Orange County Hall of Fame

Robert Alan August was born in Hermosa Beach in 1945 and grew up just down the California coast in Seal Beach. His father, Orral "Blackie" August, was both a surfer and a lifeguard at nearby Redondo Beach and was one of the first surfers to ride its waves. Blackie had his son surfing at the age of six on the nice breakers at Seal Beach.

August quickly developed the smooth, relaxed style that allowed him to become a successful contest surfer at a very young age. He finished fourth in the men's division of the 1963 West Coast Championships and third in the 1964 U.S. Invitational. In 1965, August placed third in the U.S. Surfing Championships and was invited to surf in the Duke Kahanamoku Invitational. 

Just a few of months after graduating from Huntington Beach High School -- where he was senior class president -- August was presented with an opportunity that would change his life forever. Along with 21‑year‑old Mike Hynson, filmmaker Bruce Brown chose him to travel the world in search of the perfect wave while making the famed movie The Endless Summer.

August was selected over better-known surfers because -- to Bruce Brown -- he represented surfing in the positive way he perceived the sport. Not a stranger to Brown's camera, August had appeared in three of his movies prior to The Endless Summer, including Slippery When Wet in 1957, Barefoot Adventure in 1960 and Surfing Hollow Days in 1961.

Filmed in 1963 and debuting in 1964, The Endless Summer played throughout America, with Brown originally providing masterful live narrations. In 1966, Newsweek Magazine named the film one of the 10 best movies of the year, and it gave August the recognition that would serve him extremely well in his future business ventures. This once-in-a-lifetime experience, coupled with a lifelong friendship with Brown, made a lasting impression on August's life, the effects of which are still evident today.

Beginning in 1965, August worked for Jacobs Surfboards in Hermosa Beach, first as a salesman and then as a shaper before becoming a freelance shaper in late 1966, shaping for Overlin, Petrillo, Plastic Fantastic, South Shore, Harbour, Chuck Dent and anyone else who needed him through the late 1960s and into the 1970s.

In 1971, he opened the Endless Summer restaurant, a business he later described to Longboard magazine as one that "set a world record for losing money." In 1974, he launched the first Robert August Surf Shop in Fullerton, California, and relocated it to Main Street Huntington Beach in 1976. Stocked with shortboards because of their popularity at the time, August was still a longboarder at heart.

Robert welcomed the longboard renaissance that began in the 1980s, and by the year 2000, his Huntington Beach factory was putting out a record number of boards a year.

August has had a steady influence in the growth of surfing and surf culture. He has carefully crafted a brand that is recognized worldwide as a symbol of surfing's true lifestyle culture and authentic heritage. Robert August Surf Company has entered into licensing by signing numerous deals that expand and further reinforce the brand’s core roots in the surfing community. Those licensed products categories have included: Futures Fins, Indo Board Balance Trainer, Cobian Footwear, Nirve Bicycles, SkateOne and a deal with industry leader SurfTech Board Manufacturing Co. 

In addition, Robert August Surf Company continues to produce custom boards right here in the U.S. that can be found around the world, still remaining one of the most popular surfboard brands in the market today.

August currently lives in Southern California, where he's living the good life in retirement, and enjoying family and friends.

The Robert August brand continues to be one of the best-known names in the world of surfing.

James Cameron, an acclaimed filmmaker, explorer, inventor and environmental entrepreneur, moved to Brea with his family in 1971. Cameron graduated from Brea Olinda High School, and later enrolled in Fullerton College. He initially worked as a truck driver for the Brea Olinda Unified School District; however, after seeing Star Wars, he left that position to pursue a career in the film industry. Despite his humble beginnings, he reinvented himself into one of the most influential filmmakers of the modern era. As director, writer and producer, he is responsible for The Terminator, Aliens, The Abyss, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, True Lies, Titanic, Avatar, and Avatar: The Way of Water, as well as 12 documentaries such as Ghosts of the Abyss, Secrets of the Whales and The Game Changers. His 1997 film Titanic held the record for highest-grossing film in the world for 12 years, only to be surpassed by his own Avatar in 2009. 

