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Rangefinder
Magazine
May 2004
Industry News
Toshiyuki Masai Named New President and CEO of Nikon:
Nikon Inc. recently announced the appointment of Mr. Toshiyuki Masai as president and CEO of the company. Masai has been with Nikon for almost 25 years, overseeing photo and instrument business activities in over 40 countries. “Toshiyuki Masai is ideally suited to succeed Jack Abrams as president and CEO of Nikon Inc. With his working style and vast experiences throughout Europe and Asia, Mr. Masai will prove to be an invaluable resource and provide a true global perspective to Nikon Inc.,” said Makoto Kimura, managing director and president, Imaging Company, Nikon Corporation Japan. “Digital technology has become a core strength for Nikon Inc. Under Mr. Masai’s guidance and direction, Nikon Inc. will continue to aggressively pursue new opportunities to remain competitive and to secure new growth in the future,” Kimura also said.
IPC Launches 30th Year with National Geographic Presentation; Honors Fuji Photo Film Chairman:
The International Photographic Council (IPC) inaugurated its 30th year of dedication to the photo industry with the organization’s annual New Year’s Luncheon in the Delegate’s Dining Room at the United Nations in New York. The event featured a keynote address and narrated slide shows by representatives from National Geographic magazine, and was highlighted by a presentation of the IPC’s annual Hall of Fame award to Dr. Minoru Ohnishi, chairman of Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd (Tokyo, Japan). In his keynote address, Stephen P. Giannetti, vice president and group publisher, National Geographic magazines, characterized photography as part of the DNA of National Geographic. “Clearly,” Giannetti said, “we believe that photography can be a positive catalyst on not only individual peoples’ lives, but also for the world around us and for fulfilling our new mission.”
The IPC’s Hall of Fame award recognizes distinguished individuals for their contributions to the worldwide photographic and imaging communities. Part of the Fuji Photo Film organization since 1948, Dr. Minoru Ohnishi rose through the ranks to become chairman in 1996. He was named manager of the company’s New York office in 1964, where he oversaw U.S. sales and marketing activities from Fuji Photo Film’s headquarters (at the time) in the Empire State Building in New York City. Dr. Ohnishi is credited with numerous landmark achievements in photography and imaging, including advancements in high-speed color film, the Super CCD sensor found in Fujifilm’s digital cameras, digital X-ray technology, and the development of today’s popular one-time-use cameras.
Atsuchi Yoneda Named President, Fuji Photo Film; Yasuo Tanaka Becomes Chairman:
Atsushi Yoneda has been named president and CEO of Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. He succeeds Yasuo “George” Tanaka, who has been appointed chairman, a new position. Tanaka has led the company since 1998. Yoneda was appointed executive vice president of the company in 2001 and senior executive vice president in 2003. He also served as chairman and CEO of Enovation Graphic Systems, Inc., a subsidiary of Fuji Photo Film U.S.A., Inc. that distributes equipment, consumables and technical services to the graphic communications industry.
New Jersey Bans Lock-out Senior Photography Contracts:
On January 20 of this year, New Jersey Governor James McGreevey signed into law NJ S-3567/A-3557, which provides that New Jersey school boards may contract with a photographer for the taking of yearbook photographs but may not exclude student’s photographs if taken by a different photographer, as long as the photographs meets publication requirements. This new law prevents the practice of what is commonly referred to as “yearbook lock-outs,” whereby only the contract photographer’s portraits are allowed to be published in the students’ yearbook. This law will provide freedom of choice to New Jersey public school students and their families if they are not satisfied with the quality, value or service that the school’s contract photographer provides, and will allow smaller, independent photographers in New Jersey the ability to compete fairly for senior portrait business in a more open market. The bill reaffirms school districts’ right to contract with photographers, but they will no longer be allowed to force students to either be photographed by the contracted photographer or be left out of the yearbook.
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