Ron Kouchi
Ron Kouchi | |
---|---|
14th President of the Hawaii Senate | |
Assumed office May 5, 2015 | |
Preceded by | Donna Mercado Kim |
Vice President of the Hawaii State Senate | |
In office 2013 – November 5, 2014 | |
Preceded by | Donna Mercado Kim |
Succeeded by | Will Espero |
Member of the Hawaii Senate from the 8th district | |
Assumed office 2010 | |
Preceded by | Gary Hooser |
Personal details | |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse(s) | Joy Tanimoto |
Children | Dan, Egan |
Residence | Lihue, Hawaii |
Alma mater | Drake University (BA, 1979) |
Website | www.ronkouchi.com |
Ron Kouchi is a Democratic politician and current 14th President of the Hawaiʻi Senate (replacing Donna Mercado Kim who lost her position in an unusual mid-year leadership reorganization).[1]
Personal life
Ron Kouchi is married to Joy Naomi Tanimoto. He has two sons, Dan and Egan.[2]
Career
Kouchi received his high school diploma from Waimea High School and attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. [3] He served as a lobbyist for the County of Kaua‘i at the Hawai‘i State Legislature and is a former member of the Legislative Committee of the Kaua'i Chamber of Commerce. He served for 22 years (11 terms) as a Kaua‘i County Councilman, including 12 years as Council Chair. [4] [5] He is a former director of the Kaua‘i Island Utility Cooperative (2003-2006) and the Kaua‘i Visitors Bureau. He served on the boards of the Kaua‘i Veterans Memorial Hospital and YMCA, and chaired the Wilcox Health Foundation’s capital campaign. He worked as a legislative analyst for the former Rep. Dennis Yamada in 1982, before getting appointed to the Senate (District 7) for the first time in 2010. [6] Kouchi defeated John Sydney Yamane in the September 18 primary and Republican candidate David Hamman and Nonpartisan candidate Alfred Darling in the Hawaii State Senate elections 2010.[7] He was elected to the Senate (District 8) in 2012. He has served as the Vice-Chair of the Committee on Agriculture, the Vice Chair of the Committee on Tourism, and the Majority Caucus Leader.[8] He has sponsored 244 bills.[9]
Party | Candidate | Votes | Vote % |
---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ronald Kouchi | 14,438 | 62.7 |
Republican | David Hamman | 6,245 | 27.1 |
Total | 20,685 | 100 |
Party | Candidate | Votes | Vote % |
---|---|---|---|
Democratic | Ronald Kouchi | 17,887 | 77.7 |
Republican | William Georgi | 5,138 | 22.3 |
Total | 23,025 | 100 |
References
- ↑ Dayton, Kevin (5 May 2015). "Kauai's Kouchi replaces Kim as Senate president". Honolulu Star Advertiser. Honolulu. Retrieved 5 May 2015.
- ↑ "Ron Kouchi". Retrieved 26 August 2013.
- ↑ "CANDIDATE BIOGRAPHY". Retrieved 26 August 2013.
- ↑ "Smart business Hawaii". Sam Slom. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
- ↑ Lenny Klompus. "Figueira and Kouchi Appointed to Fill Hawaii Senate Vacant Seats". Hawaii Reporter. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
- ↑ "Ron Kouchi". Retrieved 26 August 2013.
- ↑ Hawaii State Office of Elections - 2010 general election certified results
- ↑ Legislative Members
- ↑ Ronald D. Kouchi - Hawaii State Legislature - Open States