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Council Chairman James Y. Arakaki is a 1958 graudate of Hilo High School. He attended the University of Hawaii at Hilo and graduated from the University of Hawaii at Manoa in 1965. He is the President of Dodo Mortuary Life Plan and currently serves as the Hawaii County Council Chairman. A United States Army veteran, he has been very active in many community organizations such as the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, Hawaii Island Japanese Community Association, Hui Okinawa, Hilo Junior Golf, Hilo Downtown Improvement Association, Ahualani Kumiai, Hawaii Allied Memorial Council and the Kanoelehua Industrial Association. He has also served on the State of Hawaii Contractors Licensing Board. Council Chair Arakaki and his wife, Grace, have two daughters and a son. |
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Councilman Al Smith was elected to represent the lower Puna area in November of 1994 and currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Council and as Vice Chairman of the County Housing Agency. He is presently the Secretary-Treasurer of the Hawaii State Association of Counties and the Vice Chair of the Public Lands and Steering Sub-Committee of the National Association of Counties. A resident of the community for over 29 years, he built a successful small business in Pahoa. He has helped start several youth programs including the Pahoa Little League, the Babe Ruth League, and Pahoa High baseball programs. He is a former President of the Pahoa PTSA, a member of Paradise Park Hui Hanalike, Hawaiian Paradise Park Road Maintenance, B.P.O. Elks, Lodge 759, Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie #3642, and the Puu Wai Opio Softball Club. Councilman Smith and his wife, Jan, have two children and two grandchildren. |
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Councilman Dominic Yagong is a 1977 graduate of Honokaa High School and attended the University of Hawaii at Hilo. He currently serves as the Hawaii County Council's Public Works and Parks Chairman, as well as Vice Chairman of the Human Services and Economic Development Committee. Councilman Yagong has been actively involved in several community and civic organizations throughout the Hamakua Coast, including Hamakua Lions's Club, Mauna Kea Jaycees, Vice President of Honokaa Elementary Association, Fundraising Chairman for Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Founder of the Green and Gold Forever fund, and Chairman of the Honokaa School Centennial Celebration. Councilman Yagong is known as the "voice of the Honokaa Dragons," as he does the broadcasting for Honokaa High School sporting events. He resides in Honokaa with his lovely wife Hilda, his daughter Chelsea, and his son Jeremy. |
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Councilmember Bobby Jean Akane Leithead-Todd was born in Kokura, Fukuoka, Japan. She is a graduate of Hilo High School, the University of Hawaii and the William S. Richardson School of Law. In law school she received the prestigious Susan B. McKay Award, was a member of the National Moot Court Team and was the Editor of the UH Lawletter. Currently in private practicce, she is a former County Legislative Auditor, Deputy Corporation Counsel, served on the Supreme Court Committee on Gender and Other Fairness and is a prior Chairman of the Hawaii Board of Ethics. Councilmember Leithead-Todd serves on the Board of Directors of the High Technology Development Corporation and is a member of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Portuguese Chamber of Commerce, Native Hawaiian Chamber of Commerce, HIEDB Science and Technology Committee, Hawaii State and County Bar Associations, the Big Island Women's Legal Association, Keaukaha Canoe Club, and the Kaumana Ainako Athletic Association as well as numerous other community organizations. She and her husband, Steve Todd, have two sons, Kazuo and Christopher, and one daughter Katherine, who keep them busy on weekends with soccer, baseball, football and canoe paddling. |
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Aaron S.Y. Chung is a first term councilmember of District 4 (Waiakea, Keaukaha, Panaewa and Downtown Hilo) and presently serves as Chairperson of the Committee on Finance. Born and raised in Hilo, he is a graduate of Hilo High School, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and the UCLA School of Law. He previously served as a law clerk for the Honorable Ernest Kubota and as a Deputy Corporation Counsel for the County of Hawaii and is currently an attorney in private practice. Of the various civic associations in which he has membership, Aaron finds most enjoyment in those which serve to further the recreational opportunities in the community, particularly for youngsters, hence his involvement with the Big Island Public Links Committee and numerous youth athletic organizations. |
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Councilman John Santangelo, Jr., was born and raised in New London, Connecticut. He served four year in the U.S. Navy as an aviation electronics technician, then graduated from the Hawaii Institute of Electronics with an Associate's degree. He worked at the Sony Corporation of Hawaii as a service manager, and since then, has owned and managed several business including, Doron Electronics, Audio Center, and Na'alehu Appliance Repair. In 1979, he opened the Na'alehu Fruit Stand and later, Santangelo's Pizzaria in Ocean View in 1987. A resident of Hawaii for over 30 years, Councilman Santangelo has been very active in his community. He has served as Chairman of the Head Start Policy Council, President of the Naalehu Community Club, President and Treasurer of the Naalehu School PTA, Secretary of the Kau Lions Club, Finance Chair of the St. Joseph's High School Board of Directors, and District Chairman of the Kau-Puna Hawaii County Economic Opportunity Council (HCEOC) and as a member of the Board of Directors. Presently, he is serving on the Board of Directors for the Puna Federal Credit Union and the Vulcan Athletic Booster Club. He and his wife, Dorene Puanani, have two children, Shon and Noelani, and one grandchild, Nadia Lilinoe Santangelo. |
