Even though he's based in Chesapeake, Mitcham is learning Japanese to help bridge the cultural and language gaps that exist in international business. When he faced the management team for the first time as CEO, Mitcham used Japanese for the entire introduction of his presentation.
Mitcham is the seventh CEO of Yupo Corp. America, which opened 15 years ago, and the first who isn't Japanese. He takes over during a time of substantial growth for the company, the sales of which have doubled in a dozen years with a workforce that has grown by 50%.
Yupo Corp. produces plastic paper-like sheets used for a variety of products ranging from laundry detergent labels to restaurant menus. The privately owned company, is the 'corporate child' of Mitsubishi Chemical Corp., and Oji Holdings Corp. (the largest paper company in Japan).
Mitcham worked for various paper companies after graduation until he was recruited by a former boss to work at Yupo in marketing and customer service in 1999.
To learn more about Yupo, or how Mitcham has successfully navigates cultural differences, please follow the link below:
The Virginian-Pilot — A first: Chesapeake's Yupo America has American CEO