Milea Amanai
American Katerra
By Rudy Arispe | Photography by David Teran
Although Milea Amanai was born in Tokyo, she spent her formative years growing up in Dubai, UAE, and later rural Montana, so she never had an opportunity to experience her Japanese culture. However, after high school graduation, she made the conscious decision to attend Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, Japan, to reconnect with her cultural roots while majoring in International Relations.
During a year abroad at American University in Washington D.C., Amanai’s interest in U.S.-Japan relations was solidified. “It truly was fascinating to see the scale of U.S.-Japan relations, whether that may be in strategic trade policies, collaborative technology development, or deep cultural and grassroots ties,” she said. “This interest led me straight to American Katerra, LLC.”
American Katerra, LLC is a steel fabrication provider employing advanced tools like Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Carbon Management, using its flagship initiative, Green Carbon Steel™ to significantly reduce CO₂ emissions.
Amanai is both the Executive Assistant to President and CEO Toyokazu Yamaguchi and the Human Resources Lead, and manages both with attention to detail. As Executive Assistant, she supports the President and coworkers by managing schedules, coordinating meetings, and helping communications run smoothly, so that leadership can focus on long-term goals.
“A big part of that role is making sure conversations don’t get lost in a fast-moving environment since we are still a fairly new company,” Amanai said. “I translate conversations and messages from English to Japanese, and from Japanese to English to make sure everything is understood on both sides.”
On the human resources side, Amanai works closely with employees, especially with onboarding. She ensures that new hires are comfortable asking questions and understand what is expected of them, and that they’re not navigating the workplace alone.
“What I find most meaningful is the intersection of people and strategy,” she explained. “I’m not just supporting tasks but supporting people and helping turn the president’s leadership and vision into an environment where employees can feel confident and grow.”
Amanai views her unique international background as a privilege that allows her to contribute directly to the company’s future. “Having lived across different cultures, I’m aware that business styles and expectations can vary widely,” she said. “I try to connect them. As Human Resources Lead, my job is to make sure the two cultures complement each other. I’m excited to contribute to that perspective as the company moves into the future.”
She is also grateful to be working closely alongside the company President, especially since this is her first professional job.
“Working closely with our President Yamaguchi has been one of the most important learning experiences so far,” Amanai said. “Because of him, I’ve been able to see Japanese business values practiced in a genuine and thoughtful way. One of the biggest lessons he has taught me is the importance of long-term thinking and leading with integrity. He truly takes his time with decisions and considers the people involved and relationships being built.”
She adds that she was drawn to President Yamaguchi’s vision, summarized by the powerful philosophy, “Build for Dreams.”
“It’s about building through a practical way and building opportunity and stability,” Amanai said. “It truly resonates with me because it reflects how I’ve moved through life and different cultures. I’ve had to learn to adapt and find community. It’s about building foundations that allow people to grow with confidence.”
Amanai circles back to her fascination with U.S.-Japan relations and notes the deep and enduring relationship between the two countries. “It’s built on trust, shared values, and a long-term commitment the two nations have,” she said. “I’ve come to appreciate how the U.S. and Japanese collaboration styles work together; it’s been incredibly enriching. Both cultures bring unique and important perspectives. Essentially, we get the best of both worlds. It has been meaningful to me to see this at American Katerra. We truly value the strength of both cultures.”
Meanwhile, Amanai is enthusiastic about the nascent company’s future, and said she sees parallels with the growth of San Antonio and where her employer is headed.
“I look forward to the exciting developments ahead, whether that may be moving forward to help build American Katerra, LLC’s foundation in the U.S. market, assisting President Yamaguchi in executing his long-term vision, or simply being a steady hand in the production innovation that will define our industry’s next chapter.”
American Katerra, LLC | (210) 239-7960
112 E.Pecan St, Ste. 1380, San Antonio, TX 78205
katerra-us.com
