His day was already full. He’d just announced a $550 million project for the area, entertained 400 people with his speech and sat down for lunch with the Governor.

However, Koichi Kondo, president and CEO of American Honda, sought out the Daily News for one more interview. He didn’t want to let the day go by without showing his, and his colleagues’, appreciation for Decatur County. In a room, tucked in the back of the Greensburg Community Learning Center and away from the cameras and attention, he shared his feelings.

“Today was the first time I got to meet the community and I was very pleased how they reacted to my speech,” Kondo said. “When people are clapping at everything you say, it makes it easy to speak. That was impressive. It gave me a warm feeling and showed me these were welcoming and friendly people.”

Kondo expected his presence would be met with approval because he has been following the local reaction to Honda’s previously-possible move to Decatur County. He and other Honda executives said they all had the Daily News Website on the desktops and visited often. It was, however, one story which garnered the most attention.

“In Japan last week, we held a stockholder’s meeting with almost 20 Board members,” he said. “The following day, first thing in the morning, Takeo Fukui (president and CEO of all of Honda’s operations globally) had printed a picture from the computer. It was the Honda logo the people made in Greensburg.”

Kondo said that picture of solidarity and support moved Fukui. The site of 300 red-clad citizens, braving 90-degree temperatures and the barking orders of organizers, trying to get it just right could not be ignored.

“At that point, he told me and the other members he could tell how much this area wanted Honda to come. It made a great impression,” Kondo said. “That was a great welcome.”

While the gesture wasn’t what brought Honda here, as the decision had already been made by then, it was still important.

“If we had picked a different site and he found that picture, there would have been problems,” Kondo said. “That would have been a very big problem.”

Kondo said the every day activities of the citizens of the county also played into Honda’s decision.

“We have suppliers in the area and we are impressed with their work,” Kondo said referring to Valeo, STI and GECOM. “That is also very reassuring. Each day, since the decision to come here was made, we feel better and better about it.”

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