Press Releases

Kikuo Urayama Is New President of Charmant USA

Published

9 years ago

January 12, 2015

Charmant USA has announced changes to its executive staff that includes the retirement of President Harry Aida and Vice President of Finance, Bill Ferraro.

Kikuo Urayama will be the new President and CEO of Charmant USA Inc as of February 1, 2015.

Urayama comes to Charmant USA with previous experience in the US office as Vice President from 1996-2000. His experience with Charmant extends as far back as 1994, when he joined as Managing Director of Charmant UK.

After working in the UK for two years, and the US for four years, he transferred to Charmant Italia as Vice President, and then in 2007, moved back to Japan as the General Manager of the International Business Division and Chief Auditor of the Internal Audit Department. His most recently held position is Chief Operating Officer of the Western Business Division, which includes Europe and the Americas—this role put him in the prime position to take over as President for the US office.

“I am ready and enthused to take on this new role as President for the US office,” states Uraryama. “My experience over the last several years has fully prepared me to take on this exciting new challenge. I look forward to implementing new approaches, while taking care to respect and nurture our current relationships and business approaches.”

Harry Aida will remain President through the end of January, 2015. At that time, Mr. Aida will retire from Charmant and return home to Japan where his wife, sons, and grandchildren live. Harry joined the company in 1998 as Senior Executive Director and COO of the International Sales Division.

He then transferred to Charmant USA in 2002 as Executive Vice President, and was promoted to President and CEO in January 2005.

Bill Ferraro, Vice President of Finance for Charmant USA will also retire at the end of January. Ferraro joined the company in 1994 as Senior Accounting Manager, in 1996 he was promoted to Director of Finance, and in 2004, he was promoted to his current position of Vice President of Finance and Administration.

“I am sad to leave the company that has become my second home,” states Bill Ferraro, “but I am looking forward to enjoying retirement. I have no doubt Charmant USA is in good hands with Mr. Urayama.”

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