His films have earned numerous nominations and awards, most notably Titanic with a record 14 Academy Award nominations and a record 11 Oscars. His latest film, Avatar: The Way of Water earned $2.3 billion.  Cameron has written, produced and directed three of the four highest-grossing films in history.

A National Geographic Explorer-at-Large, Cameron has led eight ocean expeditions and has developed unprecedented robotic and submersible vehicles, lighting, and 3D camera equipment for deep ocean exploration. Among his 75 deep submersible dives, he has dived to the Titanic wreck site 33 times, and – in 2012 – he dived solo to the Challenger Deep, the deepest place on Earth, in a sub of his own design, setting a world record. He is the recipient of National Geographic’s prestigious Hubbard Medal and the Explorer’s Club medal for Explorer of the Year.

Over the last 25 years, he has developed the most advanced 3D camera systems for use in television, cinema as well as for broadcast sports and special events, and helped lead a 3D renaissance. that has transformed the entertainment industry.

Cameron is a fierce advocate for sustainability, having founded the Avatar Alliance Foundation to take action on climate change, deforestation, indigenous rights, ocean conservation, and sustainable agriculture. The Avatar sequels production is the first entirely vegan-catered motion picture set and is dedicated to being as green and sustainable as possible. It is powered by a 1-megawatt solar array installed for that purpose.

Cameron and his wife Suzy Amis have founded multiple companies in the plant-based protein and foods space. They operate farms in Canada and New Zealand dedicated to improving regenerative and sustainable organic agronomy.

AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER was released on December 16, 2022, and quickly became the highest‑grossing film of 2022. Cameron is currently finishing post-production for AVATAR 3: Fire & Ash set for release on December 19, 2025.

Cameron’s extraordinary professional trajectory, from a working-class position in Brea to achieving international recognition, offers an inspiring model for students and aspiring creatives.

Edward Caruthers was born in Oklahoma City and moved to Orange County in 1958. He began his collegiate journey at Santa Ana Community College before transferring to the University of Arizona, where he emerged as an elite high jumper and standout football player. Although his track achievements would later define his legacy, his athleticism on the football field was so exceptional that he received contract offers from both the Detroit Lions and the Dallas Cowboys.

While at Santa Ana Community College, Caruthers won the USA Olympic Trials before making his Olympic debut in 1964 in Tokyo, placing eighth. This early success propelled him into the top ranks of the sport. By 1967, he was nearly unbeatable; his only defeats came at the NCAA Championships and the AAU, each decided solely on a count-back, meaning he was never actually outjumped. That year, he captured five international titles, including a gold medal at the Pan American Games.

He reached the height of his athletic career at the 1968 Olympics, where he cleared a personal best to secure the silver medal, cementing his reputation as one of the world’s premier high jumpers. During those Games, Caruthers also played a meaningful role in the silent protest that drew global attention to the struggles and injustices faced by African Americans during the Civil Rights Movement.

After his competitive career, Caruthers returned to Orange County and devoted 35 years to teaching special education and coaching within the Garden Grove School District. He also served as a part-time assistant track coach at Santa Ana College, where he guided numerous athletes to state championships, extending his legacy from the Olympic stage to generations of students and young competitors. 

James Irvine I was a pioneering California landowner, merchant, and philanthropist whose quiet determination and exceptional business judgment transformed him from an Irish immigrant fleeing famine into one of the wealthiest and most influential figures in the young state’s history. By the time of his death in 1886, his estate was valued at approximately five million dollars — equivalent to hundreds of millions today.

Born on December 27, 1827, in County Down, Ireland, James was a Scots-Irish and the one of nine children in a family noted for its strong moral principles and relentless work ethic. When the Great Potato Famine struck in 1845, 19-year-old James and his younger brother William made the courageous decision to leave their homeland and embark on a perilous journey across the Atlantic to the United States in search of hope and opportunity. 

