Charles Kong Djou and his values

Charles represents the area from Waikiki to Hawaii Kai on the Honolulu City Council. Before entering the City Council, Charles served in the Hawaii State House where he was the Minority Floor Leader. Charles has spent most of his life in Hawaii. Charles graduated from Punahou School and earned both a B.A. in Political Science and a B.S. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, graduating magna cum laude with distinction. Charles earned his law degree from the University of Southern California law school.

Charles Kong Djou family at home

Outside of the City Council, Charles serves as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. Charles also practices as an attorney specializing in business law and teaches at the University of Hawaii's William S. Richardson School of Law. Charles is an active member of the community. He has served on the Board of Directors of the American Lung Association and is a former member of the Neighborhood Board.

Charles is a member of the Young Business Roundtable, the Rotary Club, and the Hawaii Telecommunications Association. Charles is also a member of the Hawaii Republican Party, where he previously served as Vice Chair. Charles is married to Stacey Kawasaki Djou and together they have three children. Charles' surname "Djou" is a misspelled French translation of his Chinese surname "Zhou."

Charles' Family
Charles is married to Stacey Kawasaki Djou. Born and raised in Hawaii, Stacey graduated from Kalani High School and the University of Hawaii at Manoa. An attorney, Stacey earned her law degree from the University of Hawaii, William S. Richardson School of Law. Together they raise their three children in Hawaii Kai.

Charles' Name
People often ask from where Charles' last name, Djou, comes. Charles' father was born in Shanghai, China, and raised in Hong Kong. His mother was raised in Bangkok, Thailand. Charles was raised here in Hawaii. Yet, he has this odd, French-sounding, last name.

It started in the 1920's. Charles' grandfather worked for a French engineering firm in Shanghai. His grandfather's French boss, who spoke only French and Chinese, gave him the French name "Dijou" which roughly sounds like Charles' family's Chinese name, "Zhou." In 1948, during the communist revolution in China, Charles' grandfather fled to Hong Kong, which was then a British colony. Upon his arrival, the British asked Charles' grandfather to fill out immigration papers. Rather than write down his Chinese character, Charles' grandfather wrote down "Djou" - not knowing that this was actually French or that it was misspelled. Charles' father took this name to the United States, Charles was born with it and voil�, you have a local Chinese guy with a French sounding last name.

Resume: PUBLIC SERVICE City Councilman, 2003-Present State Representative, 2000-2002
House Minority Floor Leader, 2001-2002 Assistant House Minority Whip, 2000-2001
Small Business Hawaii "Legislator of the Year," 2001 and 2003 Hawaii Republican Party, Vice Chairman, 1998-1999.

MILITARY SERVICE: US Army Reserve, 9th Regional Readiness Command

COMMUNITY SERVICE: American Lung Association of Hawaii Young Business Roundtable
Hawaii Telecommunications Association Chinese Jaycees, 1997-2001

PROFESSION: Attorney, specializing in business law Adjunct Professor, Univ. of Hawaii Law School

EDUCATION: USC Law School, JD Univ. of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Finance and Commerce, BS & BA Punahou School

PHOTO and TEXT CREDIT: Djou for Hawaii

VIDEO CREDIT: Djou4Hawaii