Russell S. Kokubun

Infobox State Senator


imagesize = 150px
name =Russell Kokubun
height =
state_senate =Hawaii
state =Hawaii
district =2nd
term_start =2000
term_end =
preceded =
succeeded =Incumbent
party =Democratic
date of birth =birth date and age|1948|05|15
place of birth =Honolulu, Hawaii
date of death =
place of death =
spouse =Anne
profession =farmer, project manager
religion =
residence =Volcano Village, HI|

Russell S. Kokubun (born May 15, 1948), is a Democratic member of the Hawaii Senate, representing Hawaii's 2nd Senatorial District since his appointment in 2000. The district includes portions of South Hilo District (portion of Waiakea Uka); Puna District (Keeau, Kurtistown, Mountain View, Glenwood, Pahoa, Hawaiian Acres, Orchid Land Estates, Hawaiian Paradise Park, Pohoiki, Opihikao, Kehena, Kaimu, Kalapana, Volcano); and Kau District (Pahala, Punaluu, Ninole, Honuapo, Naalehu, Kahuku) on the island of Hawaii (Big Island).

Russell S. Kokubun was born and raised in Honolulu. He graduated from Punahou School in 1966 and received his Bachelors of Business Administration degree from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Russell lives with his wife, Anne in Volcano Village on Hawaii Island. He has two daughters. Older daughter Keiko lives on Hawai'i Island with her husband Clinton Mercado and their son Gabriel. His younger daughter Nina lives in Tahiti on the Island of Bora Bora with her husband Haunui Ta'ati and their daughter Vavea.

After moving to the Big Island in 1974 to pursue a career in agriculture, Russell lived and worked in Waimea as a farm laborer. Subsequently, he purchased and began operating his farm in Volcano in 1978. As the President and Executive Director of the Volcano Community Association from 1981 through 1984, he led the organization in its effort to prevent the destruction of pristine native forest, which serves as critical habitat for endangered species, by industrial geothermal development near Hawaii Volcanoes National Park.

Kokubun was elected to the Hawaii County Council in 1984. He was re-elected in 1988 and selected by his council colleagues to serve as Chairman of the County Council. In 1992 he sought the Mayor's seat for the Big Island and was unsuccessful in his endeavor.

In November 1992, Kokubun was hired by the Hilo Downtown Improvement Association as the Project Manager for the Hilo Main Street Program. He led the effort to revitalize Downtown Hilo through the preservation and enhancement of the historic and cultural elements of the area.

Hawaii County Mayor Stephen Yamashiro appointed Kokubun as an Executive Assistant in September 1995. Working as a facilitator on special projects, Kokubun was subsequently appointed by Mayor Yamashiro to the post of Deputy Director for the Department of Planning in June 1997 and continued in this capacity until December 2000.

Fulfilling his interest in historic, cultural and natural resource management, Kokubun was selected to serve from 1996 to 2002 as one of two advisors from the State of Hawaii to the National Board of Advisors for the National Trust for Historic Preservation. He has also served as a Trustee for Historic Hawaii Foundation from 1995 to 2002.

Kokubun was appointed by Governor Benjamin J. Cayetano to serve as the Hawaii Island Member of the State Board of Land and Natural Resources beginning in 1998. When a vacancy occurred in the State Senate District 2 in 2000, Governor Cayetano appointed Kokubun to complete the term in the Senate until 2002, and was subsequently re-elected to the Senate in 2004 and 2006.

Hawaii State Senator is a member of the following Senate committees:

CPH - Commerce, Consumer Protection, and Affordable Housing (Chair)WTL - Water and Land (Vice-Chair)AHW - Agriculture and Hawaiian AffairsENE - Energy and EnvironmentBOC - Joint Senate-House Investigative Committee on the Bureau of ConveyancesJDL - Judiciary and Labor

External links

* [http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/site1/senate/members/sen2.asp Hawaii Senate - Russell S. Kokubun] official government website
* [http://www.hawaii2050.org/index.php/site/sp_message Hawai‘i 2050 Sustainability Task Force] Message from the Chair
* [http://www.votesmart.org/bio.php?can_id=54120 Project Vote Smart - Senator Russell Kokubun (HI)] profile
*"Follow the Money" - Russell Kokubun
** [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=79950 2006] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=71692 2004] [http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=72657 2002] campaign contributions