He arrived in New York City in 1846 and worked for two years in the Praslee Paper Mills at Molden Bridge in New York, then caught gold-fever and headed west. In 1849, he traveled aboard the ship Humbolt from Panama to San Francisco accompanied by several later-prominent figures including C.P. Huntington, Dr. John E. Morse, Isaac E. Davis, and Ben Flint.

He mined briefly in the northern diggings, but quickly saw that the surer path to wealth lay in supplying the miners. By 1854, he had settled permanently in San Francisco and opened a wholesale grocery at 58 Front Street. In 1858, his cousin John Lyons became partner, and the firm of James Irvine & Co. prospered greatly until Lyons withdrew in 1866. 

In 1869, James sold part of his interest to his brother William Irvine and an associate named Asa Harker. The name of the firm was then changed to Irvine, Harker & Co. and the business expanded into commission merchandising. In 1873 at age forty-six, Irvine retired from active commerce having acquired a large fortune. 

Irvine invested his profits with extraordinary foresight, first in San Francisco real estate and then, on a far grander scale, in Southern California land.

Though immensely wealthy, Irvine shunned publicity and ostentation. Contemporaries described him as “retiring and unobtrusive” yet never lacking in public spirit. He was a member of the Society of California Pioneers and, in 1877, one of fifteen prominent citizens who together purchased and donated James Lick’s imported French conservatory collection to Golden Gate Park (each donor contributing $1,000).

James Irvine married twice. In 1866, he wed Henrietta Maria “Nettie” Rice of Cleveland, daughter of educator, writer, poet, and state senator Harvey Rice; their only surviving child, James Irvine II (JI), was born in 1867. Nettie died in 1874. In 1880, Irvine married Margaret Byrne, daughter of prominent San Francisco attorney M. J. Byrne.

On March 15, 1886, James Irvine I passed away from a heart condition at the age of fifty-eight. Aware of his son’s youth, he structured his affairs with foresight and care, placing nearly the entire estate—including the approximately 120,000-acre ranch—into a trust until James Irvine II (JI) reached the age of twenty-five. Under James Irvine II’s (JI) stewardship, the property evolved into one of the largest and most productive agricultural enterprises in California. 

James Irvine I embodied the finest qualities of California’s early pioneer generation. He was industrious, a visionary, humble in his generosity, and what one contemporary eulogist described as having “remarkable mental equipoise.” His legacy remains deeply etched into the physical and cultural landscape of Southern California and endures through the principles of responsible, multi-generational land stewardship he set in motion.

Ed Laird is the founder and owner of Laird Coatings (formerly Coatings Resource) and founder of AQC Engineering Corp., both of Huntington Beach. Laird was first elected to the National Board of Boy Scouts of America in 1990 and has served ever since. He is a founding Board Member of the OC Cancer Foundation; organizer and Founding Board Member of Pacific Liberty Bank; HB Past Planning Commissioner; and was a 17-year Board Member at Claremont Institute.

Laird presently serves as the Advisory Council Chairman for the Bolsa Chica Conservancy where he has served for 20 years. He has served on the Orange County Council Boy Scouts of America Executive Board for 53 years. 

Laird has served as President of the Orange County Cancer and Education Foundation; Past Chairman of the Western Region Endowment, Boy Scouts of America; Past President of the Huntington Beach Kiwanis; Past Chairman, Bolsa Chica Conservancy; Past Chairman of The Society of Plastic Industry - Political Action Committee; Past Chairman of the Boy Scouts of America Orange County Council; Past Chairman of the Lincoln Training Center for the Developmentally Disabled; Past President of the Small Business Coalition of Southern California; Past Chairman of the O.C. Chamber of Commerce, Environmental Committee; Past Chairman of the OCBC Environmental Committee; Past Editor of The California Environmental Regulatory Alert; Past President of the Society of Plastics Engineers; and lifelong member of L.A. Coatings Manufacturers.

