Leading a Seattle Icon: An Evening with
Uwajimaya CEO Denise Moriguchi
Hosted by HBS Seattle
Every Seattleite knows Uwajimaya, PNW’s most beloved grocery brands. Hear from President and 3rd generation family member Denise Moriguchi on how Uwajimaya has continued to thrive and evolve while seeking to give more back to Seattle’s civic and nonprofit life.
About the event
Join the Harvard Business School Club of Seattle the evening of Tuesday, April 7, for an intimate fireside chat with Denise Moriguchi, President & CEO of Uwajimaya.
Every Seattleite knows Uwajimaya. Founded in 1928 by Fujimatsu and Sadako Moriguchi, the company has grown from a one-truck operation into one of the Pacific Northwest’s most beloved grocery brands, with stores across Washington and Oregon and deep roots in the International District. The family rebuilt the business after wartime incarceration at Tule Lake and turned it into a multi-generation anchor of Seattle’s food and cultural landscape.
Today, Denise is the third-generation leader of this 90-plus-year family enterprise, and the first in her family to bring an MBA, earned at MIT Sloan, back into the business. After a career on the East Coast in consulting and healthcare, she returned to Seattle in 2013 to join Uwajimaya and eventually stepped into the president role in 2016 and CEO role in 2017. Her mandate: honor a powerful immigrant and family story while modernizing a regional brand that means a great deal to this community.
Under her leadership, Uwajimaya has continued to thrive and evolve, refreshing stores, launching new concepts, and leaning into its role as a cultural hub, while earning recognition for its contributions to Seattle’s civic and nonprofit life. Denise has been honored as a Woman of Influence and Middle Market leader, and the Moriguchi family has been recognized for strengthening ties between Seattle and Japan.
Topics we will explore:
• Stewarding a multi-generation family business: How Denise navigates legacy, governance, and succession as a third-generation CEO
• Protecting a beloved regional brand while pushing for change: Balancing tradition with new formats, new customers, and a rapidly changing Seattle
• Community, advocacy, and the CID: Why Uwajimaya engages in local policy debates and invests in neighborhood institutions - and how that shapes strategic decisions
• Candid conversation and audience Q&A: Expect a frank discussion about hard calls, family dynamics, and what she’s learned about leadership along the way.
• This session is designed for alumni who care about family business, brand stewardship, and community leadership
Who’s Invited:
• HBS alumni (all programs)
• IvyPlus alumni (Stanford, Wharton, Booth, Columbia, MIT, Oxford, Cambridge, etc.)
• Harvard undergrad/grad alumni
• Your guests
• We expect this event to sellout, so secure your place today.
Leading a Seattle Icon: An Evening with
Uwajimaya CEO Denise Moriguchi
Hosted by HBS Seattle
Tuesday, April 7, 2026
6:00pm - 8:30pm PT
Location: Downtown Seattle
Cost:
• To cover venue and refreshments
• $30 General Admission
• $25 Harvard Grads
• $10 Current Students
Hosted by:
About Denise Moriguchi, MIT Sloan '07, CEO of Uwajimaya
Moriguchi is the daughter of Tomio Moriguchi, who was the CEO of Uwajimaya. Her aunt Tomoko Moriguchi-Matsuno also was CEO. She is the great-niece of George Tsutakawa.
After graduating from Lakeside School, Moriguchi moved to the east coast of the United States for further education. She obtained a degree in economics and Asian studies from Bowdoin College in 1998 and has a Master of Business Administration from MIT Sloan School of Management. She is the first member of her family to hold an MBA. After obtaining an MBA, Moriguchi worked at Dove Consulting and Bayer HealthCare before returning to Seattle in 2013 so that she can continue her work at Uwajimaya while having her two children grow up with their extended family.
Moriguchi acceded to her position as president of Uwajimaya on March 1, 2016. She succeeded her aunt to the position as CEO of Uwajimaya in February 2017. She was also appointed to the Washington State Convention Center's board of directors in February 2017. She was interviewed by the North American Post about her experiences prior to her tenure as CEO that same year. Her family received the 2017 Tomodachi Award for their contributions to the relations between Japan and Seattle.
Your membership supports our Mission!
Membership in HCS costs less than 1 latte per month.
Current Full-time Student Annual Membership price $0.00.
Most Recent Graduate Annual Membership price $0.00.
Recent Graduate Annual Membership price $35.00.
Individual Annual Membership price $70.00.
https://hcseattle.clubs.harvard.edu/memsub.html
We look forward to seeing you at future events!