Allen M. Okamoto

 
Born in Boulder Colorado and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area Allen earned a BA from San Francisco State University in 1965.  He obtained his real estate and general insurance broker’s licenses in 1964 to become the youngest broker to have earned those licenses at the time. There was never a doubt in his mind about what career path he would pursue.


Allen M. Okamoto is Owner-Broker of T. Okamoto & Co., the oldest and largest Japanese American real estate agency in the San Francisco Bay Area.  Originally founded in 1946 by Allen’s father, Takeo Okamoto, T. Okamoto & Co. has grown into the pre-eminent source of information on real estate needs for the Japanese American community.  Although located in San Francisco’s Japan Town, the firm serves the Bay Area Counties of San Francisco, Marin, Alameda, and San Mateo.  The office specializes in the sale and purchase of homes, condominiums and income properties but is also involved in sales focusing on restaurants and other business opportunities.  The office staff is bilingual (English & Japanese) and assists many buyers and sellers from Japan.


Allen is active in the community and his current civic responsibilities include:  Chairman of the Asian Real Estate Association of America 2006 and 2007 and Director Emeritus; Co-Chairman of the San Francisco-Osaka Sister City Association; Vice President of the Nihonmachi Parking Corporation; President of Sakura Matsuri Inc.; Chairman of the 100th Anniversary of Japan Town Committee; Co-Chairman of the 150th Anniversary of the Kanrin Maru; Director for Life of the California Association of Realtors, Realtor Emeritus of the National Association of Realtors, the Japanese Cultural & Community Center of Northern California, the Chinese Real  Estate Association of America, the US Japan Council, the Japan Society of Northern California and a member of the Board of Trustees of the San Francisco Japan Town Foundation.


For eight years Allen served as President of the Board of Directors of the Japanese Cultural & Community Center (1996 to 2004); Chair of the Cherry Blossom Festival of Northern California for 16 years (various); President of the San Francisco Association of Realtors, 1990; Board of Trustees California Historical Society, 1995: and Board member of the Japanese American Citizens League 1988.  As a member of the San Francisco Association of Realtors he was the chair of virtually every association committee and served as Vice President, President Elect and Chief Financial Officer and in 1990 he was the first Asian President of the San Francisco Association of Realtors. With the California Association of Realtors he served as chair of the following committees Local Government Forum, Membership, Housing, Equal Opportunity Cultural Diversity, Consumer Protection, founding chair of the International Forum and vice chair of Housing Opportunities and served three separate terms on the Executive Committee. With the National Association of Realtors he was chair of the Fair Housing Forum, Chair of Equal Opportunity Cultural Diversity and a member of the President’s Executive Committee for two years.


In 1991 Allen was named “Realtor of the Year” by the San Francisco Association of Realtors.  He has also been honored by the PBS TV Station KQED as its “Local Hero” in 2001 and was awarded the Silver Spur by the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research organization in 2000.  In 2006 he was given the “Profiles in Excellence Award” by KGO TV.  He received the President’s Award from the California Association of Realtors and was named Director for Life in 2003.  He has received a Certificate of Commendation from United States Senator Dianne Feinstein in 2000 and a Certificate of Honor from San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom in 2006. In 2007 Allen was the recipient of the Community Justice Award given by the San Francisco Japanese American Citizens League for outstanding community service.  In 2006 he was named by the National Association of Realtors as one of the Top 25 Most Influential Realtors in America and was named “A Real Estate Giant” in the National Association of Realtors 100th Anniversary book published in 2007. In 2011 Allen was the recipient of the Certificate of Commendation from the Consul General of Japan.  In 2014 he received a certificate of Commendation from the Foreign Ministry of Japan for his work in US Japan relations and in 2018 The Emperor of Japan conferred the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays. 



Allen and his wife, Patricia Okamoto, have been married over 50 years.  They have a son, Scott Okamoto, who is married and works in real estate law in San Francisco, and a daughter, Kara Okamoto, who is the third generation Okamoto to enter the real estate business.



Professional designations currently held:
Chartered Property and Casualty Underwriter CPCU
Graduate Realtor Institute GRI
Senior Residential Specialist SRES
Certified Real Estate Broker CRB
Lifetime Member Certified Residential Specialist CRS
Licensed by the Government of Dubai to sell real estate in the Arab Emirates Union