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Atsumasa TotisakoAmerican financier, manager and entrepreneur
Date of Birth: 01.01.1953
Country:  USA |
Content:
- Atsu Masatoshi Tochisako: A Pioneer in Social Entrepreneurship
- Early Life and Education
- Banking Career
- Social Entrepreneurship
- Microfinance International Corporation
- Micromanos Corp.
- Recognition and Awards
- Additional Information
Atsu Masatoshi Tochisako: A Pioneer in Social Entrepreneurship
Atsu Masatoshi Tochisako, a Japanese-American financier, manager, and entrepreneur, founded and led Micromanos Corp. and Microfinance International Corporation (MFIC).
Early Life and Education
Tochisako was born in 1953 in Onomichi City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, to humble beginnings. Aspiring to become a pilot, he chose a job at the Bank of Tokyo when his dream was not realized. He earned a bachelor's degree in international trade and commerce in 1976 from Doshisha University in Kyoto, Japan, and an MBA from George Washington University in the United States. He also studied at Universidad de Guanajuato in Mexico.
Banking Career
Tochisako spent 27 years at The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ (formerly Bank of Tokyo), including 12 years in various roles in Latin America. In Mexico, he witnessed widespread poverty that left a lasting impact on his career. As a banker, he participated in major Japanese trading company reorganizations, international syndicated loans, and foreign exchange trading, eventually becoming the bank's chief representative.
Social Entrepreneurship
In 2003, Tochisako left banking to pursue his passion for addressing poverty. He founded two sister organizations, Microfinance International Corporation and Micromanos Corp., serving as CEO of both.
Microfinance International Corporation
MFIC, based in Washington, D.C., focused on providing low-cost remittances for unbanked or underbanked Latin American migrant workers, later expanding to Europe and Asia. The company developed the ARIAS system, connecting banks, money transfer companies, mobile operators, kiosks, and other intermediaries to offer the service under their own brands. MFIC also expanded into providing ancillary services for microfinance institutions such as credit scoring, operations consulting, and product development.
Micromanos Corp.
Micromanos Corp., headquartered in Rockville, Maryland, focused on migrant worker employment and staffing. The company provided contract staffing in hospitality, construction, retail, food service, publishing, and government contracting. It also provided certified healthcare professionals such as nurses, caregivers, and home health aides. Additionally, Micromanos offered employment outsourcing services including recruitment, payroll, tax administration, staff training, and benefits administration.
Recognition and Awards
Tochisako's work at MFIC earned him recognition from the Ashoka Fellowship in 2007, the Nikkei Japanese Innovation Award in 2008, and a connection to the Federal Reserve Bank in 2009. In 2009, Japanese Newsweek named him one of "100 Japanese Respected Around the World."
