Lori Sakauye Vertin grew up in Southern California and graduated from the United States Military Academy (West Point) in 1982. She was commissioned a military intelligence officer and served with XVIII ABN Corps (Fort Bragg, NC), 82d ABN Div (Fort Bragg, NC) and 42d FA Bde (Germany). She holds a master’s degree in early childhood special education and an administrative endorsement in educational supervision. She currently works as the special projects manager for Ver-Tech Labs, Rockford, MN.
Lori’s first koi pond was a 50 gallon preformed plastic liner from the local hardware store. She began to learn about water quality, koi varieties, koi breeders and the American Koi Judges Association (AKJA) judging program. With her husband, Tony, they have learned to be better koi keepers with the help of their local koi club and the koi community at large. They maintained a 5000 gal pond and 12000 gal pond in Minnesota. She has been an active participant in the Upper Midwest Koi Club serving as secretary, president, koi show chair and at large board member.
In 2020, Lori and Tony relocated to a 41 acre farm in North Carolina. Their new koi pond is approximately 12000 gallons. Work on the cosmetic facade for the pond and pond area landscaping will continue for the next few years. Lori is currently the president of the Charlotte Koi Club. She maintains a website www.carolinakoilady.com documenting koi keeping (in Minnesota and North Carolina), gardening, and farm life in North Carolina.
American Koi Judges Association (AKJA) 