JANM Mourns the Passing of George Sugimoto

Editors please note: JANM’s Pavilion is closed for renovation; programs will continue on the JANM campus and at other locations at janm.org/OnTheGo. 

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Japanese American National Museum (JANM) mourns the passing of entrepreneur and philanthropist George Sugimoto. Born in Parlier, California, Sugimoto was the youngest of nine children. He and his family were imprisoned at the Gila River concentration camp in Arizona during World War II and he served in the US Army during the Korean occupation. After the war he became a pilot and founded KGS Electronics, a successful avionics electronics company that served the aerospace industry for over sixty years.

Sugimoto provided products to companies that included Cessna Aircraft, Boeing Aerospace, Learjet Inc., EADS/Airbus, Gulfstream Aerospace, and Beechcraft. His business decisions and philanthropic endeavors always exemplified his principle of longevity: “Make sure that what’s here today is here tomorrow.” A humble and caring father and husband, Sugimoto enjoyed volunteering and giving back to his community, spending time with his family, and playing golf.

“JANM is deeply saddened by the passing of George Sugimoto. A prominent figure in the Japanese American community, his generosity helped JANM preserve the history of Japanese Americans, educate generations of students about the World War II incarceration, and ensure that no other community would be similarly targeted. By giving back to his community, George helped safeguard JANM’s ability to tell our stories in the face of discrimination, build bridges across communities, and ensure that future generations could build a better tomorrow,” said Ann Burroughs, JANM President and CEO.

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