He has also served as Board of Director or Board Member for various organizations, such as Pacific Liberty Bank, The Claremont Institute, American Cancer Society Orange County Regional Board, Huntington Beach Hospital, Huntington Beach Community Clinic, Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce, Society of Plastics Industry – National Materials Council, and the Western Region Board of the Boy Scouts of America.

Mr. Laird has been recognized for his time and efforts by many of the groups that he has helped serve. Among those awards are:

• 2016 Commission of the OC Visitors Bureau 2nd District
• 2015 Membership Award, Lincoln Club of Orange County
• 2010 100 Year Anniversary Second Century Award, Boy Scouts of America
• 2008 Small Businessman of California, California State Assembly
• 2005 Corporate Legacy Award, Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce
• 2004 11 Year Environmental Chair, Orange County Business Council
• 2004 Visionary Award, Coastline Community College
• 2003 McLaughlin Award, Boy Scouts of America Western Region
• 2003 George F. Hixon Fellow Award, Kiwanis
• 2002 Ruby Slippers Award, Building Industry Association
• 2002 Donna Cross Duck-A-Thon Award
• 2002 Guardian Angel Award, HB Police
• 2001 Director’s Award, HB Chamber
• 2000 Lee Atwater Award, Republican Party
• 2000 Member of the Year, Lincoln Club of Orange County
• 2000 Wave Maker Award, Ocean View School District, Huntington Beach
• 2000 Business Excellence Award, Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce
• 1999 Humanitarian of the Year - NCCJ– National Conference of Christians and Jews
• 1999 Business Advocate of the Year, California Chamber of Commerce
• 1998 Volunteer of the Year – American Cancer Society
• 1997 Philanthropist of the Year, Orange County
• 1997 Environmental Conservancy Award – Bolsa Chica Conservancy
• 1996 Silver Antelope, Western Region, Boy Scouts of America
• 1995 Blue Chip Enterprise Award, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
• 1994 The Lincoln Community Award, Lincoln Training Center
• 1993 Entrepreneur of the Year, Ernst & Young, Inc. Magazine
• 1992 Distinguished Service Award, Society of Plastic Industry
• 1991 Environmental Leadership Award – So. Calif. Finishers and Fabricators Association
• 1985 Lundberg Award, Society of Plastics Engineers
• 1976 Silver Beaver Award, Boy Scouts of America

Laird is a lifelong member of the First Christian Church of Huntington Beach. He is married to his wife Patty and has three sons: Robert, Richard and Jeffery, along with stepdaughters Jackie and Gigi Ferlita and seven grandchildren. 

He enjoys golf, chess and mentoring young entrepreneurs. The Boy Scout Camp in Irvine is named after him; “Ed Laird Scout Camp,” and the street in Huntington Beach where Laird Coatings is located is named in his honor “Honorary Laird Lane”. Ed has lived and worked in Huntington Beach for the past 60 years

Dr. Sammy Lee was a two-time Olympian and physician who made Orange County his home in the 1950’s. Born to Korean immigrant parents, Dr. Lee showed tenacity throughout his life, overcoming social and economic challenges to inspire generations to come. 

Dr. Lee grew up in Los Angeles which hosted the 1932 Olympic Games. When he saw the Olympic flags and his father explained they fly for the best athletes in the world, Sammy declared that he would one day be an Olympic Champion. His father allowed him to pursue his Olympic dream under the condition that the 12-year-old promise to also become a physician. 

Sammy pushed diligently to succeed and fulfill his promise. He became a two-time gold medal Olympian in diving in 1948 and 1952. He achieved his Doctor of Medicine degree at University of Southern California while serving in the U.S. Army where he retired as a Major. In 1953, Dr. Lee became the first person of color to win the James E. Sullivan Memorial Trophy for Outstanding U.S. Amateur Athlete. Following his athletic accomplishments, he opened his medical practice dedicated to diseases of the ear in Orange County.

