About Brickwood

Brickwood’s Story

Brickwood M. Galuteria is a community leader, accomplished businessman, consummate television and radio personality, skilled communicator, and talented musician.

Born and raised in Hawaii, Brickwood has a deep and abiding love for our island home. As a son of Hawaii, he has a deep understanding of what local residents want and need. Through his years of service as State Chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, and among his many other experiences in the local community, Brickwood has gained valuable insight on island politics.

He is ready and able to provide the state of Hawaii with a senator who will best represent, and when necessary, fight for the people of District 12, which includes some of the vital and diverse areas of the island including Waikiki, Ala Moana, Kaka‘ako, Downtown, Chinatown and Kalihi-Palama.

Brickwood believes that balanced community growth is required so these unique areas can thrive. He recognizes tourism as a vital part of the state’s economic engine and  that its sustainability requires community-involved revitalization. He wants to fight for solutions to the area’s affordable housing problems and to continue the efforts at reducing crime in the district. Brickwood is resolved to address local solutions to healthcare needs and educational issues. He also aims to enhance Oahu’s commercial harbor system, is an advocate of a fixed guideway rapid transit system to ease the island’s traffic woes, and is committed to protecting the district’s open spaces — supporting efforts to preserve and rehabilitate Hawaii’s fragile ecosystem.

“Everyone has their time and their moment,” says Brickwood. “This is my time to step up. I respect public service so much. I’m willing to put my name out there because I believe the importance of giving the constituency a choice.”

Brickwood’s business savvy and background in politics make him the ideal candidate for senator.

In 2004, Brickwood was elected the chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, a position he held until 2006. During this time he learned the complicated process of policy-making and governance, and utilized his talents in communications to help bring opposing groups together.

“I’ve always had a yearning to serve the community,” he says. “But service also requires courage. The courage to run your decision making process through a ‘fairness filter,’ Acquire balanced information, deliberate and decide…for the greater good. At the end of the day, I want to be part of the solution.”

Early Years

Brickwood was born and raised in both the Kaka‘ako and Kapahulu areas, where his entire family worked, played and worshipped.

They lived across from what now is the John A. Burns School of Medicine — an “urban plantation” at the time where a young Brickwood and his friends would surf the waters off of Point Panic.

It was here that Brickwood would develop a deep appreciation for this area of Oahu — a place he calls the “last open area on the Southern Corridor.”

His family was mostly blue-collar workers so Brickwood was always taught the value of hard work. His father, Arnold, worked for United Airlines and was president of his union. His mother, Juliette, worked for the City and County of Honolulu at City Hall, so he still recalls with fondness the musty smell of the building and his first experiences with the political world.

Of Hawaiian, Filipino, Portuguese and Caucasian descent, Brickwood attended Kamehameha Schools since kindergarten. After high school and some college, he went to work for Hawaiian Airlines, eventually becoming an account executive and tour director.

Eventually, he gave up corporate life to pursue his talents in the entertainment industry, performing with Marlene Sai at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel for three years and later forming a group of his own. He also won Na Hoku Hanohano Awards in 1985 for Male Vocalist of the Year and Most Promising Artist.

In 1980, Brickwood began his career on air with KCCN 1420AM, and later with KCCN-FM 100 and Hawaiian 105 KINE. Today he is a morning show host on AM940 KKNE.

In addition to his radio pursuits, Brickwood also got into television, film and video, serving as host on such local shows as Hawaii’s Kitchen, Treasures and the Easter Seals Telethon on KHON-2 and currently as a moderator on KITV4’s Ho‘oulu Lahui Aloha.

He has been a spokesman for the State of  Hawaii’s Department of Agriculture, the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, Bank of Hawaii and Mike McKenna’s Windward Ford, in addition to commercial voice-over work he’s done for numerous in-house TV, radio and political campaigns.

He has also produced and promoted numerous productions, including the Aloha Festival Concerts, Miss Hawaii Pageants and the Coca-Cola Beach Concert Series.

Democratic Party Chair

Becoming the chairman for the Democratic Party of Hawaii in 2004 served to reaffirm Brickwood’s values and further his pride in being from The Aloha State. In his position, he was challenged with being the spokesperson for the Democratic Party and its beliefs.

“From this I learned how serious politics and the philosophies behind policy-making are,” he says.

Brickwood’s belief in informed decision-making and looking at issues from all sides is something that was reinforced as chair of the Democratic Party of Hawaii.

As a representative for the state, Brickwood belonged to an elite group of 50 other Democratic Party chairs in the nation. “My experiences showed me that in reality, most states have the same problems, and that no quality of life issue is exclusive,” he says.

All his life Brickwood has been about community. However, there are a few things that strengthened his resolve serving as the Democratic Party chair. First, he learned the process of governance. Secondly, he wants to serve in the Senate because that’s where he feels he can do the most good utilizing his skills of communication in advancing balanced policy.

“I feel that using my skills in the Senate will help bring adversarial parties together,” Brickwood says. “I believe that my function in life is to bring different groups together to do something good for the community and to advance the notion of greater good.”

Businessman

In 2005, Brickwood also established his own company, No‘eau Consulting LLC, that handles communications/media, arts/entertainment, political and issues consulting, and acquisitions/investments. The company currently works with organizations including the Montgomery Realty Group, Outrigger Enterprises Group, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs.

Brickwood’s business philosophies are the same values that he holds close on a personal level such as the Hawaiian values of pono, kuleana, ha‘aha‘a, kaulike and aloha. He knows that there may be opportunities in business that could succeed but wouldn’t be pono. Brickwood uses his internal filter in every business decision he makes and avoids endeavors that don’t match his value system.

Of course, Brickwood has made decisions in his life that didn’t work out but he’s learned from those mistakes, believing that what the people of Hawaii need is a “perfect imperfect candidate” and someone who will lead by example. 

Community Man

Brickwood’s history of public service is immense. In addition to serving as the chairman of the Democratic Party of Hawaii, he also spent time as the president of the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts and as a Democratic National Committee member.

He was also a board member for the Hawaii Book and Music Festival, the Polynesian Voyaging Society, the Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts, the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame, the Native Hawaiian Culture and Arts Program, the Hawaii Special Olympics, the Hawaii Association of Retarded Citizens and the Life Foundation.

Brickwood even served as a crew member on the 1992 Hokule‘a Voyage for Education.

In addition, Brickwood’s entire family has spent a lifetime worshipping at Kawaiaha‘o Church, also in the Kaka‘ako area. Brickwood would show his devotion to his spiritual side by becoming a trustee, moderator and chair/member for various church committees including the Church Endowment Fund, Joint Planning Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, Pastoral Search and Capital Campaign.

Family Man

For Brickwood, family is the center of his universe. He is married to wife Abigail Lehua, and has three sons and two daughters as well as eight grandchildren. Brickwood’s son, Shawn No‘eau Kauhi, who has Down syndrome, is the heart of the family, he says. He is also the inspiration behind Brickwood’s communications business, No‘eau Consulting LLC.

Family inspires Brickwood’s drive for public service. “I know the policies of the land will dictate how my family will live and thrive in the long run,” he says.

For this reason, he would much rather have a voice and be a part of the solution.

More than that, Brickwood wants to make sure that Hawaii is where his grandkids will want to stay to build their own families.