Vicky Cayetano
{{short description|First Lady of Hawaii (1997–2002)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Vicky Cayetano
|image = Vicky Cayetano.jpg
|office = First Lady of Hawaii
|term_label = In role
|governor = Ben Cayetano
|term_start = May 5, 1997
|term_end = December 2, 2002
|predecessor = Lynne Waihee
|successor = Nancie Caraway (2010)
|birth_name = Vicky Tiu
|birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|65|2021|8|30}}
|birth_place = Manila, Philippines
|death_date =
|death_place =
|party = Republican (Before 1997)
Democratic (1997–present)
|spouse = {{marriage|Ben Cayetano|1997}}
|children = 5, including 3 stepchildren
|education =
|website =
}}
Vicky Tiu Cayetano (born 1955 or 1956) is an American businesswoman and politician who was the first lady of Hawaii from 1997 to 2002. She and former governor Ben Cayetano were married on May 5, 1997, in Washington Place. During her tenure, she was instrumental in the construction of a new governor's residence building, turning the old Washington Place into a museum. She was a Democratic candidate in the 2022 Hawaii gubernatorial election.{{cite news |last1=Dym |first1=Zoe |title=Former First Lady Vicky Cayetano Announces Run for Governor |url=https://www.hawaiipublicradio.org/local-news/2021-08-30/former-first-lady-vicky-cayetano-announces-run-for-governor |access-date=7 Sep 2021 |work=Hawaii Public Radio |date=30 Aug 2021}}
Early life
Vicky Tiu was born in Manila, Philippines, one of nine musically talented children of Pat and William Tiu. She and her brother and sisters appeared in movies, including It Happened at the World's Fair. Sisters Ginny and Elizabeth, and their brother Alexander, were in Girls! Girls! Girls! with Elvis Presley. After the family moved to San Francisco, Vicky and a group of her friends started a travel agency when she was a teenager. She later attended Stanford University in California, but did not graduate.
Career
In 1988, she helped to start United Laundry Company to service hotels and hospitals, eventually becoming president and CEO.
= First lady =
After marrying Ben Cayetano, she continued to operate the laundry company, but spent less time on it. Her daily schedule was distributed to her employees and she was available if needed. The evening hours were devoted to her family, giving individual time to her teenage children.{{cite news|title=Vicky Cayetano|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/266731139/?terms=vicky+cayetano|access-date=December 4, 2017|work=The Honolulu Advertiser|url-access=subscription|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 3, 1998|page=F1}}
- {{cite news|title=Vicky Cayetano: A year in the limelight|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/266731983/?terms=vicky+cayetano|access-date=December 4, 2017|work=The Honolulu Advertiser|url-access=subscription|via=Newspapers.com|date=May 3, 1998|page=F10}}
In 1999, she participated in the Honolulu Habitat for Humanity's Women Build.{{cite news|last1=Blakeman|first1=Karen|title=Vicky Cayetano's plank helps housing|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/266128060/?terms=vicky+cayetano|access-date=December 4, 2017|work=The Honolulu Advertiser|url-access=subscription |via=Newspapers.com|date=September 26, 1999|page=A19}} She was named 1999 Woman of Distinction by Hawaii's Girl Scouts for her work in motivating young women.{{cite news|title=Girl Scouts name Vicky Cayetano role model for 1999|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/266690422/?terms=vicky+cayetano|access-date=December 4, 2017|work=The Honolulu Advertiser|date=December 19, 1999|page=A29}}
In 2001, she proposed turning Washington Place into a museum telling the story of Lili‘uokalan
- {{cite news|last1=Leidermann|first1=Mike|title=Washington: first lady's plan would build a new home|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/266896565/?terms=Vicky+Cayetano|access-date=December 4, 2017|work=The Honolulu Advertiser|date=January 5, 2001|page=A6}} The new residence, constructed directly behind Washington Place, was finished in time for the new governor Linda Lingle.{{cite news|last1=Leidermann|first1=Mike|title=Moving out of Washington Place|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Aug/11/ln/ln04a.html|access-date=December 4, 2017|work=The Honolulu Advertiser|date=August 11, 2002}}
- {{cite news|title=Inside the governor's residence|url=http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2002/Aug/11/ln/ln07a.html|access-date=December 4, 2017|work=The Honolulu Advertiser|date=August 11, 2002}}
= Recent career =
After her tenure as first lady, Cayetano continued to oversee United Laundry Services. She was named Sales Person of the Year for 2011 by Sales & Marketing Executives International, Honolulu Chapter.{{cite news|title=Vicky Cayetano, Sales Person of the Year - Hawaii Reporter|url=http://www.hawaiireporter.com/vicky-cayetano-sales-person-of-the-year/|access-date=December 4, 2017|work=Hawaii Reporter|date=February 29, 2012}}
In 2018, the 30th anniversary of United Laundry Services, Cayetano was honored with the Pacific Business News "Women Who Mean Business" Career Achievement Award.{{cite news |last1=Mai |first1=HJ |title=Pacific Business News names 2018 Women Who Mean Business Career Achievement honoree |url=https://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2018/01/05/pacific-business-news-names-2018women-who-mean.html |access-date=20 July 2019 |publisher=American City Business Journals |website=Pacific Business News |date=January 5, 2018}} The following year, the University of Hawaii's School of Travel Industry Management presented Cayetano with the 2019 Legacy in Tourism Award.{{cite web |title=Vicky Cayetano President & CEO, United Laundry Services |url=https://tim.hawaii.edu/vicky-cayetano/ |website=School of Travel Industry Management |publisher=University of Hawaii School of Travel Industry Management |access-date=July 20, 2019}}
Cayetano also volunteers on the board of directors for the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra.
