Frank Blas

Frank Blas
Lieutenant Governor of Guam
In office
January 5, 1987 – January 2, 1995
Governor Joseph Franklin Ada
Preceded by Edward Diego Reyes
Succeeded by Madeleine Bordallo
Personal details
Born Frank Flores Blas
(1941-03-20)March 20, 1941
Agana, Guam
Died August 1, 2016(2016-08-01) (aged 75)
New York, New York, U.S.A.
Political party Republican Party of Guam
Spouse(s)
  • Lydia Blas (?–1970; her death)
  • Tina Blas (1971–2016; his death)
Children Five
Alma mater

Frank Flores Blas, Sr. (March 20, 1941 – August 1, 2016) was a Guamanian politician, businessman and member of the Republican Party of Guam. Blas served as the Lieutenant Governor of Guam from 1987 until 1995 for two consecutive terms under Governor Joseph Franklin Ada.[1]

Biography

Early life

Blas was born on March 20, 1941, in Agana, which is now known as Hagåtña, Guam.[2] He attended Father Dueñas Memorial School in Guam, but graduated from St. Augustine High School in San Diego, California.[1] He received an associate's degree from the College of Guam in 1962. Blas then graduated from the University of Portland with a Bachelor of Business Administration in 1965.[1]

Blas and his first wife, Lydia Blas, who died in 1970, had two children, Frank Blas Jr., a politician, and Lynette.[1] In 1971, Blas married his second wife, Tina. Frank and Tina Blas had three children: Paul Andre, Yvette Ignette, and Y'buena Antoinette.[1]

Career

Blas initially worked in the private sector for the Mobil Petroleum Company of Guam from 1965 until 1969.[2]

He then became the Director of the Department of Commerce of Guam from 1969 to 1972.[2] Blas was elected to Legislature of Guam and served as a Senator in 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th and 18th Guam Legislatures from 1974 until 1984.[1][2]

In 1982, Republican Senator Kurt Moylan teamed with running mate, Senator Frank Blas, to challenge incumbent Republican Governor Paul McDonald Calvo in the primary election.[3] However, Governor Calvo and his new running mate, Peter F. Perez Jr., easily beat the Moylan-Blas ticket in the Republican primary by 12 percent of the vote.[3] Governor Calvo ultimately lost to Democrat Ricardo Bordallo in the November 1982 general election.[3]

On November 4, 1986, Joseph Franklin Ada and his chosen running mate, Frank Blas, were elected Governor and Lieutenant Governor of Guam.[4] Ada defeated incumbent Governor Ricardo Bordallo by 2,581 votes (7.6%).[4] Blas served as Lt. Governor under Ada for two consecutive terms from January 1987 until January 1995.[1] Frank Blas described his main role as Lt. Governor as working as a liaison between the Ada administration and lawmakers in the Legislature in a 1990 interview.[1]

Gov. Joseph Ada was term limited in 1994 and could not seek re-election to a third term. Blas declared his candidacy for Governor and chose Simon Sanchez as his running mate.[1] However, Blas and Sanchez lost the 1994 Republican gubernatorial primary election to Tommy Tanaka and his running mate, Doris Brooks.[1] Tanaka was later defeated in 1994 gubernatorial election by Democrat Carl Gutierrez and his running mate for Lt. Governor, Madeleine Bordallo.

Blas left elected office in January 1995 when he retired as Lieutenant Governor after two terms.[1] He owned and operated Frank Blas & Associates, an insurance brokerage firm headquartered in Barrigada, Guam.[1] In 2003, Blas was appointed Chairman of the board of directors of the Antonio B. Won Pat Guam International Airport Authority, a government agency which operates the airport.[2]

Frank Blas died on the evening of August 1, 2016, at the age of 75.[1][5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Limtiaco, Steve (2016-08-01). "Former Lt. Gov. Frank Blas dead at 75". Pacific Daily News. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Lujan, J.A. (2005). "Resolution No. 90: Mina'bente Ocho Na Liheslaturan Guahan 2005 (First) Regular Session" (PDF). Legislature of Guam. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  3. 1 2 3 Rogers, Roger F. (April 1995). "Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam (page 270–271)". Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam (Google Books). Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  4. 1 2 Rogers, Roger F. (April 1995). "Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam (page 280)". Destiny's Landfall: A History of Guam (Google Books). Retrieved 2016-08-01.
  5. ↑ Ridgell, Clynt (2016-08-01). "Former Lt. Governor Frank Blas Sr. Has Passed Away". Pacific New Center. Retrieved 2016-08-01.
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