FILIPINO-AMERICAN Ron A. Villanueva (R-VA) made history when he became the first Filipino elected to the Virginia Beach city council in 2002. Now, he made history again when he became the first Filipino to be elected to the Virginia House of Delegates representing the 21st district.
Virginia has one of the largest concentrations of Fil-Ams on the East Coast, many of whom are employed by the US Navy.
Villanueva, a Republican, bested Democrat RW Bobby Mathieson for the position in the November 2009 elections.
Born in Philadelphia, Villanueva was raised in Virginia. He attended Green Run High School before graduating with a BA in Political Science at Old Dominion University.
He operates a small business, a member of the Coast Guard Reserves, as well as service to our community as a member of the ODU Board of Visitors, the Virginia Equal Employment Opportunity Council, the Virginia Beach Safe Schools Task Force, and numerous other boards and commission.
The two-term Virginia Beach City Councilman said he decided to run for the House of Delegates to make a positive difference for families.
"As a small business owner who is responsible for over 40 employees, I understand what it takes to make sure our home is job-friendly to the business community, and how to spread economic prosperity," he wrote on his website. "Our families are taxed enough, and government still needs to learn to live within its means."
The Virginia House of Delegates is one of the oldest. Villanueva was elected to his first state office in 2002. He served as a member Virginia Beach City Council from 2002 to 2009.
He was also a member of the Virginia Beach Human Rights Commission in 1994.
( Published January 27, 2010 in Asian Journal Los Angeles p. B2 )
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