John de Jongh
Encyclopedia
John Percy de Jongh, Jr. (born November 13, 1957) is the current Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
, New York. As a child he attended Sts. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas. After his parents' divorce, he lived with his mother in Detroit, Michigan while his mother did social work for the Detroit Public Schools. During the summer, de Jongh would return to St. Thomas to assist in his father's law firm. He earned an economics degree from Antioch College
in Ohio
.
De Jongh is a product of Catholic schooling, attending such institutions both on the island and in the United States. During college, he was able to study abroad, and completed an urban study in Yugoslavia
and The Netherlands. After graduating from college, de Jongh returned to his ancestral Virgin Islands. He worked for several years as a member of the Economic Development Council, during which he helped receive funding for the preservation of historic Virgin Island buildings, before taking a job with Chase Manhattan. de Jongh first worked as an executive in the company's San Juan, Puerto Rico
office before once again returning to the Virgin Islands after earning the position of Consumer Manager of Operations in both the U.S. and British Virgin Islands
. Under his leadership, Chase placed more emphasis on personal over corporate banking in the Caribbean and increased home mortgage lending.
In 1986, he married Cecile Rene Galiber of St. Croix. They have three children.
In 1987, de Jongh was appointed as Commissioner of Finance by Governor Alexander Farrelly, his first political office and one that had once been held by his grandfather, Percy. He was key in financial reforming and boosting the economy of the territory in the early 1990s. He also worked as an executive assistant to the governor's office, and he helped to coordinate better interagency cooperation. In 1992, de Jongh left politics and was a powerful and successful businessman. He worked as a consultant for Public Financial Management
and was one of the creators of the oversight committee to help Washington, D.C. becoming financially sound. de Jongh has also been an executive at Lockhart and Chilmark Partners, two large Caribbean
real estate firms.
De Jongh unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2002 (receiving the second highest amount of votes out of eight candidates) as an independent
candidate. He won the governorship in the 2006 general election
after defeating Kenneth Mapp
in a November 21st run-off election with over 57% of the vote. Mapp had edged out Adlah Donastorg for the second run-off spot in the November 7 election. De Jongh held the support of the business community, among others, and the expectations of the people for a competently-run public-private partnership in the years to come.
De Jongh took the oath of office on January 1, 2007 to become the 7th elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Prior to this, he had never served in elective office.
Governor John de Jongh and Lt. Governor Gregory Francis
announced that they will seek a second term in office in the 2010 gubernatorial election
.
De Jongh won the Democratic primary election
on September 11, 2010. He received 7,487 votes, or 53% of the vote in the primary, more than all three of his Democratic challengers combined. Senator Adlah Donastorg Jr.
came in second with 4,300 votes; former Lt. Governor Gerard Luz James
received 1,823 votes; fourth placed candidate James O'Bryan Jr.
garnered 432 votes.
John de Jongh faced independent candidate Kenneth Mapp
, a former Lt. Governor, in the general election on November 2, 2010. The contest between De Jongh and Mapp was essentially a rematch of the top two contenders from the 2006 gubernatorial election.
On November 2, 2010, De Jongh and Lt. Governor Gregory Francis
won re-election to second term, taking 17,535 votes, or 56.27%. De Jongh defeated the independent gubernatorial ticket of Kenneth Mapp
and Malik Sekou
, who came in second with 13,580 votes.
Life and career
de Jongh was born in BrooklynBrooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York. As a child he attended Sts. Peter and Paul School on St. Thomas. After his parents' divorce, he lived with his mother in Detroit, Michigan while his mother did social work for the Detroit Public Schools. During the summer, de Jongh would return to St. Thomas to assist in his father's law firm. He earned an economics degree from Antioch College
Antioch College
Antioch College is a private, independent liberal arts college in Yellow Springs, Ohio, United States. It was the founder and the flagship institution of the six-campus Antioch University system. Founded in 1852 by the Christian Connection, the college began operating in 1853 with politician and...
in Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
.
De Jongh is a product of Catholic schooling, attending such institutions both on the island and in the United States. During college, he was able to study abroad, and completed an urban study in Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
and The Netherlands. After graduating from college, de Jongh returned to his ancestral Virgin Islands. He worked for several years as a member of the Economic Development Council, during which he helped receive funding for the preservation of historic Virgin Island buildings, before taking a job with Chase Manhattan. de Jongh first worked as an executive in the company's San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
office before once again returning to the Virgin Islands after earning the position of Consumer Manager of Operations in both the U.S. and British Virgin Islands
British Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands, often called the British Virgin Islands , is a British overseas territory and overseas territory of the European Union, located in the Caribbean to the east of Puerto Rico. The islands make up part of the Virgin Islands archipelago, the remaining islands constituting the U.S...
. Under his leadership, Chase placed more emphasis on personal over corporate banking in the Caribbean and increased home mortgage lending.
