A strong advocate of diversity and equal opportunity, Sho Dozono is a respected civic and business leader, devoting his time and energy in service to the community.

Sho’s roots stem back to his days of teaching and coaching at Portland’s Grant High School. His support of schools has remained a high priority. When the Portland area schools were faced with major funding crises in 1996, Sho mobilized 30,000 citizens to March for our Schools. This community-wide effort raised $11M for the schools and saved countless teaching jobs.
 

Sho Dozono has been in the travel industry for 30 plus years and since 1987 has served as president and chief executive officer of Azumano Travel. Azumano Travel and its subsidiary company, Premier Gateway, are currently ranked as #1 in the State of Oregon among diversity-owned businesses, #25 in the nation among diversity-owned businesses. Dozono has grown this business from a small company with only a handful of employees into a multi-branch enterprise whose combined staff now numbers 250. With offices throughout Oregon, Washington and Alaska, Azumano’s footprint covers the Pacific Northwest.

In October of 2001, Sho and Loen Dozono inspired millions of Americans by organizing 1,000 citizens to take part in the “Flight For Freedom” to New York City as a show of support for the victims of September 11. These volunteers flew cross-country to connect with New Yorkers and help jump-start the local economy. A wounded New York opened its arms to the Freedom Fliers from around Oregon.

In the aftermath of the catastrophic tsunami that struck South Asia on Dec. 26, 2004, Sho and Loen Dozono launched a national, industry-wide “Flight Of Friendship” to Thailand. The project was a people-to-people effort designed to help jump start the return of tourists to the tsunami-affected areas by giving travel industry professionals and other key individuals a proper perspective.

• Born 1944 in Japan (mother US citizen--born and raised in Portland)
• Emigrated to Portland in 1954
• Attended Buckman Elementary School 1955-57; Hosford Elementary School 1957-59
• Graduated Cleveland High School, 1963
• BA in Education & History, University of Washington, 1967
• Master’s in Education, Portland State University, 1968
• United States Army, 1968-71
• Social Studies/Japanese Language Teacher & Wrestling Coach, Grant High School, Portland, 1971-76

• Joined Azumano Travel Service, Portland, 1976
• United Methodist Synod: National Board of Directors 1979-1982
• Portland YMCA: Trustee 1992-96
• Salvation Army, Cascade Division: Board of Directors 1988-1991
• Japanese American Citizens’ League: Board member 1977-1981, President, 1979
• Metropolitan Human Relations Commission: 1979-1989
• Portland Oregon Visitors Association (POVA): Board member, including President, 1986-1994, President 1992
• Port of Portland Commissioner: 1989 - 1993
• Portland Metropolitan Chamber: Board member 1991-2003, Chair 2001
• Portland Art Museum: Trustee 1992 - 1998 & 2000-2007
• Museum at Warm Springs: Board of Governors, 1993 - present
• Oregon Sports Authority: Board member since 1994
• Portland Public Schools Foundation: 1995 - 2001, President 1997, 1999
• White House Conference on Travel & Tourism: Oregon Delegate 1995
• Japan America Society of Oregon: Board member since 1995, Board Chair 1995 – 1997
• March For Our Schools: Co-chair 1996
• President’s Summit on America’s Future: Portland Delegate 1997
• Spirit Mountain Community Fund: Trustee 1997-present
• Portland State University Foundation: Board member 1998-2004
• Oregon International Trade Commission: member 1999 - present
• United Way of Columbia-Willamette: Board member, 2001, Board Chair 2006, United Way Campaign Chair, 2004
• International Air Service Committee: Co-chair 2001-present
• AIDSWalk 03: Honorary Co-Chair
• Mercy Corp: Board of Ambassadors 2005 - present
• Governor’s Task Force on Equality: 2006
• Multnomah County Task Force on Aging: August 2007 - present

• Spirit Mountain Community Fund Award in recognition of his “generosity and commitment to the continued growth of The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and Spirit Mountain Community Fund,” 2007
• Japanese Foreign Minister’s Award in recognition of ”his countless contributions to friendly and harmonious relations between Japan and the United States,” 2007
• Humanitarian Hero Awards (first recipients), presented by Mercy Corps to Sho & Loen Dozono and Bill & Karen Early, 2007
• Distinguished Ten Years of Service Award, Blanchet Catholic School’s President’s Advisory Board, 1997-2007
• Torchbearer Award in recognition of “profound commitment to building a strong and diverse Oregon”, Equity Foundation, 2006
• Outstanding Volunteer Fundraiser in recognition of "outstanding and creative leadership in the field of philanthropy and community service,” Association of Fundraising Professionals, Oregon Chapter, 2005
• Angel Award in recognition of “outstanding volunteer service,” Cascade AIDS Project , 2005
• Honored by Basic Rights Oregon for his leadership in ending workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, 2005 
• Ambassador Extraordinaire Award, Oregon Consular Corps, 2004
• James DePreist Award for Excellence, Volunteers of America Oregon, 2004
• Citizen of the World, Japan America Society of Oregon, 2003
• Travel Agent of the Year. American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), 2002
• Governor’s Tourism Award, 2002
• Portland Award, Portland Oregon Visitors Association (POVA), 2002
• Tom McCall Award, Oregon Association of Broadcasters, 2002
• Tom McCall Leadership Award, Stop Oregon Litter and Vandalism (SOLV), 2002
• Excellence Award in Community Service, US Pan Asian American Chamber of Commerce (USPAACC), 2002
• Chairman’s Award, Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs (OAME), 2002
• Olympic Winter Games Torchbearer, Columbia River Region, 2002
• Governor’s Freedom Award, 2001
• International Business Achiever Award, Japan America Society of Oregon, 2001
• Spirit of Portland Award, Mayor of Portland, Vera Katz, 1996 & 2001
• William S. Naito Award, Portland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce, 1997
• Top 100 Stars Award, Volunteers of America Centennial Celebration, Oregon Chapter, 1996
• Community Service Award, Oregon Minority Enterprise Development, 1993
• Rose City Award, Portland Oregon Visitors Association, 1990
• Distinguished Service Award, Metropolitan Human Relation Commission, 1989