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Councilman Joe Reynolds was elected to District 7, the southern portion of North Kona and the northern portion of South Kona, in 1996. A native of Centralia, Illinois, Joe was called to active duty in the Marine Corps at the start of the Koran War in 1950 while attending the University of Illinois. Joe obtained a degree in Government and a Master's Degree in Health and Safety Education after the war and attended Loyola University of Los Angeles' School of Law. He became a high school teacher in the Los Angeles Unified School District in 1959. In 1964, he became an Administrator in the Special Education Division and finished his 22 year career as a high school principal. Joe was awarded Doctoral Fellowship at new York University's Center for Safety in Education for 1963-1964, and in 1979 completed the University of San Francisco's Multicultural Education Program. Councilman Reynolds was the coordinator and professor of California Lutheran University's Continuing Education Program in Los Angeles, and taught part-time at new York University, California State University Los Angeles, UCLA and Pepperdine University. Joe has also been a Locomotive Fireman for the Santa Fe Railroad, a Claim's Adjustor for State Farm Insurance, and a Real Estate Broker in California and Hawaii. Since becoming a full-time resident of Kona in 1986, Joe, also a pilot, has been active in the community as a member and Commander of the Kona civil Air Patrol Squadron, a current member and Governor of the Hawaiian International Billfish Association, member and former Commander of Kona American Legion Post 20, member and former President of Kona Shrine Club, Past Exalted Ruler of Kona Elks, and is a Big Island high school football official. Joe's wife, Mary, is also very active in Kona, and two of six grandchildren and two of four children life in Kailua-Kona. |
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Councilmember J. Curtis Tyler, III, represents Hawaii County Council District 8 (North Kona) and currently serves as the Vice Chair of the Council Planning Committee. He is a 1964 graduate of Hawaii Preparatory Academy and a 1968 honors graduate of Williams College in Massachusetts. He served as a line officer in the U.S. Navy and is a life member of the Disabled American Veterans. A lifetime Kona resident, Councilmember Tyler has been a small businessman and community leader for over 23 years. He currently chair the State Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities. He is also a Director of the Kona Hawaiian Civic Club, member of the Kona Community Children's Council and the Royal Order of Kamehameha I. He previously served as Chair of the Kailua Village Design Commission, President of Konawaena Elementary School PTSA, Director of the Ironman Triathlon, and member of the Kona Traffic Safety Committee. In 1993, Councilman Tyler was name an Outstanding Citizen by the Hawaii County Council. He and his wife, Lesley, have a daughter and son and reside in Kalaoa, North Kona. |
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Councilman John Ray was born in 1947 and raised in Virginia. He majored in history at the University of Virginia, served two years in the U.S. Army Infantry and moved to Hawaii in 1972. He lived on Oahu for four years and worked for Kuluwai irrigation, a firm specializing in drip irrigation sales and installation. Councilman Ray moved to Waimea on the Big Island in 1976 and has owned and operated several businesses during the past twenty years including Paniolo Pizza in Kailua-Kona, Paniolo Country Inn in Waimea, Johnny Ray's Original BBQ on Oahu, and ORCA Sea Farms on Moloka'i. He has been active in numerous community projects an organizations, Waimea School SCBM, Waimea Outdoor Circle, North Hawaii Rotary Club, Anuenue Playground, Waimea Main Street, and the Kahilu Theatre Foundation. He is married to Denise ray and has two daughters and one granddaughter. |
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Donald Ikeda was appointed County Clerk on August 15, 1996. He is a graduate of California State College at Los Angeles with a Bachelor's degree in business with a major in Accounting. Mr. Ikeda's work experience spans both the private and public sector. Prior to returning to Hawaii, he worked in the Audits Division for the State of California in Los Angeles. He also worked in the private sector for twenty years as the manager of S. Ikeda Factory, Ltd. Mr. Ikeda's positions with the County of Hawaii include being a Legislative Assistant and later Fiscal Program Review Auditor in the Legislative Auditor's Office. |
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Al Konishi, was appointed Deputy County Clerk in September, 1997. Al is a graduate of Saint ouis High School, the University of Hawaii (B.A.- In journalism) and the University of San Francisco School of Law. Al has served in numerous State and County possitions beginning in 1972. He has also worked in the private sector in Law and economic developement. Al has served as an officer or director in many community organisations such as the Keaukaha Canoe Club, Junior Achievement of Hawaii Island, East Hawaii Coalition for the Homeless, Hawaii Island Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Hawaii and Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii |
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Constance R. Kiriu, Legislative Auditor, graduated from Portland State University in Portland, Oregon with a Bachelor of Science Degree in sociology and education. She taught in the Minnesota, Washington and Hawaii school systems before working as Legislative Assistant with the Hawaii County Council for two years. Her move to the County Planning Department spanned a period of eight years where her responsibilities as a planner included Coastal Zone Management, Planning Commission and State Land Use Commission matters, agency rulemaking, environmental assessment reviews and preparation, General Plan, Zoning Code amendments, and emergency management operations and disaster response plans. She was subsequently appointed as Deputy County Clerk for two years with the Council, and later as Legislative Auditor. |