October, 2000--PRESS RELEASE by Hawaii Medical Association (Edited by La Sierra University Public Relations office) Rep. David Pendleton (808) 586-9490.

David Pendleton, a 1989 La Sierra University alumnus, recently received one of the most coveted awards in public service in Hawaii. He has been named by the Hawaii Medical Association as Outstanding Legislator of the Year 2000. Representative Pendleton received the award at an Oct. 20 luncheon at Maui's Grand Wailea hotel. He is the youngest recipient of this award. Representative Pendleton is the minority floor leader in the Hawaii state House of Representatives.

"Representative Pendleton is one of Hawaii's finest legislators. Mature, experienced, well educated, and hardworking, he has earned this Outstanding Legislator Award," commented Dr. Phil Hellreich, president-elect of the Hawaii Medical Association. "His decisions, deliberations, and votes in the Legislature have always been made with the goal of serving all Hawaii's residents, not just his Windward constituents."

Pendleton, an attorney, former schoolteacher, and son of a nurse and an anesthetist -- grew up in Kailua, Hawaii and was first elected in November of 1996. Since then he has served on the Health Committee, Human Services & Housing Committee, Judiciary & Hawaiian Affairs Committee, Public Safety & Military Affairs Committee, among others, in the House of Representatives.

As a high school student, Pendleton was a volunteer at Castle Medical Center in Honolulu. He studied at La Sierra University in Riverside, Calif., where he was a pre-medical student prior to switching to History and Political Science and a career in public policy making. After his La Sierra graduation, he earned his law degree from USC in 1993.

Pendleton, a Seventh-day Adventist, is deeply committed to the well-being of Hawaii's families and in previous Legislative Sessions has supported legislation to promote health education, protect public health, strengthen the state hospital system, and earmark monies from the tobacco settlement for health and health education efforts.

"Public health is everyone's business. We owe it to our children. I'm honored to have my legislative work recognized by Hawaii's physicians," remarked Rep. Pendleton.

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