Scott Oki

Scott D. Oki (born October 5, 1948, in Seattle, Washington) is a former senior vice-president of sales and marketing for Microsoft who conceived and built Microsoft's international operations. Oki also played a crucial role in Microsoft's rapid domestic growth during the 1980s.

Early life Oki was a third generation Japanese-American raised by a family that some sources described as very traditional in outlook. Oki's father was a postal worker while his mother worked as a secretary and the family often struggled financially so they had to work tying fish flies to gain additional income. He graduated from Seattle's Franklin High School. He then attended the University of Washington but left after 18 months to join the U.S. Air Force. While in the service he took courses at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs. After he left the service in 1974, he went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in accounting and information systems and earned an Master of Business Administration the following year. After holding several computer-related jobs (including a stint at Hewlett-Packard ), Oki went to work for Microsoft in 1982. During this time, the company only had 200 employees.

Post-retirement activities When Oki retired in 1992, Adrian Hanauer took over as managing partner of the Sounders in 2002. Oki is the co-chair of the United Way of King County Campaign Board and co-chair of the Million Dollar Roundtable, Founder and Chairman of the Japanese American Chamber of Commerce, Founder and co-president of the Chief Seattle Council Boy Scout Foundation, co-founder of Sounders For Kids, co-founder of America's Foundation for Chess, co-founder of SeeYourImpact.org and co-founder of Social Venture Partners. He is a past-President of the Board of Regents for the University of Washington and a past Chair of Seattle Children's Hospital Foundation, which he joined upon the invitation of Mary Gates,

Oki was involved in the Children's Hospital Foundation.

Oki Golf In 1994, Scott Oki purchased The Golf Club at Echo Falls in Snohomish, Washington. This initial acquisition was the preliminary step toward building what eventually became a portfolio of golf properties known collectively as Oki Golf. This collection has grown to include nine properties comprising eleven championship golf courses, both public and private, spread throughout the Puget Sound. In addition to The Golf Club at Echo Falls, the Oki Golf portfolio also includes Indian Summer Golf & Country Club in Olympia, Washington (private), The Plateau Club in Sammamish, Washington (private), and The Woodlands and The Links courses (formerly Meriwood and Vicwood – both public) at The Golf Club at Hawks Prairie in Lacey, Washington. The flagship courses are located at The Golf Club at Newcastle in Newcastle, WA. Two additional golf properties were added to the group in December 2005. Washington National Golf Club (public) in Auburn, WA, and Trophy Lake Golf & Casting (public) in Port Orchard, WA. (source: okigolf.com) In the winter of 2007, Oki Golf added Harbour Pointe (public) in Mukilteo, Washington. An additional property – Trilogy Golf Course (public) – was purchased in 2008 and has since been renamed to The Golf Club at Redmond Ridge.

During October, 2016, Oki sold eight of his golf courses for $137 million to Chinese-based HNA Holdings. Ownership of commercial real property by foreign businesses is prohibited in China.