Dr. Edison Miyawaki, also known as “Doc,” was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and raised in Hiroshima, Japan. He returned to Hawaii to finish high school and then was recruited to play baseball at Loyola University (now LMU). Miyawaki is the first and only Japanese American to purchase an ownership interest in a National Football League franchise, as co-owner of the Cincinnati Bengals since 1994. He was so excited when the Bengals made it to Super Bowl LVI, he fell, hurting his nose and shoulders.
Miyawaki is president, chair, and CEO of Family Health, which operates sub-acute hospitals and skilled nursing facilities in Honolulu. Outside Family Health and the Bengals, he is also a part-owner of the Cincinnati Reds of Major League Baseball and Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association. Miyawaki’s involvement is one of the reasons the NFL’s Pro Bowl was in Hawaii for so many years. Miyawaki hosts Hawaii students going to LMU every summer and through the Miyawaki Scholarship, has provided access to education to students from Hawaii.
Miyawaki has volunteered generously and is active in philanthropy. He was invited to Washington D.C. to receive the 2017 FBI Community Leadership Award. He has served on numerous boards, including Chaminade University, Bishop Museum, Salvation Army, LMU, the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, and the East-West Center. He is an advisor to Shiseido Company, among others.
Miyawaki holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Loyola and earned his doctorate from George Washington University School of Medicine. He is a true believer in “education through athletics” and “giving the underdogs a chance.”
Each year, the Fred Kiesner Center for Entrepreneurship recognizes several outstanding LMU alumni who have made significant contributions to the field of entrepreneurship. In 2018, Miyawaki received this award and this video was made to highlight his life and career.
By Darlene Fukuji, associate director, Fred Kiesner Center for Entrepreneurship
DEI Buzz
- May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Visit the focused hub page.
- The 31st annual Kente Graduation is May 6 at 2 p.m. at Drollinger Family Stage. For further information, click here.
- Attend the Chicano/Latinx graduating class of ’22 for Día de Reconocimiento, May 6 at 3:00 p.m. at Hilton 100. To RSVP click here.