Through his multitude of achievements and awards, Dr. Lee treasured his family most. He often stated, “The medals fade but my wife, daughter, son and grandchildren become more golden and precious during the last 2-minute drill of my game.”  Dr. Lee passionately lived his Alma Mater’s call to “Fight On”. 

Susan Samueli was born and raised in Los Angeles. She earned her bachelor’s degree in mathematics from UC Berkeley in 1972. From 1972 to 1985, she was with IBM Corporation, where she worked initially as a software programmer in the Federal Systems Division, Westlake Village, Calif., and then as a Systems Engineer in the National Marketing Division, Los Angeles, providing technical marketing and sales support for IBM's mid-range computer systems. 

In 1985, she left IBM and focused her energy on raising her children, at which time she developed a keen interest in integrative health care, studying in the areas of nutrition, homeopathy and Chinese herbs. Susan subsequently received a Ph.D. degree in nutrition from the American Holistic College of Nutrition in 1993 and a diploma in Homeopathy from the British Institute of Homeopathy in 1994.

Henry Samueli was born in Buffalo, N.Y. and grew up in Los Angeles. He earned his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from UCLA in 1975, 1976, and 1980, respectively. From 1980 to 1985, he was employed in various engineering and management positions in the Electronics and Technology Division of TRW, Inc., Redondo Beach, Calif., a military communications defense contractor now part of Northrop‑Grumman. 

Since 1985, he has been a professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at UCLA, and since 2003, he has also served as a Distinguished Adjunct Professor in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at UC Irvine. In 1991, he co-founded Broadcom Corporation, a global leader in providing semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications. Henry took a leave of absence from UCLA in 1995 and joined Broadcom full-time as Chief Technology Officer (CTO). In 2016, Broadcom was acquired by Avago Technologies Limited and renamed Broadcom Inc. Henry retired as CTO of Broadcom in 2018 and now serves as Chairman of the Board. 

In 2003, Susan and Henry took over management of the Honda Center sports and entertainment venue in Anaheim, Calif. and in 2005 they purchased the Anaheim Ducks National Hockey League (NHL) franchise from the Walt Disney Company. In 2007, the Anaheim Ducks became the first California team ever to win the Stanley Cup championship. Henry is a member of the Executive Committee of the NHL Board of Governors. The Samueli’s also own the San Diego Gulls American Hockey League (AHL) franchise, which serves as the Ducks’ top minor-league affiliate in San Diego. 

In 2020, the Samueli’s announced their endeavor to create OCVIBE, a one-of-a-kind immersive district surrounding Honda Center. The $4 billion privately funded 100-acre development is designed as a sustainable community emphasizing walkability, health and wellness, and lifestyle amenities near transit. OCVIBE will include a 6,000-capacity concert venue, 35 restaurants, 1,500 residential units with a commitment of 15% affordable housing units, 20 acres of public space with unique plazas and urban parks, two hotels, four parking structures and 1 million square feet of office space. 

In April 2025, the Samuelis announced Honda Center Encore, a $1 billion privately funded transformation that will reimagine the guest experience at the iconic arena. The comprehensive renovations will reimagine nearly all aspects of the venue, including a new five-story South Entrance, new escalators, a refresh of all food and beverage spaces, a new all-inclusive club, the debut of new opera box suites and full renovations of all existing luxury suites and four new entry plazas.

The success of Broadcom has provided Susan and Henry the opportunity to support many worthwhile nonprofit organizations. After Broadcom went public in 1998, they created the Samueli Foundation, and to date they have gifted more than $1 billion primarily in the areas of STEM Education, Integrative Health, Youth Services, Social Justice, and Jewish Culture. In 2012, they joined the Giving Pledge, initiated by Warren Buffett and Bill and Melinda Gates, whose members pledge the majority of their wealth to philanthropy.

