Benjamin J. "B.J." Cruz

BENJAMIN J. F. CRUZ is a Retired Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Guam and the Vice Speaker of the 31st Guam Legislature where he serves as Chairman of the Committee on Youth, Cultural Affairs, Procurement, General Government Operations, and Public Broadcasting.  He remains a fierce advocate for Guam's families, the elderly, and the individual taxpayer.

During his 30 years of public service he has held a number of important positions in all three branches of government:

• JUDICIAL BRANCH: Appointed Justice of the Supreme Court of Guam. Selected by his colleagues to be Chief Justice. Also served as a Judge in the Superior Court of Guam where he presided over the Juvenile and Family Court for 10 years.

• EXECUTIVE BRANCH: Received a Federal appointment to be a Commissioner of the Guam War Claims Review Commission; served as Governor's Legal Counsel for Governor Ricardo J. Bordallo; appointed as Director of the Guam Liaison Office, in Washington, D.C.; and also held the position of Assistant Consumer Counsel at the Attorney General's Office.

• LEGISLATIVE BRANCH: Elected Senator for the 31st 30th  29th and 28th Guam Legislatures. 

B.J. Cruz received his Juris Doctor from the University of Santa Clara Law School in 1975, and a B.A.in Political Science & Economics from Claremont Men's College in 1972. His parents are Antonia C. Franquez and the late Juan Quenga Cruz. His stepfather is the late Vicente Cruz Guerrero (Ben Tico).

B.J. has always been involved in civic and community organizations. He is currently Chairman of Pa'a Taotao Tano' and is a board member of Sanctuary Inc., the Manenggon Memorial Foundation and the Make a Wish Foundation. He has previously served on the Guam Humanities Council, Guam National Olympic Committee, Guam Cancer Society, Guam Baseball Federation, Pacific Islanders in Communications, Guam Body Building Federation and the Guam Weightlifting Federation.