Celebrating the lives of our founders
When Takeshi Yokota first arrived in San Francisco from Japan to run an exchange program for his work, he was immediately greeted at the airport by his coworker John Wilhelm. Eventually, they went on to found Intrax in 1980. They dedicated their lives to their work, and both made significant impacts on the cultural exchange industry.
In 2023, we were deeply saddened by the loss of both of Intrax's visionary founders, within weeks of each other. They will continue serving through Intrax, through the millions impacted by Intrax's programs, and now through our Intrax Foundation.
Takeshi Yokota
Takeshi was a steadfast leader and known to be dedicated towards everything he did in life. Early in his career, he ran an exchange program that brought Japanese students to America. This led him on the path to founding Intrax, where Takeshi left his mark on the cultural exchange industry.
We continue to uphold his vision of cultural exchange and diversity. Through our programs and initiatives, we strive to create meaningful experiences for students and teachers, and continue the work he loved so much.
John Wilhelm
John was a passionate cultural exchange advocate and a brilliant entrepreneur. His journey with cultural exchange began with his homestay program in Takamatsu City, Japan. His experiences ultimately led him to founding Intrax. He went on to become a force in the cultural exchange community, becoming one of the early Board members of the Alliance for International Exchange.
We continue to honor and uphold John’s legacy through our programs and initiatives. His passion and calming presence is greatly missed.
