A Japanese immigrant, who went from living in a used Plymouth Valiant when he arrived in the United States in 1968 to owning a multimillion dollar conglomerate, has been named the recipient of the 2003 Highline College Distinguished Alumni Award.

Junki Yoshida attended Highline from 1970 to 1973. He created Yoshida’s Gourmet Sauce in 1982 from his family’s 60-year-old secret recipe for a teriyaki-based cooking sauce. Now sold worldwide, the product led Yoshida to form his first company, Yoshida Food Products, the first of 17 diverse companies that make up the Oregon-based Yoshida Group, which has annual revenues of more than $180 million.

Yoshida and his six siblings grew up poor, living solely off income generated by the family restaurant. At 19, Yoshida decided to come to the United States in search of the American Dream. Due to limited English-speaking skills, Yoshida was denied admission to Seattle Pacific University. He went on to enroll at Highline to study English, where he taught karate lessons in exchange for classes. Now 54, the married father of three is also a motivational speaker, seventh degree black belt, and an active member of his community, donating his time and money to a number of causes.

A Japanese immigrant, who went from living in a used Plymouth Valiant when he arrived in the United States in 1968 to owning a multimillion dollar conglomerate, has been named the recipient of the 2003 Highline College Distinguished Alumni Award.