Albert Bryan Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Albert Bryan
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|---|---|
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| 9th Governor of the United States Virgin Islands | |
| Assumed office January 7, 2019 |
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| Lieutenant | Tregenza Roach |
| Preceded by | Kenneth Mapp |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Albert Bryan Jr.
February 21, 1968 St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Yolanda Cabodevilla
(m. 1998; div. 2024) |
| Domestic partner | RoseAnne Farrington |
| Children | 2 |
| Residence | Government House |
| Education | Wittenberg University (BA) University of the Virgin Islands (MBA) |
Albert Bryan Jr. was born on February 21, 1968. He is an American politician and businessman. Since 2019, he has been the ninth governor of the United States Virgin Islands. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Before becoming governor, he worked as the Commissioner for the Department of Labor from 2007 to 2015.
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Early Life and Education
Bryan was born on the island of St. Thomas. He was the oldest of five sons born to Albert Sr. and Genevieve Bryan. He grew up in the Savan area of Charlotte Amalie, which is the capital of the territory.
As a teenager, Bryan moved to St. Croix. He finished high school at St. Dunstan's Episcopal High School in 1985. He then went to Wittenberg University, where he earned a degree in economics in 1989. Later, in 2003, he received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of the Virgin Islands St. Croix Campus.
Political Career
In 2007, Governor John de Jongh chose Bryan to be the Commissioner of the Virgin Islands Department of Labor. He held this important job until 2015. After that, he worked in the private business world. He was the CEO and President of Aabra Group, a company that gives advice to other businesses. He also led the Virgin Islands chapter of Junior Achievement, an organization that teaches young people about business.
Running for Governor
In April 2018, Bryan announced he wanted to become governor. He chose Tregenza Roach to be his running mate, who would become Lieutenant Governor if they won. They won the Democratic Party's first election (called a primary) in August 2018.
Their campaign focused on several key ideas. They wanted to make people trust the government again. They also aimed to improve the economy and update roads and buildings. Education, healthcare, and reducing crime were also big priorities. They also wanted to make housing more affordable.
In the main election in 2018, Bryan received the most votes. He then won a second election (called a runoff) against the current governor, Kenneth Mapp. Bryan became the second Democrat to win against a sitting governor since 1998.
Reelection as Governor
Bryan decided to run for governor again in 2022. He won the primary election in August 2022. Then, in the main election in November 2022, he won again. This meant he would continue to serve as governor.
First Days in Office
Albert Bryan Jr. officially became the 9th governor of the United States Virgin Islands on January 7, 2019. The ceremony took place at Emancipation Gardens on St. Thomas. Before the event, Bryan and his family attended a special church service. The inauguration included military parades and celebrations on all three islands.
Early in his term, Governor Bryan made several important decisions. He worked to get an extension for a program that helped with temporary power after storms. He also ordered the removal of special parking signs at Government House. This changed a practice that had been in place for 20 years. Because there weren't enough mental health doctors, he declared a state of emergency for mental healthcare. In March 2019, he and his family moved into Government House on St. Croix. .....
Water and Power Authority (WAPA)
In 2019, Governor Bryan made sure the government paid all its debts to the Virgin Islands Water & Power Authority (WAPA). This made the government's payments up to date. In August 2019, he announced that four new power generators would be bought. The goal was to lower electricity bills for residents. In April 2024, Governor Bryan declared a state of emergency for WAPA because of power outages.
Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic
When the coronavirus arrived in March 2020, Governor Bryan declared a state of emergency. He quickly put rules in place to keep people safe. He limited how many people could gather together. He also ordered non-essential businesses to close and asked residents to stay home. Public schools moved to online learning for the rest of the 2019–2020 school year.
Later, he required travelers from certain states to show a negative COVID-19 test. He also closed beaches early during holiday weekends and limited hours for bars and nightclubs. When cases surged again, he brought back a "Stay at Home" phase. This meant non-essential businesses, churches, and schools closed for two weeks. He also required all travelers to show a negative PCR test or quarantine for 14 days.
In 2021, Governor Bryan launched a "Vax-to-Win" lottery to encourage vaccinations. He expressed concern about the low vaccination rate. In March 2022, he lifted the indoor mask mandate in most places. However, masks were still required in medical facilities, nursing homes, and schools. He extended the COVID-19 state of emergency until June 30, 2022.
| Poll source | Date(s) administered |
Sample size |
Margin of error |
Respondents | Approve | Disapprove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VI Tech Stack | April 4–5, 2020 | 600 | ± 3.99% | Territory-wide St. Thomas-St. John St. Croix |
59% 63% 54% |
25% 25% 32% |
Equality Act
On January 19, 2023, Governor Bryan signed the Equality Act into law. This law helps protect people from being treated unfairly because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. In June 2024, he declared June as LGBTQIA+ Pride Month. He also introduced a plan to allow people to change their gender on official documents.
Homeownership Programs
In October 2022, Governor Bryan announced the V.I. Slice homeownership program. This program aims to help more people in the Virgin Islands buy their own homes.
Travels and Meetings
Governor Bryan has traveled for various reasons during his time in office. He has met with cruise ship executives to boost tourism. He also attended meetings about disaster recovery and economic development. He visited federal agencies in Washington, D.C., to discuss important issues for the Virgin Islands. ..... Some of his travels also included attending sports events and cultural festivals.
Governor's Residence
Governor Bryan lives in Government House in Christiansted on St. Croix. When he needs to stay on St. Thomas, the West Indian Company pays for a condo for him.
Personal Life
Albert Bryan Jr. has two daughters.
