A woman who has made her mark in banking, politics, business, church and community has passed away.
Poiali’i Fiasili Puni Haleck served as the first female Vice President of locally owned Amerika Samoa Bank, was a four term faipule for Pago Pago in the House of Representatives, was the first Director of the Department of Youth and Women Affairs, was a founding partner of McDonald’s American Samoa and the only woman to serve as Treasurer of the Congregational Christian Church of American Samoa. She passed away Tuesday night .
Her banking career started in 1969 as a supervisor for Bank of Hawaii. When Citibank opened a branch in American Samoa in 1974, Mrs Haleck joined and took up a senior position.
Three years later when the locally owned, Amerika Samoa Bank opened, Mrs Haleck was one of the key employees who helped with the bank’s growth. She spent 12 years with Amerika Samoa Bank and became its first female Vice President.
Mrs Haleck made a foray into politics in 1990 and was elected the House Representative for Pago Pago. She was elected two more times then lost a fourth conservative bid for the seat. But she made a comeback to the House ten years later.
She was selected by Governor Tauese Sunia to be director of the Department of Youth and Women Affairs and continued in the position during Governor Togiola Tulafono’s administration.
Mrs Haleck was part of the group of local business people who brought the McDonald’s franchise to American Samoa. She was one of the founding partners of the local franchise, which opened in 2000.
In her village of Pago Pago she was an active member of the Pago Pago Congregational Christian Church and was a strong supporter of the women’s cricket team and also the Pago Pago fautasi.
She and her late husband Ernie Haleck operated one of the first funeral service businesses in the territory.
After she left government service and politics she devoted 12 years serving as the treasurer of the American Samoa Congregational Christian Church.
Last year she was awarded the Lions Club Community Service Award during the annual celebration of Senior Citizens Day.
Mrs Haleck was also known for her generosity and close friends have shared that those who sought her help financially were never turned away empty handed.
KHJ News extends condolences to Mrs Haleck’s children and family for their loss.
