdays for adults only.

Overseeing the project for the Club are the TAC Nihonbashi Task Force's Ginger Griggs (chair), Alok Rakyan (vice chair), Terry White, James Fink, Koichi Komoda and James Mori.

Photo (l–r): James Fink, Koichi Komoda, James Mori, Ginger Griggs, Michael Alfant, Tadashi Ogawa, Club General Manager Anthony Cala, Club Assistant General Manager Wayne Hunter, Noriaki Yamazaki (Nihonbashi Club opening director) and Mitsui Fudosan's Shuichiro Kodama

Filtering Club Air

Members can breathe easy while at the Club.

In addition to temperature checks, mandatory masks, facility reservations and regular sanitizing of spaces, the Club's state-of-the-art air-filtration system helps to maintain a safe Club environment.

HEPA (high-efficiency particulate absorbing) filters and a three-to-one positive air-pressure ratio system are designed to remove harmful microbes and particulates from the air.

In fact, air in the Fitness Center is filtered and replaced once every eight minutes while The Spa’s treatment rooms benefit from recycled air every 12 minutes.

Closed doors throughout the facility ensure this system runs efficiently.

"The air systems in the Club keep air moisture at a point that lowers the risk of particles moving large distances," explains Toby Lauer, the Club's facilities director. "So the air is as good—if not better—as having a door or window open."

The Club's air quality is also checked each month by an independent air-monitoring company.

Connections Donates Masks to Charity

Members donated more than 750 face masks in the recent charity drive organized by Connections (formerly known as the Women's Group).

The masks were provided to Sanyukai, a homeless men's shelter in Tokyo. The nonprofit has been supported by the Club for a number of years.

"We didn’t expect to collect so many masks through the Club," says Tomomi Fujita of Connections' charities committee. "These masks can help slow the spread of coronavirus, save lives and, ultimately, help our communities and the economy recover quicker."

The drive was launched in April and wrapped up on June 30.

The work of Sanyukai was featured in the November 2013 issue of the Club's INTOUCH magazine.

Photo (Donna Beeman): Tomomi Fujita and Grace Lee of Connections' charities committee