 Born: June 4, 1953
Birth State: Missouri
Party: Republican
Family: Single
Religion: Jewish
School(s): California State University at Northridge
Address: State Capitol
Executive Chambers
Honolulu, HI
96813
Phone: 808/586-0034
Fax: 808/586-0006
Governor's Web Site
State Web Site
LINDA LINGLE was born on June 4, 1953, in St. Louis, Missouri. When she was 12, her family moved to Southern California, where she attended public schools. She relocated to Hawai‘i in 1975 after graduating cum laude with a journalism degree from California State University, Northridge. In 1976, she founded and began serving as publisher of the Moloka`i Free Press. In 1980, she served as a member of the Maui County Council, and went on to complete five two-year terms, three representing the island of Moloka`i. In 1990 she was elected Mayor of Maui County and served two terms. Governor Lingle was elected as the state’s chief executive in 2002 and re-elected by the largest margin in state history in 2006. Since first taking office she has been committed to bringing about a “New Beginning” for the people of Hawai‘i by making state government more open, transparent and responsive. Governor Lingle and her Administration have expanded and diversified the economy while returning fiscal discipline to government. Now, Hawaii’s vibrant economy is the strongest it has been in more than a decade and continues to grow faster than the national average. Governor Lingle signed a series of “Energy for Tomorrow” bills in 2006 that furthered her Administration’s bold and comprehensive strategy for achieving energy self-sufficiency and economic security. She has worked closely with the White House Council of Environmental Quality in designating the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands as a National Monument, thus affording the highest possible protection from the federal government. Governor Lingle and her Administration are working to develop immediate and long-term solutions to Hawaii’s homeless problem: to significantly increase the supply of affordable housing, provide more financial assistance to low-income renters and better maintain the state’s public housing projects. Lingle is also keeping Hawai‘i on the move by expanding and better maintaining the state’s transportation infrastructure. This includes upgrading state highways and commercial harbors, and launching a $2.3 billion modernization program to create a world-class airport system. Among Governor Lingle’s top priorities for her second term is the Hawai‘i Innovation Initiative. The initiative brings together and promotes innovation in education, the economy, workforce development, state government and in linking Hawai‘i to the global economy. Building on the capabilities and creativity of the people of Hawai‘i, innovation will help to reorient the state’s economy to better meet the new challenges of the global economy while ensuring the preservation of all that makes Hawai‘i special. |
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