In 1986, he married Cecile Rene Galiber of St. Croix. They have three children.
In 1987, de Jongh was appointed as Commissioner of Finance by Governor Alexander Farrelly, his first political office and one that had once been held by his grandfather, Percy. He was key in financial reforming and boosting the economy of the territory in the early 1990s. He also worked as an executive assistant to the governor's office, and he helped to coordinate better interagency cooperation. In 1992, de Jongh left politics and was a powerful and successful businessman. He worked as a consultant for Public Financial Management
Public Financial Management
Public Financial Management is a Philadelphia-based public finance financial advisory firm which focuses on asset management and consulting services for municipalities, cities, schools, hospitals and other public entities...
and was one of the creators of the oversight committee to help Washington, D.C. becoming financially sound. de Jongh has also been an executive at Lockhart and Chilmark Partners, two large Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
real estate firms.
De Jongh unsuccessfully ran for governor in 2002 (receiving the second highest amount of votes out of eight candidates) as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
candidate. He won the governorship in the 2006 general election
Elections in the United States Virgin Islands
Elections in the U.S. Virgin Islands are held to elect senators to the Legislature of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the governor and lieutenant governor of the territory, and a delegate to the United States House of Representatives....
after defeating Kenneth Mapp
Kenneth Mapp
Kenneth E. Mapp is a United States Virgin Islanders politician. A former Virgin Islands Senator, Mapp served as the Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands from 1995 until 1999. Most recently, Mapp was an independent candidate for Governor of the U.S...
in a November 21st run-off election with over 57% of the vote. Mapp had edged out Adlah Donastorg for the second run-off spot in the November 7 election. De Jongh held the support of the business community, among others, and the expectations of the people for a competently-run public-private partnership in the years to come.
De Jongh took the oath of office on January 1, 2007 to become the 7th elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Prior to this, he had never served in elective office.
Governor John de Jongh and Lt. Governor Gregory Francis
Gregory Francis
Gregory R. Francis is a politician in the United States Virgin Islands. A Democrat, he has served as Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands since January 1, 2007, having been elected on a ticket with Governor John de Jongh.-Early life:Gregory Francis was born in Saint Croix on...
announced that they will seek a second term in office in the 2010 gubernatorial election
United States Virgin Islands gubernatorial election, 2010
The United States Virgin Islands gubernatorial election of 2010 was held on November 2, 2010, and won by incumbent Democratic Governor John de Jongh...
.
De Jongh won the Democratic primary election
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
on September 11, 2010. He received 7,487 votes, or 53% of the vote in the primary, more than all three of his Democratic challengers combined. Senator Adlah Donastorg Jr.
Adlah Donastorg Jr.
Adlah "Foncie" Donastorg Jr. is a U.S. Virgin Islander politician, who has served as a Senator in the Legislature of the Virgin Islands since January 1995...
came in second with 4,300 votes; former Lt. Governor Gerard Luz James
Gerard Luz James
Gerard Luz James II is a United States Virgin Islander politician, funeral director, and businessman. James served as the Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands from 1999 until 2003 and is the current president of the Virgin Islands' fifth Constitutional Convention.-Early...
received 1,823 votes; fourth placed candidate James O'Bryan Jr.
James O'Bryan Jr.
James "Jimmy" O'Bryan Jr. is a United States Virgin Islander politician, spokesman and former press secretary. He previously served as the Administrator of the island of Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands....
garnered 432 votes.
John de Jongh faced independent candidate Kenneth Mapp
Kenneth Mapp
Kenneth E. Mapp is a United States Virgin Islanders politician. A former Virgin Islands Senator, Mapp served as the Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands from 1995 until 1999. Most recently, Mapp was an independent candidate for Governor of the U.S...
, a former Lt. Governor, in the general election on November 2, 2010. The contest between De Jongh and Mapp was essentially a rematch of the top two contenders from the 2006 gubernatorial election.
On November 2, 2010, De Jongh and Lt. Governor Gregory Francis
Gregory Francis
Gregory R. Francis is a politician in the United States Virgin Islands. A Democrat, he has served as Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands since January 1, 2007, having been elected on a ticket with Governor John de Jongh.-Early life:Gregory Francis was born in Saint Croix on...
won re-election to second term, taking 17,535 votes, or 56.27%. De Jongh defeated the independent gubernatorial ticket of Kenneth Mapp
Kenneth Mapp
Kenneth E. Mapp is a United States Virgin Islanders politician. A former Virgin Islands Senator, Mapp served as the Lieutenant Governor of the United States Virgin Islands from 1995 until 1999. Most recently, Mapp was an independent candidate for Governor of the U.S...
and Malik Sekou
Malik Sekou
Malik Sekou, Ph.D., is a United States Virgin Islander academic, author and political scientist. He is a professor and chairman of the Department of history, social science and political science at the University of the Virgin Islands...
, who came in second with 13,580 votes.