Surangel Whipps, Jr., President of Palau
Surangel S. Whipps Jr. (born 1968 or 1969) is a Palauan businessman and politician, who has served as the President of Palau since 2021.[2] He served as Senator from 2008 to 2016.[2] He is from Ngatpang state, Republic of Palau.[citation needed] Whipps assumed office as the President of Palau on 21 January 2021.
Whipps was born in Baltimore, Maryland,[4] to Surangel Whipps Sr., another Palauan businessman and Senator,[citation needed] and a mother who herself was born in Maryland.[4]
He has a degree in Business Administration and Economics from Andrews University and an MBA from University of California, Los Angeles.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surangel_Whipps_Jr.
Tommy Remengesau, Former President of Palau (Re-elected on Sept 27, 2016 with 49% of the vote)
Thomas Esang Remengesau, Jr. (born 29 February 1956) is a Palauan politician who was President of Palau from 2001 to 2009. He was elected to another four-year term as President in November 2012.
He became Vice-President in 1992 and was elected as President in 2000; he took office on January 1, 2001. He wished to make Palau less dependent upon United States aid, and promoted the expansion and growth of the tourist industry through his policy and slogan of, Preserve the Best and Improve the Rest. The “best” here, being an allusion to Palau’s especially gifted and diverse underwater resource in the Micronesian region, and its reputation of being considered among the top in underwater attractions of the world. In Palau’s foreign affairs, Remengesau had been active in maintaining Palau’s presence in the UN. During his administration the tiny nation of Palau had elevated to becoming known as an unheralded leader amongst the international community through environmental initiatives, such as the Micronesian Challenge and its cooperation with South Pacific Nations in advocating awareness of Global Warming and its effects in the South Pacific Region.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Remengesau
Johnson Toribiong, President of Palau
Johnson Toribiong (born 22 July 1946 at Airai) is a Palauan attorney, politician and is the current President of Palau. He is a former ambassador of Palau to Taiwan. Toribiong was elected in the 2008 Palauan presidential election held on November 4, 2008.
Toribiong holds a Juris Doctor degree (1972) and a Master of Laws (1973) degree from the University of Washington School of Law.Toribiong was a candidate for President of Palau during the 2008 Palauan presidential election. His running mate for Vice President was Kerai Mariur, a Delegate in the Palau National Congress. Toribiong was opposed by Elias Camsek Chin, the outgoing Palauan Vice President.
Toribiong led the early, unofficial vote tally with 1,629 votes to Chin’s 1,499. The lead ultimately held and Toribiong defeated Chin in the election.
Tommy Esang Remengesau, Former President of Palau
Tommy Esang Remengesau, Former President of Palau
President Tommy Esang Remengesau, Jr., is one of Palau’s most youthful and energetic leaders. He began his political career as the youngest Senator ever elected to the Palau National Congress (the Olbiil Era Kelulau) in 1984 at the age of 28. He also holds the distinction of being the youngest Palauan ever elected to the Office of the Vice President in 1992. His re?election to the Office of the Vice President in 1996, and his recent election to the Office of the President is a mark of his vitality and his commitment to his promise to the People of Palau to work hard to “preserve the best, and improve the rest” for Palau, today and for generations to come.
President-Elect Tommy Esang Remengesau, Jr., was born on February 28, 1956, in Koror, Palau. As the eldest of eight children born to Mr. Thomas O. Remengesau, Sr., and Ferista Esang Remengesau, “Tommy” has followed in his distinguished father’s footsteps. Thomas Sr. served as Palau’s first District Administrator for 12 years. He also served the Republic as the Minister of Justice, and later as Vice President, finally serving as the President of the Republic, completing former President Salii’s term.
In 1984, he was elected to the Senate of the Second Olbiil Era Kelulau, representing the then First Senatorial District. Later he was re?elected to the Senate of the Third Olbiil Era Kelulau. During both terms, he served as Chairman of the powerful Committee on Ways and Means and was instrumental in helping to erase Palau’s outstanding budget deficit and bring about financial stability and credibility.
The President-Elect’s keen budgetary sense served him well in his first term as Vice President, during which he concurrently held the position of Minister of Administration (Finance). Under the then Vice-President’s able leadership, all prior year debts of the Republic of Palau were retired, while numerous reforms improved fiscal efficiency and increased revenue collections, restoring faith in Palau’s National Treasury. In 1998, the then Vice-President efforts also resulted in the Republic’s official membership in the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank Group.
As Vice-President, The President served as Chairman of several key Committees. While Chairing the Compact of Free Association Transition Commission, he steered the newly independent Republic of Palau through an orderly transition. As Chairman of the Disaster Plan Task Force, he led the Republic in its return to “normalcy” following the disastrous collapse of the K?B Bridge. He also served as the standing Chairman of the National Emergency Committee. In this emergency capacity, the President-Elect directed the Republic’s efforts to combat the Y2K Millennium Bug.
The Vice-President was elected as the President of the Republic of Palau and was sworn into office on January 1, 2001.