= 2022 gubernatorial campaign =
{{Main|2022 Hawaii gubernatorial election}}
On August 30, 2021, Cayetano announced her candidacy for the 2022 Hawaii gubernatorial election to succeed term-limited governor David Ige.{{cite news |last1=Blair |first1=Chad |title=Vicky Cayetano Offers A 'Humble Spirit' In Run For Hawaii Governor |url=https://www.civilbeat.org/2021/08/vicky-cayetano-makes-run-for-hawaii-governor-official/ |access-date=7 Sep 2021 |work=Civil Beat |date=30 Aug 2021}} On August 13, 2022, Cayetano lost the primary to Josh Green, 63%-21%.
In 2023, the Hawaii State Campaign Spending Commission fined Cayetano $1,000, finding evidence of inappropriate coordination between her campaign and a super PAC to launch negative ads against her opponent Josh Green.{{Cite web |last=Daysog |first=Rick |date=2023-01-12 |title=Campaign Spending Commission fines shadowy PAC over print advertisement |url=https://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/2023/01/12/campaign-spending-commission-fines-shadowy-pac-over-print-advertisement/ |access-date=2024-05-22 |website=www.hawaiinewsnow.com |language=en}}
Personal life
Cayetano first married a financial consultant in California and had two children. The family later moved to Hawaii. She divorced her first husband in 1992.{{cite news |last1=Kresnak |first1=William |date=May 6, 1997 |title=Wedding: first lady plans to deal with role 'one day at a time' |page=A5 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/266737012/?terms=vicky+cayetano |url-access=subscription |access-date=December 4, 2017 |via=Newspapers.com}}
- {{cite news |last1=Creamer |first1=Beverly |date=May 11, 1997 |title=First lady: new Mrs. Cayetano likes to talk business |page=A2 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/266752011/?terms=vicky+cayetano |url-access=subscription |access-date=December 4, 2017 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |last=Yuen |first=Mike |date=May 6, 1997 |title=Cayetano, bride met during workout |work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin |url=http://archives.starbulletin.com/97/05/06/news/story1.html |url-status=live |access-date=December 8, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120430025500/http://archives.starbulletin.com/97/05/06/news/story1.html |archive-date=April 30, 2012}}
Ben Cayetano was the sitting governor of Hawaii, with three grown children with his first wife, Lorraine Cayetano. They were separated for five years, then divorced in 1996 after 37 years of marriage. Cayetano and Tiu met while both were working out at the Honolulu Club fitness center. They were married one-and-a-half years later in the governor's official residence on May 5, 1997.{{cite news |last1=Kresnak |first1=William |date=May 6, 1997 |title=Hawaii gets a first lady |page=A1 |work=The Honolulu Advertiser |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/266736827/?terms=vicky+cayetano |url-access=subscription |access-date=December 4, 2017 |via=Newspapers.com}}
References
{{Reflist|colwidth=33em}}
{{Spouses of Hawaii Governors}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cayetano, Vicky}}
Category:20th-century American businesswomen
Category:21st-century American businesswomen
Category:21st-century American women politicians
Category:21st-century Hawaii politicians
Category:American hospitality businesspeople
Category:American women chief executives
Category:Businesspeople from Hawaii
Category:Candidates in the 2022 United States elections
Category:Filipino emigrants to the United States
Category:First ladies and gentlemen of Hawaii