Susan serves on the Board of the Orangewood Children’s Foundation, a leading provider of foster youth services in Orange County, Calif., and she is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Samueli Academy, an innovative public Charter High School in Santa Ana, Calif. that focuses on project-based STEM learning for community, underserved and foster youth. She also serves on the Advisory Board of the Susan Samueli Integrative Health Institute at UC Irvine that provides education, research, and clinical care built around integrative practices and emphasizes whole-person healing and wellness. 

Henry serves on the Dean’s Advisory Board of both the Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science at UCLA, and the Henry Samueli School of Engineering at UC Irvine. Both Susan and Henry serve on the Advisory Board of the Susan & Henry Samueli College of Health Sciences at UC Irvine.

In 2019, they created Irvine Ice Foundation (IIF). IIF built and opened Great Park Ice in Irvine, Calif. which features four ice sheets, including FivePoint Arena that seats 2,500 spectators. The 280,000-square-foot complex offers a variety of ice sports, including youth and adult hockey programs, figure skating, curling, broomball, sled hockey, and public open skating, and is the official practice facility for the Anaheim Ducks.

Harvey Edward "Eddie" Sheldrake Jr. was born on October 25, 1926, and grew up in southwest Los Angeles, attending George Washington High School. Despite weighing only 110 lbs as a senior and standing just 5'9", he went on to lead the UCLA Bruins basketball team as senior-year captain during the 1950-51 season, earning honorable-mention All-American status and first-team All-Southern Division honors.

Sheldrake played under the legendary coach John Wooden for three varsity seasons, distinguishing himself with grit, leadership, and an inspirational presence on the court-qualities recognized by teammates and fans alike. After graduating in 1951, he continued to excel in the Amateur Athletic Union, captaining the Los Angeles Kirby's Shoes team to an unblemished 12-0 season and earning All-Far West AAU recognition.

Transitioning from sports to business, Eddie built on his entrepreneurial spirit alongside his brother Don. They began in the restaurant world in the mid-1960s by operating KFC franchises, first opening in Belmont Shore in 1965 and expanding to ten locations around Los Angeles and Orange County by 1971. In 1968, the brothers launched their own concept: Polly's Pies, founded in Fullerton and named after their manager's newborn daughter. Polly's quickly became beloved for its pies and comfort ·food, growing to more than a dozen locations across Southern California.

Eddie Sheldrake's impact extended far beyond the dining room. He embodied Orange County's entrepreneurial spirit, combining community-mindedness, resilience, and hospitality in every venture. He became a local institution-Polly's Pies was celebrated for decades as a family-friendly gathering spot, while Eddie himself remained a steadfast local figure for nearly a century.

Sheldrake passed away on May 8, 2025, at the age of 98, leaving behind a legacy that spans athletics, business, and community connection. In recognition of his athletic achievements, he was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 2000.

From hardwood to hospitality, Eddie Sheldrake exemplified character, leadership, and community impact. As a tenacious leader on UCLA's early basketball teams­ under coach John Wooden-and later as a beloved restaurateur, he helped build a local brand rooted in warmth and consistency. Polly's Pies became more than a restaurant: it became a shared Orange County experience, offering comfort and continuity across generations.

For more than 35 years, Carl St. Clair has led Pacific Symphony, making him the longest-tenured American‑born conductor of a major U.S. orchestra. In December 2025, during the Symphony’s 47th season, he will be honored as Music Director Laureate, recognizing a transformative era of artistic growth, innovation, and community impact. Under his leadership, Pacific Symphony has become the largest-budgeted American orchestra founded in the past 50 years and a national model for how a symphony can serve and reflect its community.

