Allan Fung

Allan Fung
Mayor of Cranston
Assumed office
January 5, 2009
Preceded by Michael Napolitano
Personal details
Born Allan Wai-Ket Fung
(1970-02-25) February 25, 1970
Providence, Rhode Island,
U.S.
Political party Republican
Spouse(s) Barbara Ann Fenton
Alma mater Rhode Island College
Suffolk University
Religion Roman Catholic

Allan Wai-Ket Fung (born February 25, 1970) is an American attorney, politician and member of the Republican Party who has served as the Mayor of Cranston, Rhode Island since 2009 and sat as the Republican nominee for Governor of Rhode Island in the 2014 election.

Elected mayor in 2008, Fung became the first mayor of Chinese ancestry in Rhode Island. Fung previously served as a state prosecutor and attorney on legislative and regulatory affairs before serving on the Cranston City Council as a citywide councilman.

He lost the gubernatorial race in Rhode Island during 2014 to Gina Raimondo.

Early life and education

Allan W. Fung (Cantonese: 馮偉傑), born on February 25, 1970 at Providence Lying-In Hospital (now known as Women & Infants Hospital), Fung is the eldest of Kwong Wen and Tan Ping's three children. Crown colony Chinese immigrants from British Hong Kong, his family settled in Rhode Island in 1969, and ran a small business on Cranston Street and Gansett Avenue, Cranston, RI.[1]

Fung graduated from Classical High School in Providence, RI in 1988. He earned a B.A. from Rhode Island College in 1992. He received a Juris Doctor (J.D.) law degree from Suffolk University Law School in 1995. He received the Classical High School Distinguished Alumni Award in 2009.[2]

Political career

Fung honors Cranston resident Olivia Culpo with a key to the City, after her coronation as Miss USA 2012.
Fung marched in the 2016 Bristol Fourth of July Parade

Prior to his municipal leadership career, from 1999 to 2001, Fung served as a prosecutor, acting as Special Assistant, for the Rhode Island Attorney General.[3] Fung served from 2001 to 2009 as the government relations counsel for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company MetLife. In 2003, he was elected to the Cranston, RI City Council. In 2004, Fung was honored as a Rhode Island Bar Foundation Fellow. He is also a Providence Business News 40 Under Forty honoree.[4] Fung was chairman of the Rhode Island Governor’s Insurance Council from 2005 to 2008.[5]

A Republican, he was elected Mayor in November 2008, beating Democrat Cynthia M. Fogarty by 63% to 37%. He is the first Chinese American elected as mayor in the state.[6][7] He succeeded Michael Napolitano, who defeated him for the position in the 2006 election by 79 votes.[8][9] Fung was re-elected in 2010 against Richard R. Tomlins by 76% to 24% and in 2012 against only write-in opponents by 97% to 3%.[10] Fung is a council member for the Republican National Committee's Asian Pacific American Advisory Council.[11][12][13]

2014 gubernatorial election

In November 2013, Fung announced his candidacy for Governor of Rhode Island in the 2014 election.[14][15][16] He received several high-profile Republican endorsements during the campaign, including former Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Almond,[17] former Massachusetts Governor and 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney[18] and former Massachusetts Governor William Weld.[19] On September 9, 2014, Fung defeated Ken Block in the Republican primary, with a 55% majority.[20][21][22][23] Soon thereafter, the Republican Governors Association President also endorsed him. [24][25] Democrat Gina Raimondo would go on to win the election in a three-way split of votes.[26]

Fung won re-election to a fourth term as Cranston mayor in November 2016, by a landslide ratio of 2 to 1.[27]

References

  1. ↑ Cowart, Jen (21 November 2013). "Family Fundamental to Fung's career". Cranston Herald. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  2. ↑ "Distinguished Alumni Awards". Classical High School Alumni Association. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  3. ↑ http://www.linkedin.com/in/afung1
  4. ↑ "R.I. voters overwhelmingly OK bonds, re-elect Kennedy, Langevin and Reed - Providence Business News". Providence Business News. Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  5. ↑ "'Classical act' honors new mayor". Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  6. ↑ "Mayor Fung sworn in Monday night". WPRI. 5 January 2009. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  7. ↑ "Slant Eye For The Round Eye: Go Go Mayer Allan Fong". Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  8. ↑ "Fung wins Cranston's mayoral race". WPRI. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  9. ↑ "RI GOP starts search for new leader". Providence Journal. 20 December 2006. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  10. ↑ Fraser, Meg (7 November 2012). "Dems come on strong". Cranston Herald. Retrieved 17 November 2012.
  11. ↑ "THE ASIAN REPUBLICAN NETWORK - Network of Asian Republicans". Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  12. ↑ "RNC Launches National Advisory Councils - GOP". Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  13. ↑ Edgar, Randall (5 March 2014). "Fung Named to RNC Asian American Pacific Advisory Council". Providence Journal. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  14. ↑ Rob Borkowski (November 4, 2013). "Mayor Fung Announces Bid For Governor". Woonsocket Patch. Retrieved November 4, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Allan Fung Announces Run for Governor of Rhode Island". 8 Asians. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  16. ↑ Howell, John (11/6/13). "Fung stresses jobs in bid for Governor". Cranston Herald. Retrieved 12/4/13. Check date values in: |access-date=, |date= (help)
  17. ↑ Edgar, Randall (28 May 2014). "Former governor Lincoln Almond endorses Fung in governor's race". Providence Journal. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  18. ↑ Fowler, Jack (5 September 2014). "Romney Supports Fung". National Review. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  19. ↑ "Weld Endorses Fung for Governor". GoLocalProv.com. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  20. ↑ Kittridge, Dan (10 September 2014). "Fung wins GOP primary". Beacon Communications. Cranston Herald. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  21. ↑ Schieldrop, Mark. "Fung wins GOP Nomination for Governor". Cranston Patch. Retrieved 13 September 2014.
  22. ↑ Edgar, Randall; Bogdan, Jennifer (10 September 2014). "Cranston's Mayor Fung clinches hard-fought GOP race over Block". Providence Journal. Retrieved 14 September 2014.
  23. ↑ "2014 Statewide Primary". RI.gov. State of Rhode Island Board of Elections. Retrieved 11 September 2014.
  24. ↑ http://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2014/10/19/fung-republicans-see-opening-governor-race/4dBrGPRtMb2vbL4vrGhSOM/story.html
  25. ↑ http://johnstonsunrise.net/stories/In-Johnston-Christie-touts-Fungs-odds-in-race-for-governor,97017
  26. ↑ HERBST-BAYLISS, SVEA. "Democrat Gina Raimondo becomes Rhode Island's first female governor". Reuters. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
  27. ↑ Smith, Gregory (8 November 2016). "Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung wins reelection in a landslide". The Providence Journal. Retrieved 18 November 2016.

External links

Party political offices
Preceded by
John Robitaille		 Republican nominee for Governor of Rhode Island
2014 		Most recent
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