Note: The GOP State Committee on Saturday Nov. 5 unanimously elected David Chang State Party Chair in an uncontested election. Below is an email message sent out to State Committee members Nov 2nd announcing his candidacy. Further down are news releases announcing Chang's election:
Aloha!
I hope this email finds you well.
My name is David Chang and I am a candidate for State Chair of the Hawaii Republican Party.
For those who do not know me, I was a candidate for House District 28 (Downtown, Chinatown) last year. I am a graduate of West Point, served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and currently serve as Commander for the Military Intelligence Company in the Hawaii Army National Guard. I earned a master’s degree in political science from the University of Hawaii at Manoa and was an East-West Graduate Degree Fellow.
In addition, I graduated from Covenant Theological Seminary and served in ministry positions at several local churches, including New Hope, Hawaii Korean Central Church, First Presbyterian Church of Honolulu and Trinity Church Central Oahu. Currently, I attend City Church of Honolulu.
I am a small business owner who was selected as the 2011 Young Professional of the Year from Pacific Edge Magazine and Business Leader of the Year from Pacific Business News 2010 class of Forty Under 40. I serve on the board of directors for the Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii, the Builders Industry Association (BIA) of Hawaii and the Association of Christian Conferences and Teaching Services.
I deeply care about Hawaii and our Republican party. I have a clear vision in wanting to see us move forward and united in our efforts to build a viable two-party system in Hawaii. I ask for your support, and want you to know that my priority is the betterment of the party, not a specific candidate or coalition. I will strive toward creating a healthy dialogue with all.
Next year presents many opportunities for our Republican candidates. As chair, I will devote my efforts to growing our membership, raising funds for the party and our candidates, and recruiting strong candidates for 2012. Together, I believe we can propel our party to new heights.
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me.
Very Respectfully,
David S. Chang
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David S. Chang Elected Chairman of the Hawaii Republican Party
News Release from Hawaii Republican Party November 8, 2011
HONOLULU – The Hawaii Republican Party announced today that David S. Chang, a local entrepreneur and Iraq war veteran will serve as the next State Chair. Chang was elected unanimously by the Hawaii Republican Party’s State Committee, made up of district, county and state leaders elected by the party’s general membership.
Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus and Co-Chairman Sharon Day expressed their enthusiasm today for Chang’s election.
“As a well-respected and proven leader, I’m confident David Chang will provide the vision necessary to unite the Hawai’i Republican Party to create a viable two-party system,” said RNC Co-Chairman Sharon Day. “David brings a fresh perspective to our party, and I look forward to working with him in the future.”
Chang serves as company commander for the Military Intelligence Company in the Hawaii Army National Guard. He graduated from U.S. Military Academy at West Point with a bachelor’s degree in economics and computer science, and holds master’s degrees in political science from the University of Hawaii. He is also an East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellow.
A prominent business leader, Chang was named Pacific Edge Magazine's 2011 Young Professional of the Year and Pacific Business News' Business Leader of the Year from the 2010 class of Forty Under 40 in Hawaii. He was also a finalist for American Savings Bank's Business Leader of the Year in 2011.
Chang is CEO and president of Chang Holding Company, comprised of: CS Design Builders, a one-stop residential and commercial renovation firm; WealthBridge, Inc., a wealth management firm; PowerH20, a premium water bottle company; and GreenTech Pacific, which develops and markets energy-efficient and eco-friendly technologies for commercial and residential use.
Chang replaces Beth Fukumoto, who temporarily assumed the position of Republican State Chair in September following the resignation of Jonah Ka’auwai. Fukumoto stated previously she would not seek the position permanently in order to focus on her intended run for the State House in 2012.
Both Chang and Fukumoto ran for State House seats in 2010 and finished among the top Republican candidates statewide.
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Welcoming David S Chang, Our New Chairman
Message sent to GOP Membership Tuesday Nov. 8, 2011
Aloha!
On Saturday, November 5, 2011, the Hawaii Republican Party's State Committee, which is made up of your fifty-one elected House District Chairs, four County Chairs, Executive Committee members and our Republican leaders in the State House and State Senate, voted unanimously for David S. Chang as our State Chair to fill the remainder of the 2011-2013 term. David is the CEO and President of Chang Holding Company, which is comprised of several companies including CS Design Builders, a one-stop renovation firm, and WealthBridge, Inc., a wealth management firm.
David, a West Point graduate and East-West Center Graduate Degree Fellow, is an established business leader with numerous accolades including Pacific Edge Magazine's 2011 Young Professional of the Year and Pacific Business News' Business Leader of the Year from the 2010 class of Forty Under 40 in Hawaii. He was also selected as a finalist for American Savings Bank's Business Leader of the Year in 2011 with our own John Henry Felix, who won the award. Additionally, David was a Republican State House candidate in 2010, where he learned firsthand the challenges facing our candidates, the value of grassroots supporters and the importance of a strong fundraising program. To read more about David S. Chang, click here.
I know that David has the experience and leadership skills necessary to move our Party forward. In my tenure as Chair, I was overwhelmed with the amount of support and excitement expressed by our many dedicated Party members. It was an honor to serve our Party during this transition, and I am looking forward to working with all of you to support our new Chairman David S. Chang in electing Republicans and encouraging dialogue and diversity in Hawaii politics.
Mahalo,
Beth Fukumoto
Past Chair, Hawaii Republican Party
1st Vice Chair for Coordinated Campaigns