Alan Arakawa

Born 1951 in the beautiful town of Wailuku, Maui, Alan M. Arakawa has carved out a prominent political career, becoming a notable alumnus of Maui High School in Kahului, Hawaii. He furthered his studies at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, focusing on business.

Arakawa's career journey began in 1984 with his entrance into civil service as a wastewater plant worker for Maui County. He climbed the ranks to supervisor in the wastewater division of the Maui County Department of Public Works. The politician also represented labor unions as a United Public Workers chief steward and a Hawaii Government Employees Association union representative, indicating his commitment to workers' rights and public service.

His political career took off when he served on the Maui County Council in 1994, 1996, and 2000. He eventually moved onto bigger roles with his first run for mayor in 2002. Despite an initial second place finish in the primaries, he emerged victorious in the general election with 20,887 votes, representing 50.3% of the total votes.

Arakawa made his mark in Maui politics by serving non-consecutive terms as the fifth and seventh mayor of Maui. His tenure stretched from January 2, 2003, to January 2, 2007, and later from January 2, 2011, till January 3, 2019. He was preceded and succeeded by Charmaine Tavares in these roles. Arakawa's efforts in the mayoral seat included multiple successful election campaigns in 2010 and 2014, showing his sustained popularity among voters.

Aside from his professional life, Arakawa enjoys a delightful personal life. He is married to his lovely wife, Ann Arakawa, who is an assistant professor of mathematics at the University of Hawaiʻi Maui College. Together, they proudly raised two daughters, Jan and Jodi.

More information about Alan Arakawa's life and career can be found on the official Wikipedia page or you can explore this article about his political journey.