Ann Kobayashi
Encyclopedia
Ann Kobayashi is a politician and businesswoman from Honolulu, Hawaii
. She is a member of the Honolulu City Council
, representing District 5. She previously held the same City Council seat between 2002 and 2008, but resigned from the seat to unsuccessfully run for Mayor of Honolulu
against incumbent Mufi Hannemann
. She was also a member of the Hawaii Senate
between 1981 and 1994.
, later moving with her family to Nu‘uanu Valley.
Kobayashi graduated from Roosevelt High School
before attending Pembroke College in Brown University
and Northwestern University
.
She was married to Paul Kobayashi until their divorce, and has three children.
area in the Hawaii Senate
. During that time, she was chairwoman of the State Senate's Ways and Means Committee for two years. In 1994, Kobayashi ran for Mayor of Honolulu
but lost. In 1997, she was the Executive Assistant to Mayor Jeremy Harris, and from 1997 to 2002 she worked in the State Executive office as a Special Assistant to Governor Ben Cayetano
.
In 2002, Kobayashi successfully ran for Honolulu City Council District 5. She gave up her council seat in 2008 when she again ran for Mayor of Honolulu. She lost the election, and her council seat was won by Duke Bainum
, who ran unopposed. Bainum, however, died on June 9, 2009, leaving the council seat vacant. The special election that was held resulted in Kobayashi being declared the winner on August 8 with more than 37 percent of the vote.
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
. She is a member of the Honolulu City Council
Honolulu City Council
The Honolulu City Council is the legislative branch of the City & County of Honolulu and is considered the second most powerful parliamentary body in the State of Hawaii, following the Hawaii State Legislature...
, representing District 5. She previously held the same City Council seat between 2002 and 2008, but resigned from the seat to unsuccessfully run for Mayor of Honolulu
Mayor of Honolulu
The Mayor of Honolulu is the chief executive officer of the City and County of Honolulu and considered the third most powerful official in the U.S. state of Hawaii, behind the Governor of Hawaii and the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii...
against incumbent Mufi Hannemann
Mufi Hannemann
Muliufi Francis "Mufi" Hannemann is an American politician. He is the former Mayor of Honolulu. Hannemann has served as a special assistant in Washington, D.C., with the Department of the Interior, where he was selected for a White House fellowship in the Reagan administration under Vice President...
. She was also a member of the Hawaii Senate
Hawaii Senate
The Hawaii State Senate is the upper chamber of the Hawaii State Legislature. The senate consists of twenty-five members elected from an equal number of constituent districts across the islands. The senate is led by the President of the Senate, elected from the membership of the body, currently...
between 1981 and 1994.
Personal life
Ann Kobayashi was born April 10, 1937, in Honolulu to Mori and Florence Hayashi. She grew up with her brother Roy Hayashi near Punchbowl CraterPunchbowl Crater
Punchbowl Crater is an extinct volcanic tuff cone located in Honolulu, Hawaii. It is the location of the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific....
, later moving with her family to Nu‘uanu Valley.
Kobayashi graduated from Roosevelt High School
Roosevelt High School
Roosevelt High School may refer to:* Roosevelt High School , Minnesota* Roosevelt High School * Roosevelt High School * Roosevelt High School...
before attending Pembroke College in Brown University
Pembroke College (Brown University)
Pembroke College in Brown University was the coordinate women's college for Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1891 and closed in 1971.-Founding and early history:...
and Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
.
She was married to Paul Kobayashi until their divorce, and has three children.
Political career
From 1981 to 1994, Kobayashi represented the ManoaManoa
thumb|240px|right|Vintage shot of University of Hawaii, Manoa240px|thumb|right|Vintage photo of Manoa ValleyMānoa is a valley and a residential neighborhood of Honolulu CDP of the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, United States; the community is approximately three miles east and inland from...
area in the Hawaii Senate
Hawaii Senate
The Hawaii State Senate is the upper chamber of the Hawaii State Legislature. The senate consists of twenty-five members elected from an equal number of constituent districts across the islands. The senate is led by the President of the Senate, elected from the membership of the body, currently...
. During that time, she was chairwoman of the State Senate's Ways and Means Committee for two years. In 1994, Kobayashi ran for Mayor of Honolulu
Mayor of Honolulu
The Mayor of Honolulu is the chief executive officer of the City and County of Honolulu and considered the third most powerful official in the U.S. state of Hawaii, behind the Governor of Hawaii and the Lieutenant Governor of Hawaii...
but lost. In 1997, she was the Executive Assistant to Mayor Jeremy Harris, and from 1997 to 2002 she worked in the State Executive office as a Special Assistant to Governor Ben Cayetano
Ben Cayetano
Benjamin Jerome "Ben" Cayetano served as the fifth Governor of the State of Hawaii from 1994 to 2002. He is the first Filipino American to serve as a state governor in the United States.- Early years :...
.
In 2002, Kobayashi successfully ran for Honolulu City Council District 5. She gave up her council seat in 2008 when she again ran for Mayor of Honolulu. She lost the election, and her council seat was won by Duke Bainum
Duke Bainum
Mark Edmund "Duke" Bainum was an American politician and physician. Bainum served in the Hawaii State House of Representatives as a member of the Hawaii Democratic Party and was elected in a nonpartisan race to the Honolulu City Council and held various committee chairmanships during his tenure...
, who ran unopposed. Bainum, however, died on June 9, 2009, leaving the council seat vacant. The special election that was held resulted in Kobayashi being declared the winner on August 8 with more than 37 percent of the vote.