John Oliver Delos Reyes Gonzales (“Bolis”) was born and raised at Dr. Torres Hospital, As Terlaje on Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands. His parents are Maria Pangelinan Delos Reyes (Bolis) of Chalan Kanoa District 3 and Alfredo Gonzales, who migrated to Sa’ipan in 1968. His maternal grandparents are Lucia P. Delos Reyes (Bolis) of Chalan Kanoa and Tomas (Pop Tomas) Palacios Sablan of San Antonio, Sa’ipan (and Pablo Villagomez Delos Santos (Pai). He was married to the late +Charlene Kiyomi Chin Suzuki, daughter of Kiyoaki (Aki-san) and the late +Angelina Fausto Aldan Chin-Suzuki. Together, they are proud to be the parents of newly commissioned ENS. Genzo Matua from the US Coast Guard Academy Class of 2024, Seiji Maga’lahi (Class of 2026) and Kiyokazu Ma’gas (Class of 2028) both of whom are currently attending the US Coast Guard Academy in the US.

He graduated in 1989 from Marianas High School in Saipan, and went on to postsecondary education at Northern Marianas College graduating with an A.A. in May 1991, at Washington State University with a B.A. in Political Science and History, then finally at University of Phoenix with an M.A. in International Management.

Mr. Gonzales began his over 30 years career in government service in 1993 upon his return home to the Northern Mariana Islands. He served in various capacities within the legislative and executive branches, including other public and private sectors, and non-profit  organizations.

• • Served as a Legislative staff for the Senate President and other members of the Senate.
  • Worked as a policy and legal assistant to the Executive Director at the Commonwealth Utilities Corporation.
  • Served as Chief of Staff and Policy Staffer during the Tenorio-Sablan Administration, and later under the Inos-Torres/Hocog where his primary role was on technical governance and operations with CNMI departments, policy, and CNMI-US Federal matters with various Federal Departments and White House, including:

• Drafting correspondence, policy statements, speeches for Governor and/or Lt. Governor,

• NMI-Federal relations issues related to the Covenant at 2000 Sec. 902 Consultations between US President Clinton’s representative Edward Cohen and Governor Teno’s representative Lt. Governor Jesus R. Sablan,

• First Micronesian region’s solid waste management plan (Saipan Integrated Solid Waste Management System), which is now the Lower Base Transfer Station and the Marpi Landfill on comprehensive environmental and legal contracting with NMI Attorney General’s Office,

• Represented the Governor or Lt. Governor at US National meetings in Washington DC and elsewhere in the US, Pacific Regional Executive Leaders Meetings at SPC CRGA (Committee of Regional Government Adminstrators) under Secretariat for Pacific Community in Noumea, NC, Fiji, Pacific Islands Forum Leaders in Pohnpei, Saipan, and Hawai’i.

• • Served as Chairman at the former non-government Northern Marianas TRADES Institute for 7 years in which the Board of Directors secured about $12 million from the US Economic Development Administration and another $7 million from the NMHC CDBG-DR infrastructure grants, which was presented to the new government Northern Marianas TECHNICAL Institute in 2020.

• • • As President of the CHCC Volunteers Association, the Board of Directors presented a check in the amount of $150,000 towards the cost of replacing the built-in oxygen machines in all the patient rooms in Saipan.

• • • As President of the CNMI FESTPAC Committee non-profit, the Board of Directors presented a check in the amount of $25,000 to the 2024 CNMI FESTPAC delegation to 13th FESTPAC in Hawai’i.

• • • As a grants writer for NMHC in 2019, researched and led the writing of the first CDBG-DR federal grant to secure the largest ever one-time US federal grant in CNMI history worth over $245 million, which is now assisting many first-time homeowners and families with constructing their new typhoon-resilient concrete homes essentially for free as a grant.

• • • First President of Kagman Komunidat Association (with fmr. Congressman Tomas B. Pangelinan “Inden”) where we partnered with NMHC to take care of the newly built Kagman Community Center through CDBG Grants under former Board Chair Marilou Seman Ada.

• • • CCD Instructor for First Holy Communion and Confirmation students over 20 years at various church parishes under the Diocese of Chalan Kanoa; helped build original Saint Jude Church and Santa Soledad Church under former Monsignor +Ben Martinez and +Fr. Roger Tenorio.

• • • Gubernatorially Appointed Chairman of NMI Museum Board of Governors and Member of 2nd Marianas Political Status Commission.

• • • President of Kagman Schools PTSA and the only 2-time President of PSS PAC (Parent Advisory Council).

• • • Chamorro cultural arts and Chant practitioner and performing artist
      since 1988 to date (passed on to our sons)

• • • Lecturer for Governance, Covenant & CNMI Constitution, non-profit advocacy, life coaching, political and economic matters, culture, language, traditions, and history.

• • • President of Northern Marianas Descent Corporation; Treasurer of Chamolinian Cultural Village, Inc. (CCVI).

• • • Charter Member and Immediate Past President of Sa’ipan Natibu Lions Club and overall District 204 Lions.

A passionate advocate for our local and non local people, Mr. Gonzales has extended his technical assistance helping our people with their document needs, including Affidavits, Power of Attorney, land deed transfers, job applications, social services application, education and health programs for which his late wife, Charlene Kiyomi Suzuki, would deliver or people would come and pick up to submit to date.

There is too much at stake for our future that we must earnestly leverage and more proactively work with the United States government to bring our quality of life to be comparable to most communities in the mainland US.