Joseph “Jojo” Camacho
Business development manager, Ambros Inc.
By Amanda Pampuro
“If you don’t know your neighbors, you should go find out who they are,” says Joseph “Jojo” Camacho, business development manager for Ambros Inc. “Part of growing up on Saipan is you always look at your neighbors and see what they need. When my mom was doing work around the house, people would just come over and help.”
When Typhoon Soudelor swept through the Mariana Islands toward the end of summer, the people of Saipan lost power, water, sewage, major roadways and dozens of homes. In the days that followed, Camacho and some friends began to brainstorm ways to contribute to the relief efforts. What started as a WhatsApp chat soon turned into the Sons of Saipan, an organization created to strengthen ties with Guam’s neighbor to the north.
As president of Sons of Saipan, Camacho recently submitted the official nonprofit organization application.
“I think everybody can give help even when there’s no storm,” he says.
Like many sons of Saipan, Camacho’s roots spread across the Mariana Islands. His mom is from Guam, his dad is from Saipan, and all of the important moments in his life were celebrated there: graduating from high school, getting his first deejaying job, marrying his wife, Donnalynn, and starting their family.
“They’ll be a lot smarter than me when they grow up,” Camacho says of his two daughters, Tori Jade, 12, and Ava Marie, 5.
From time to time, Camacho still deejays at The Venue. Between “Uptown Funk” by Bruno Mars and Macklemore’s “Downtown,” he has found himself listening to more funk lately, like Parliament, Dazz Band and Motown. Really, though, the Sorensen radio veteran listens to music across all genres and decades.
“You pick the decade and I’ll pick a song,” Camacho says. “For my favorite song for the ‘70s, I’ll say ‘Don’t Stop ‘til You Get Enough,’ by Michael Jackson. In the ‘80s, I was listening to a lot of metal, so I would pick Poison’s ‘Nothin’ but a Good Time.’”
Besides collecting music, Camacho collects shoes. Since his mother bought his first pair of Nikes in 1988, “For every Christmas and every birthday, that’s all I asked for,” he says. These days, he has narrowed down his collection to just 12 essential pairs. “I definitely have more shoes than my wife,” he says.
The crown jewel missing from his collection is a pair of Air Jordan 5 Bin 23, worth about $1,500.
“I will get it one day,” Camacho says, with the patience he is trying to practice more.
In a fast-paced world, where everything comes instantaneously, Camacho says he wants to be a more patient person, even when he is stuck in traffic.
“My wife is helping me be more patient,” he says.
Last movie watched: “50 First Dates”
Last books read: “Dethrone the King” by Julie Macintosh and “No Easy Day” by Kevin Maurer and Matt Bissonnette
Freezer essentials: Ice keki, apigigi and potu
Favorite musician: Tommy Lee, drummer for Mӧtley Crüe
Last vacation: Las Vegas
Next vacation: Disneyland