St. Clair was instrumental in shaping the vision that led to the Renée and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, now the Symphony’s permanent home and one of the nation’s premier acoustic spaces. Known for his emotionally charged performances and commitment to creative programming, he guided the orchestra to its sold-out Carnegie Hall debut in 2018—honoring Philip Glass’s 80th birthday—which The New York Times hailed as “a major ensemble!” That same year, he led the Symphony’s first China tour, following its 2006 European tour that drew standing ovations and international acclaim in Munich, Lucerne, and Vienna.

A passionate champion of American music, St. Clair founded the American Composers Festival and the Symphonic Voices opera-in-concert series, and has premiered and recorded dozens of new works by Philip Glass, Sir James MacMillan, Adolphus Hailstork, Viet Cuong, Richard Danielpour, William Bolcom, and Michael Daugherty, among many others. The Symphony’s 2024 recording of MacMillan’s Fiat Lux received global praise for its beauty and power.

Beyond the concert hall, St. Clair’s deepest calling has been to use music as a force for connection and healing. Under his leadership, Pacific Symphony has built one of the most comprehensive education and community engagement programs in the country, reaching more than 50,000 participants annually through Class Act, arts-X-press, the Pacific Symphony Youth Ensembles, Heartstrings, and Symphony on the Go! He has ensured that the Symphony’s art reaches students, families, and underserved communities throughout Orange County, making music a shared civic resource.

Internationally, St. Clair serves as Music Director of the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra, Conductor Emeritus of the National Symphony of Costa Rica, and Honorary Guest Conductor for Life with Germany’s Sinfonieorchester Wuppertal, continuing a distinguished global career grounded in artistry, education, and community service.

Ambassador Gaddi Vasquez is the descendant of a migrant farm worker family who instilled in him the lessons of perseverance and service to others. He was the first in his family to earn a college degree and is the recipient of six honorary doctorate degrees.

He has served as the 8th U. S. Ambassador to the United Nations Organizations in Rome, Italy and served as the 15th Director of the United States Peace Corps where he led agency programs in 77 countries and established the first Peace Corps program in Mexico. He was the first and is the only Hispanic American to lead the Peace Corps since its inception in 1961.

He has served as an appointee and Senate-confirmed nominee of two U.S. Presidents, and an appointee of three California Governors.

His career has included corporate executive leadership as senior vice president of government affairs for Edison International and Southern California Edison, one of the nation’s largest investor-owned utilities.

In 1988, he was elected to the Orange County Board of Supervisors and was the first person of color to serve on the board in the history of Orange County. He was twice elected and served as chairman of the board on two separate occasions.

Ambassador Vasquez currently serves on the National Advisory Board of the Salvation Army, the Board of Directors of the Children’s Hospital of Orange County, the Board of Directors of the Segerstrom Center for the Performing Arts, the Board of Directors of the California Public Policy Institute, the Board of Trustees of Chapman University, the Board of Governors of the California State University Foundation, the Board of Trustees of the University of California Foundation, the Board of Governors of the Orange County Community Foundation, and the Board of Trustees of St. Joseph Hospital.

He is the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the William Booth Award and the Others Award by the Salvation Army, the Pat Brown Institute Global Leadership Award, the American Association of Community Colleges Alumni Award, the Jewish National Fund Tree of Life Award, the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation Globe and Anchor Award, the Coro Foundation Crystal Eagle Award, the U. S. Hispanic Leadership Institute National Hispanic Hero Award, the Arthur Ashe Humanitarian Award, the Constitutional Rights Foundation Bill of Rights Award and Hispanic Business Magazine has named Ambassador Vasquez as one of the 100 Most Influential Hispanics in the United States on multiple occasions.

His leadership in combatting world hunger was recognized by the Director of the UN World Food Program by naming Ambassador Vasquez as a Champion Against World Hunger.

Ambassador Vasquez has been a leader in promoting higher education through various programs, including the Orange County Hispanic Education Endowment Fund that has provided hundreds of scholarships to students across Orange County.

He is a graduate of the University of Redlands and Santa Ana Community College.