The Honorable Joseph Franklin Ada |
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5th Governor of Guam | |
In office January 5, 1987 – January 2, 1995 |
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Lieutenant | Frank Blas |
Preceded by | Ricardo Bordallo |
Succeeded by | Carl Gutierrez |
Lieutenant Governor of Guam | |
In office January 1, 1979 – January 3, 1983 |
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Governor | Paul McDonald Calvo |
Preceded by | Rudy Sablan |
Succeeded by | Edward Diego Reyes |
Speaker of the 13th, and 14th Guam Legislature | |
In office January 6, 1975 – January 3, 1979 |
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Preceded by | Florencio T. Ramirez |
Succeeded by | Tomas V. C. Tanaka |
Personal details | |
Born |
Joseph Franklin Ada December 3, 1943 Tamuning, Guam |
Nationality | American |
Political party | Republican Party of Guam |
Spouse(s) | Rosanna Santos |
Children | 3 |
Alma mater | University of Portland |
Occupation | Politician |
Joseph Franklin Ada (born December 3, 1943), better known as Joseph F. Ada, is a Guamanian politician as the member of Republican Party of Guam. He elected as the Lieutenant Governor from 1979 to 1983 and the fifth Governor of Guam from 1987 to 1995.
Ada was born in Tamuning, Guam, to José "Ping" Torres Ada (1915–1984) and Regina San Nicolas Herrero (1921–2009). He attended the College of Guam for two years before entering the University of Portland, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in corporate finance in 1968. Ada's late grandfather Josef Martinez Ada who owned Ada's Soap Factory in Anigua from the early 1930s until his death in 1955.
Ada is married to Rosanna Santos and has three children, Eric Ada, Tricia Yoo, and Ester Dela Paz, and have five grandchildren.
Ada’s public career began under Governor Carlos G. Camacho, who appointed him deputy director of the Department of Public Works in 1970. Ada, who had just turned 27 at the time, remained as Public Works deputy director until 1972, when he resigned to make his first bid for elected office. He won a seat in the 12th Guam Legislature as a member of the Republican minority at the age of 28. In the election for the 13th Guam Legislature, the Republicans were swept into the majority and Ada was the overall top vote getter. His colleagues chose him to be Speaker of the 13th Guam Legislature at the age of 31. Ada was a top vote getter again in the 14th Guam Legislature and was again chosen as Speaker.
Ada never forgot what Camacho did for him by offering Ada that first leadership position. He followed Camacho’s example after he became governor, offering cabinet positions to bright young people, many who became leaders in their own right.
During his term as speaker, Ada, a strong advocate of education, established priorities that would remain important to him in the years to come. He cosponsored a bill that created the Guam Community College and made a substantial investment in vocational education. As Speaker, he also pushed for additional funding for recreation and sports programs especially for Guam’s youth.