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The Pre-Made PodcastAuthor: Matthew C Collins
In this podcast, you'll hear stories primarily from my Amherst College Class of 1994 classmates as we reflect on life 30 years removed from graduation day. What have we been up to all these years? How has Amherst and a liberal arts education impacted our lives? What college memories have stayed with us? How are we thinking about the next 20 years? Language: en Genres: Arts, Performing Arts, Society & Culture Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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JJ Haines Describes How Mindfulness Shaped His Life And Career In Japan
Tuesday, 28 April, 2026
For most of his adult life, JJ Haines has called Tokyo home. He didn't imagine that outcome while at Amherst College, but in retrospect it almost feels inevitable given his long-standing appreciation for Japanese culture. JJ traces the winding path from studying Buddhism and Japanese cinema at Amherst to building a global banking career that took him through risk management, real estate, the Lehman collapse, and now his role as Managing Director and Country Manager for Japan at ING. He reflects on the curiosities that first pulled him toward Japan, the self‑awareness practices that have shaped his entire life, and the family he and his wife have built in Tokyo, including how they navigated the perilous days immediately following the 3/11 earthquake and Fukushima nuclear disaster. Highlights include: The importance of his early service‑industry jobs and what they taught him about understanding human behavior Navigating the Lehman collapse, Fukushima, and major career pivots from inside Japan’s financial system Raising a family and watching his daughters explore the world on their own terms How meditation and presence guide his decision‑making and daily life You can email JJ at jjhaines333@gmail.com and find him on LinkedIn.
