{{Short description|American politician (1968–2021)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=December 2014}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Billy Kenoi | image = Billy Kenoi 2011.jpg | image_size = 200px | office = 11th Mayor of Hawaii County | term_start = December 1, 2008 | term_end = December 5, 2016 | predecessor = Harry Kim | successor = Harry Kim | birth_name = William Kenoi | birth_date = {{Birth date|1968|11|9}} | birth_place = Kalapana, Hawaii, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|1|26|1968|11|9}} | alma_mater = {{nowrap|University of Massachusetts (B.A.)<br>University of Hawaiʻi (J.D.)}} | profession = | spouse = Takako Culhane | children = 3 | party = Democratic }}
'''William P. Kenoi''' (November 9, 1968 – January 26, 2021) was an American politician who served as Mayor of Hawaii County from 2008 to 2016. Before being elected mayor, Kenoi served as a legislative aide in the State House and State Senate, a law clerk, a deputy public defender, and an Executive Assistant to then-mayor Harry Kim.<ref name=Experience>{{cite web|title=Experience|url=http://billykenoi.com/about-billy-kenoi/experience/|work=billykenoi.com|accessdate=March 18, 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130817014525/http://billykenoi.com/about-billy-kenoi/experience/|archivedate=August 17, 2013|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
==Early life and education== Kenoi was born in Kalapana, and attended Waiakea High School.<ref>{{cite web|title=About Mayor Billy Kenoi|url=http://hawaiicountymayor.com/mayor/|work=hawaiicountymayor.com|accessdate=March 18, 2013}}</ref> Kenoi attended both Hawaiʻi Community College and University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, but then transferred to University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1990, and graduated in 1993.<ref name=Education>{{cite web|title=Education|url=http://billykenoi.com/about-billy-kenoi/education/|work=billykenoi.com|accessdate=March 18, 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702102823/http://billykenoi.com/about-billy-kenoi/education/|archivedate=July 2, 2014|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Kenoi had transferred through the National Student Exchange program, and later became the NSE's president in his first year there.<ref name="Education"/>
In 1992, Kenoi worked as an intern to Senator Daniel K. Inouye, during which time Kenoi attended the Democratic National Convention in New York City.<ref name="Experience"/>
==Career== Upon graduating, Kenoi worked as a Legislative Aide to State Representative Les Ihara Jr. during the 1993 Legislative Session. He then occupied the same position in the State Senate during the 1995 and 1996 sessions.<ref name="Experience"/> After graduating from the William S. Richardson School of Law at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in 1996, Kenoi passed the bar exam on his first attempt and then served as a clerk for Judge Richard K. Perkins of the Eighth Division of the First Circuit.<ref name="Experience"/> Kenoi then worked as a Deputy Public Defender, where he served in the Appellate, Family Court, Juvenile Criminal and Adult Family Court divisions, before finishing his career at the Public Defender's Office at the Circuit Court.<ref name="Experience"/>
Beginning in 2001, Kenoi served as an Executive Assistant to Hawaii mayor Harry Kim, where he worked to address issues including crystal methamphetamine use, as well as homelessness and housing.<ref name="Experience"/> He was a member of the Pacific Century Fellows class of 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/stories/2003/09/01/daily73.html|title=Pacific Century Fellows Announced;— September 5, 2003|publisher=Pacific Business News|access-date=April 18, 2021}}</ref>
==Mayor of Hawaii County (2008–2016)== Kenoi ran for mayor in 2008. Though Lorraine Inouye initially led in the opinion polls,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://archives.midweek.com/content/columns/mostlypolitics_article/race_in_big_island_mayoral_race/|title=Race In Big Island Mayoral Race|author=Midweek Printing|work=midweek.com|accessdate=December 2, 2014}}</ref> Kenoi advanced to the general election against Angel Pilago. On November 4, 2008, Kenoi defeated Pilago by a margin of 55.6%–40.9%.<ref>{{cite web|title=GENERAL ELECTION – State of Hawaii – Hawaii County|url=http://hawaii.gov/elections/results/2008/general/files/ch.pdf|work=hawaii.gov|accessdate=March 18, 2013}}</ref> At 39, Kenoi became one of the youngest mayors in Big Island history.<ref name=Hawaiinewsnow>{{cite web|last=Mari|first=Roger|title=Billy Kenoi becomes youngest mayor in Big Island history|url=http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/global/story.asp?s=9301347|work=hawaiinewsnow.com|accessdate=March 18, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141213014745/http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/global/story.asp?s=9301347|archive-date=December 13, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Kenoi was re-elected mayor on November 6, 2012, narrowly defeating former mayor Harry Kim, 49.8%–47.6% – a margin of 1,438 votes.<ref>{{cite web|title=Hawaii General 2012 – State of Hawaii – Statewide|url=http://hawaii.gov/elections/results/2012/general/elections/results/2012/general/files/histatewide.pdf|work=hawaii.gov|accessdate=March 18, 2013}}</ref> Kenoi received praise for his efforts to unite the population of the county during his term as mayor. He spent much time in Hilo and worked to meet the needs of the county's rural community.<ref name=death/>
On November 1, 2016, Kenoi was found not guilty by a Hawaii Island jury on all charges related to his alleged misuse of a purchasing card issued by Hawaii County.<ref>[http://www.staradvertiser.com/2016/11/01/breaking-news/jury-reaches-verdict-in-kenoi-case-announcement-expected-soon/ Star Advertiser]</ref> He afterwards apologised for the scandal.<ref name=death/>
Kenoi reached his term limit after two terms, leaving office in December 2016.<ref>[http://khon2.com/2016/12/05/harry-kim-sworn-in-as-hawaii-island-mayor/ Khon 2]</ref>
==Illness and death== Kenoi revealed in March 2018 that he was diagnosed with myelofibrosis, a bone marrow blood cancer, in 2015 while serving his second term as mayor. The cancer began to accelerate in March 2017 and the former mayor underwent blood transfusions. Later that year, he underwent a bone marrow transplant in California, which involved chemotherapy and months of rehabilitation. He returned home in October 2017 and began feeling better until March 2018, when he reported feeling lethargic. After flying back to California, he was told his cancer had become more aggressive and that he would have only a month to live without aggressive chemotherapy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=H. N. N. |date=2018-03-31 |title=Former Big Island mayor Billy Kenoi battling life-threatening cancer |url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/37849866/former-big-island-mayor-billy-kenoi-battling-life-threatening-cancer |access-date=2026-05-22 |website=www.hawaiinewsnow.com |language=en}}</ref>
Kenoi died on January 26, 2021, at the age of 52.<ref name=death>[https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2021/01/27/billy-kenoi-former-hawaii-county-mayor-has-died-after-lengthy-battle-with-cancer/ Billy Kenoi, former Hawaii County mayor, has died after lengthy battle with cancer]</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://billykenoi.com/ Official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130522034515/http://billykenoi.com/ |date=May 22, 2013 }} *[http://hawaiicountymayor.com/ Mayoral website]
{{Portal bar|Biography|Hawaii|Politics|United States}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kenoi, Billy}} Category:1968 births Category:2021 deaths Category:21st-century mayors of places in Hawaii Category:Deaths from cancer in Hawaii Category:Hawaii Democrats Category:Lawyers from Hawaii Category:Mayors of Hawaii County Category:People from Puna, Hawaii Category:Public defenders Category:University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni Category:University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo alumni Category:Hawaiʻi Community College alumni