Hisao Kushi ’88

Hisao Kushi is co-founder and chief legal officer at Ernesta Inc., a direct-to-consumer retail rug company. He launched the company with colleagues from his previous position as co-founder and chief legal officer of Peloton Interactive. A unique fitness experience, Peloton Interactive’s mission was to connect more people to online fitness classes at home. The firm combined cutting-edge technology, content, and best-in-class instructors to create a first-of-its-kind global fitness community. By April 2022, the company had become a household name valued at around $8 billion.

Kushi's dedication to innovation, interactive technology, and design is further illustrated by his roles within multiple internet platforms in the digital marketplace. Before founding Peloton, Kushi held leadership roles at internet technology companies, including chief operating officer at Evite, general counsel at several companies within the Liberty Media portfolio, and assistant general counsel at Ticketmaster. He also was in-house counsel for Universal Studios Internet Group.

Kushi earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from UMass Amherst and his Juris Doctor from Boston College Law School in 1992. As a student at UMass Amherst, he attended the university’s Summer Seminar at Trinity College, Oxford University.

In 2018, Kushi hosted an exclusive networking event for UMass Amherst alumni at the Peloton Interactive Penthouse in New York City. He gave a special presentation, sharing insights on how Peloton was revolutionizing the fitness industry by merging high design with modern technology. He also shared many fond memories of his time in Amherst and how his UMass experience had shaped his career trajectory.

Together with wife Karen, also a 1988 graduate of UMass Amherst, the Kushis established the Opportunity Scholars Endowed Fund in the College of Humanities and Fine Arts to promote personal development, scholarship, leadership, community service, and connection to people, cultural centers, and resources on campus. Most recently, Kushi served as a judge for the 2023 Innovation Challenge Competition hosted by the Berthiaume Center for Entrepreneurship. The competition awards an aspiring student or recent graduate entrepreneur with up to $65,000 in equity-free funding to support their business idea.