David Ige bio

Biographical Sketch of David Ige

David Y. Ige (D) was first appointed to the House of Representatives in 1985 by Governor Ariyoshi to fill the seat vacated by then Councilman Arnold Morgado. In November 1994, he was elected to serve his first term in the State Senate and during the 199 5 legislative session he chaired the Senate Committee on Higher Education, Culture and the Arts, as well as a member of the committees on Economic Development and Consumer Protection.

David, an electrical engineer with GTE Hawaiian Tel, helped to spearhead several innovative programs including the Public Access Project which uses computers to make government more accessible to the general public. David is a strong advocate for the St ate's information and telecommunications policy which he believes to be at the Center of Hawaii's efforts to diversify its economy. Some of the fruits of this efforts include establishing a seed capital and venture capital program, software development i nitiatives, and technology transfer programs for the State of Hawaii.

During his tenure as chair of the House Education Committee (1993 - 1994), David introduced and helped pass two education omnibus bills which gave public schools the most comprehensive restructuring the State has ever seen. The bill enacted reforms in s even areas: (1) State Constitution; (2) Department Restructuring; (3) Student-centered Schools; (4) Budget and Funding; (5) Assessment and Accountability (6) Innovations, Incentives, and Leadership; and (7) Facilities.

David, 39, was born and raised in Pearl City. He attended Pearl City Elementary, Highlands Intermediate, and Pearl City High School. David holds a master's degree in business administration and a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering for the Univ ersity of Hawaii. He is also a member of the Pearl City Community Association, Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, and Newtown Estates Community Association. David is married and has two daughters.

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