Kaytaro “Kay” Sugahara

Kay Sugahara began curling at Ardsley Curling Club in New York in 1973 where he quickly developed an endless passion for it. In 1988, he received the World Curling Federation’s Elmer Freytag Award, honoring him for distinguished service and major contributions to the development and advancement of curling internationally. Kay was a key proponent in 1998 when curling became an Olympic medal sport, after years of tirelessly marketing the sport worldwide.

His decades of contributions to the sport include everything from sponsoring world championship events (1986-88) to generously donating, often anonymously, to clubs and events around the world. Wonder of Fairfield Maxwell Services, Ltd., a New York City shipping management company, Kay donated transportation costs of 40 sets of curling stones from Scotland to the USCA national office to help start new curling clubs after the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.