» George L. Argyros Bust


"We need to be able to inspire people to dare to dream and
to take advantage of the ability to think big and reach high.
At Chapman University, we've just begun."

- George Argyros


The Honorable George L. Argyros ’59 (1937–)

George Argyros is a name recognized around the globe. It is synonymous with entrepreneurship, diplomacy and philanthropy. Throughout his life, George has vigorously pursued opportunities, pushed boundaries, overcome challenges—and he has succeeded in ways and at levels that few others have.

By the time he was a high school senior, George was working full-time to help support his family. And when he graduated from high school in 1954, he didn’t see college as part of his future. Fortunately, a network of cherished friendships, including one between Chapman Trustee Jack Duddy ’42 and Chapman Emeritus Professor Paul Delp ’28, convinced George to attend Chapman.

That decision had a lifelong effect on George. Chapman was a community that challenged him and actively engaged his entrepreneurial spirit. Professors and friends alike propelled him forward and quickly noticed his incredible business sense. Eddie Alberts, an associate professor of business administration and one of George’s closest friends, noted that “[George was an] excellent business student. You came to expect brilliance from him, and you were not the least bit surprised when he delivered.”

After graduating from Chapman in 1959 with a degree in business and economics, George managed a grocery store in Palm Springs. However, the work did not hold his interest. It didn’t challenge the entrepreneur that had been molded at college. As a man who often says, “we appreciate things more when we’re on the edge of our seat,” George knew he needed to pursue a career that demanded more risk and an active approach to success: real estate. 

Once he received his licenses, George borrowed $1200 and entered the Orange County real estate market. By 1968, less than a decade after he had graduated from Chapman, George opened his own real estate brokerage firm, Arnel Development Company.

His company, which is now known as Arnel & Affiliates, helped shaped Southern California as we know it. Countless businesses that spurred development and fostered our region’s economic strength found homes in the commercial, office and industrial properties that his company developed and constructed. As of today, Arnel is responsible for empowering countless communities through the creation of more than two million square feet of commercial, office and industrial properties.

Additionally, the apartment communities his company developed and continues to manage throughout the Orange County and Los Angeles areas have fostered a wealth of resources and experiences.

While recognized as a titan of real estate, George Argyros’ impact reaches far beyond Southern California and the realm of real estate. In 1987, he became a founding partner in Westar Capital, a private equity firm specializing in investments in middle-market companies; from 1981–1987, he was co-owner of AirCal, which he and his partner, General William Lyon, sold to American Airlines; and from 1981–1989, he was the owner of the Seattle Mariners. His leadership in these companies influenced and affected thousands across the United States, promoting change and encouraging big dreams.

And then in 2001, George accepted a role of global importance. President George W. Bush asked George to serve as the United States Ambassador to Spain and Andorra, citing George’s experience in trade policy and foreign affairs as well as his interest in education and the arts. George willingly accepted and held that position with great distinction until November 2004.

From being a member of the board of directors of some of the largest corporations in the U.S., such as Rockwell International Corporation and First American Corporation, to leading nonprofits, such as the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation, George proved himself to be an individual of incomparable vitality, vision and perseverance.

And countless groups have recognized the fortitude of his nature and his incredible contributions to the United States of America. In 1993, he received the Horatio Alger Award of Distinguished Americans. 2004 marked the year he was selected to receive the Norman Vincent Peale Award. Then 2005 saw him receive the Ellis Island Medal on Honor, which is given annually to an American citizen "who has made it their mission to share with those less fortunate, their wealth of knowledge, indomitable courage, boundless compassion, unique talents and selfless generosity." These awards, which have also been given to U.S. presidents, world leaders, Nobel Prize winners, and other inimitable leaders, are but a few of the distinctions he has received over his lifetime.

Despite his numerous commitments and business ventures, George always championed Chapman’s future. His generosity has influenced almost every area of Chapman University’s physical campus. From the Argyros Forum to the George L. Argyros School of Business and Economics, his giving has helped build the university’s campus from the ground up and shape countless experiences at Chapman.

As a man with a desire to be involved, to take a hands-on approach to ensure the success of his investments, George Argyros matched his monetary giving with his time and priceless leadership. He was elected to the Chapman University Board of Trustees in 1973, and he became the board’s youngest chairperson in 1976, a position he held until 2001, overseeing monumental transformations to Chapman’s campus, such as the establishment of our law school and School of Film and Television. His leadership also helped Chapman begin operating with a strong business sensibility, which has brought incredible long-term benefits that have helped Chapman claim national renown.

George Argyros is, in many ways, the embodiment of Chapman University’s ideals and spirit. Dream big, work hard, give back. These are fundamental to Chapman University’s identity and have helped Chapman become a center of innovation, art and industry in Southern California. It is only appropriate that Chapman immortalize George Argyros’ presence on its campus via a bust in his likeness.

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George L. Argyros bust

Dedicated
1/1/1999

Designation Name
Argyros School of Business and Economics

Campus Location
Beckman Hall,
Orange Campus