Joseph M. Souki: Speaker Emeritus, Hawaii House.

• Author: Andrade, Jane Carroll
• Position: FINAL WORD - Interview

Joseph "Joe" Souki was born in 1933 in the sugar plantation town of Pu'unene on the island of Maui. In his youth, Souki worked in the sugar cane fields and enjoyed boxing and aikido. He served in the Army and graduated from Woodbury University in Southern California before returning to Maui. There he worked with the antipoverty program Maui Economic Opportunity, built a real estate business and became active in government. He was first elected to the Hawaii House in 1982 and served as speaker from 1993 to 1998 and again from 2013 to 2017.

You've served in the Legislature for 35 years. What's changed? The members have changed in their thinking and ideology They've become more progressive, more environmentally concerned and more independent. They're better educated. On the negative side, they also come in younger, with less civic and worldwide experience.

What's the best advice you give to young, new legislators? First, listen. Listen and then ask questions. Learn the priorities of government and of the Legislature. And to have integrity--that one's word is golden--and to look at issues on a broader scale and to compromise at times if need be.

To what do you attribute your impressive longevity in the Legislature? A lot is good fortune. I started quite late in my life. I was in my late 40s, and I remember a press person telling me, 'Aren't you getting in a little late?' I said, 'Well, maybe, but I'm coming in running.' And I did. I moved up quite rapidly in my first few years. My second year I was the vice chairman of the finance committee and in my third term I was the chairman. In my sixth term I was the speaker of the House It was a bit of luck and having associates believe in me.

In the three-plus decades you've served, what has been your most difficult moment, and what is your proudest accomplishment? What stands out is the first time I lost my speakership, and that was after six years. I had close friends who weren't satisfied with the work I was doing. They had a coalition and I was told to take a vacation That was kind of a low point. But I rebounded very quickly, and I adapted to the new leadership and looked for new challenges as a member and as a committee chair. As for accomplishments, when I first came into the House, the members in the committees had no right to speak or vote on issues I changed all of that and made it so the chair needed to have votes from all the members before he could pass a bill out of committee. I provided...