Dorothy Ching

**Dorothy Ching Winthorp** (née **Ching**; born 23 November 1955) is a Hawaiian politician who has served as Minister of Finance since 2015 and Leader of the Liberal-Conservative Party since 2006. She was first elected to the National Assembly of Hawaii in 1995.

Ching was born in East Honolulu to a Chinese family. After graduating from ʻIolani School, Ching moved to Atlantica to attend Brown University, graduating with a degree in economics in 1977. She subsequently returned to Hawaii, and received an M.B.A. from the University of Hawaii – Manoa in 1979. After finishing her education, Ching worked in the finance department of various Honolulu-based companies, eventually becoming a financial executive in the early-1990s. Ching left her career in finance in 1995, in order to begin her political career.

Ching's political career began after she was included on the Liberal-Conservative Party ticket for the 1995 Hawaiian general election. When the party won enough seats, Ching was elected to parliament. She has since won reelection in the 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015 elections as well. In the summer of 2006, Party Leader Richard Zhao announced his resignation and triggered a leadership election. Ching announced her candidacy shortly afterwards, and emerged as an early favorite. She went on to win the election, and took office as Leader of the Liberal-Conservative Party in November 2006. As leader, Ching led the party in the 2010 and 2015 elections, greatly increasing their amount of seats. Following the 2015 election, the party joined the governing coalition with the Hawaiian National Party, and Ching was appointed Minister of Finance by Prime Minister Donald Chao.

## Early life and family

Ching was born on 23 November 1955 in East Honolulu, a wealthy suburb of Honolulu, to parents Thomas (1923–2008) and Ellen Ching (1926–2017; née *Liu*). Her father was born in Guangzhou, China and immigrated to Hawaii to attend the University of Hawaii – Manoa, while her mother was born in Hawaii to a Chinese family. Ching grew up speaking both Cantonese and English, and was raised in the Buddhist tradition. Thomas founded a chain of hair salons throughout the Honolulu metropolitan area, while Ellen worked as a perfumer, eventually beginning her own fragrance company in the 1970s. Ching is the second child and only daughter of four children; her siblings include Thomas "Tommy", born  (1951-07-30) 30 July 1951 (age 72), Timothy, born  (1958-10-30) 30 October 1958 (age 65), and James, born  (1963-05-06) 6 May 1963 (age 60).

## Education and early career

Ching attended private schooling in Honolulu, beginning her education in 1962 at ʻIolani School, an independent coeducational K–12 school. She skipped the second grade, and later graduated from high school at ʻIolani in 1973. Upon her graduation, Ching was her class's salutatorian and was voted "Most Likely to Succeed" by her classmates. Following her graduation, Ching moved to Rhode Island, Atlantica to attend Brown University. She graduated from Brown in 1977 with a degree in economics.

After graduating from Brown, Ching returned to Hawaii and enrolled in the University of Hawaii – Manoa as a graduate student. In 1978, she competed in Miss Hawaii 1978, and was crowned the third runner-up. She graduated with an M.B.A. in 1979. After graduating, Ching entered the finance industry, working in finance for a number of profitable Honolulu corporations, eventually becoming an industry executive. She left her career in 1995 to enter politics.

## Political career

### National Assembly

In 1994, Ching was invited by the by the Liberal-Conservative Party to be included on their ticket for the 1995 Hawaiian general election. The party ultimately won enough seats for Ching to be seated, and she became a member of the National Assembly. She has since won reelection in the 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015 elections as well.

### Minister of Finance

In the summer of 2006, Party Leader Richard Zhao announced his resignation and triggered a leadership election. Ching announced her candidacy shortly afterwards, and emerged as an early favorite. She went on to win the election, and took office as Leader of the Liberal-Conservative Party in November 2006. As leader, Ching led the party in the 2010 and 2015 elections, greatly increasing their amount of seats. Following the 2015 election, the party joined the governing coalition with the Hawaiian National Party, and Ching was appointed Minister of Finance by Prime Minister Donald Chao.

## Personal life

Ching met Atlantican businessman Arnold Winthorp in 1976, while they attended Brown University together. After graduating in 1977, Winthorp moved to Hawaii to remain with Ching. They became engaged in 1979, and later married the following year. Ching and Winthorp have three children together; their children include Damian, born  (1983-08-04) 4 August 1983 (age 40), Michele, born  (1985-10-12) 12 October 1985 (age 38), and Courteney, born  (1987-06-22) 22 June 1987 (age 36). The family resides in East Honolulu.

Ching is a practicing Buddhist, and speaks fluent Cantonese, Mandarin, and English.