Noted Banker and Philanthropist
BANKER
“Hitch your wagon to a star, and get out and push.” (George L. Graziadio, Jr.)
George L. Graziadio, in partnership with George Eltinge, founded and opened the first Imperial Bank in Los Angeles in 1963, serving as chairman, and CEO of Imperial Bancorp. Ultimately, Imperial grew to 15 branches in Southern California, as well as branches in Seattle, WA, Phoenix, AZ, and Raleigh. NC, and $7.4 billion in assets. It was one of the largest financial institutions in California, traded on the NYSE, and listed in the top 100 in the country. In 2001 Comerica Bank acquired Imperial Bancorp. George Graziadio served as Chairman of Comerica Bank-California until his passing in 2002.
PHILANTHROPIST
"I believe that all of us should give," he says. "This is where we make a difference. We should give part of what we receive back to those in need. If we all did this, we would accomplish so much. I learned this lesson from my parents during the Depression and I never forgot it." (George L. Graziadio, Jr.)
Graziadio School of Business and Management:
In 1996, Graziadio gave $15 million to the business school at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. It was at the time one the largest gifts ever to a business school and propelled it to become the biggest such school west of Chicago. Graziadio was the chief benefactor and namesake of the school.
George L. Graziadio Center for Italian Studies:
Immensely proud of his Italian heritage, Graziadio donated more than $650,000 to California State University Long Beach to create a Center for Italian Studies.
He was a founding director of the Torrance Memorial Medical Center Health Care Foundation, where he and his wife underwrote the George and Reva Graziadio Radiology Center.
His legacy includes involvement in countless other charities and good deeds. He often said and lived by personal motto: “You earn your living by working, you earn your life by giving.”
AWARDS
On April 5, 2002, two months before his death, he accepted the prestigious Horatio Alger Award, which honored his remarkable achievements accomplished through honesty, hard work, self-reliance and perseverance over adversity.
Later that month, Graziadio and his wife Reva accepted the “Humanitarians of the Year Award” from the House Ear Institute. Previously, he was named the Muscular Dystrophy Association's "Humanitarian of the Year" in 2000. In 1997, he accepted The National Italian American Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award for Humanitarian Service. He was also the recipient of the prestigious “Grand Ufficiale” award in the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy; and was awarded The Ellis Island Medal of Freedom and the Albert Schweitzer Leadership Award from the Hugh O’Brien Youth Foundation.
DEATH
Not yet retired, and with no goal to retire, he died of cancer at age 82 in his home at Rolling Hills, California. His wife Reva, always involved intimately in their giving, directed their philanthropic foundation until her death in 2010. Besides his wife, he was survived by three children, Mary Lou, Alida, and G. Louis, III. By the time of his wife's passing, the couple had 9 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Services
Pepperdine's Firestone Fieldhouse
Tuesday, June 18, 2002
Note
Sources include
-An obituary was published in the Los Angeles Times on June 09, 2002.
-Graziadio Magazine, 2013-2014, page 10
Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management.
-Bio of George L. Graziadio, Jr., The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., www.horatioalger.org
BANKER
“Hitch your wagon to a star, and get out and push.” (George L. Graziadio, Jr.)
George L. Graziadio, in partnership with George Eltinge, founded and opened the first Imperial Bank in Los Angeles in 1963, serving as chairman, and CEO of Imperial Bancorp. Ultimately, Imperial grew to 15 branches in Southern California, as well as branches in Seattle, WA, Phoenix, AZ, and Raleigh. NC, and $7.4 billion in assets. It was one of the largest financial institutions in California, traded on the NYSE, and listed in the top 100 in the country. In 2001 Comerica Bank acquired Imperial Bancorp. George Graziadio served as Chairman of Comerica Bank-California until his passing in 2002.
PHILANTHROPIST
"I believe that all of us should give," he says. "This is where we make a difference. We should give part of what we receive back to those in need. If we all did this, we would accomplish so much. I learned this lesson from my parents during the Depression and I never forgot it." (George L. Graziadio, Jr.)
Graziadio School of Business and Management:
In 1996, Graziadio gave $15 million to the business school at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. It was at the time one the largest gifts ever to a business school and propelled it to become the biggest such school west of Chicago. Graziadio was the chief benefactor and namesake of the school.
George L. Graziadio Center for Italian Studies:
Immensely proud of his Italian heritage, Graziadio donated more than $650,000 to California State University Long Beach to create a Center for Italian Studies.
He was a founding director of the Torrance Memorial Medical Center Health Care Foundation, where he and his wife underwrote the George and Reva Graziadio Radiology Center.
His legacy includes involvement in countless other charities and good deeds. He often said and lived by personal motto: “You earn your living by working, you earn your life by giving.”
AWARDS
On April 5, 2002, two months before his death, he accepted the prestigious Horatio Alger Award, which honored his remarkable achievements accomplished through honesty, hard work, self-reliance and perseverance over adversity.
Later that month, Graziadio and his wife Reva accepted the “Humanitarians of the Year Award” from the House Ear Institute. Previously, he was named the Muscular Dystrophy Association's "Humanitarian of the Year" in 2000. In 1997, he accepted The National Italian American Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award for Humanitarian Service. He was also the recipient of the prestigious “Grand Ufficiale” award in the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy; and was awarded The Ellis Island Medal of Freedom and the Albert Schweitzer Leadership Award from the Hugh O’Brien Youth Foundation.
DEATH
Not yet retired, and with no goal to retire, he died of cancer at age 82 in his home at Rolling Hills, California. His wife Reva, always involved intimately in their giving, directed their philanthropic foundation until her death in 2010. Besides his wife, he was survived by three children, Mary Lou, Alida, and G. Louis, III. By the time of his wife's passing, the couple had 9 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Services
Pepperdine's Firestone Fieldhouse
Tuesday, June 18, 2002
Note
Sources include
-An obituary was published in the Los Angeles Times on June 09, 2002.
-Graziadio Magazine, 2013-2014, page 10
Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management.
-Bio of George L. Graziadio, Jr., The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., www.horatioalger.org
Noted Banker and Philanthropist
BANKER
“Hitch your wagon to a star, and get out and push.” (George L. Graziadio, Jr.)
George L. Graziadio, in partnership with George Eltinge, founded and opened the first Imperial Bank in Los Angeles in 1963, serving as chairman, and CEO of Imperial Bancorp. Ultimately, Imperial grew to 15 branches in Southern California, as well as branches in Seattle, WA, Phoenix, AZ, and Raleigh. NC, and $7.4 billion in assets. It was one of the largest financial institutions in California, traded on the NYSE, and listed in the top 100 in the country. In 2001 Comerica Bank acquired Imperial Bancorp. George Graziadio served as Chairman of Comerica Bank-California until his passing in 2002.
PHILANTHROPIST
"I believe that all of us should give," he says. "This is where we make a difference. We should give part of what we receive back to those in need. If we all did this, we would accomplish so much. I learned this lesson from my parents during the Depression and I never forgot it." (George L. Graziadio, Jr.)
Graziadio School of Business and Management:
In 1996, Graziadio gave $15 million to the business school at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. It was at the time one the largest gifts ever to a business school and propelled it to become the biggest such school west of Chicago. Graziadio was the chief benefactor and namesake of the school.
George L. Graziadio Center for Italian Studies:
Immensely proud of his Italian heritage, Graziadio donated more than $650,000 to California State University Long Beach to create a Center for Italian Studies.
He was a founding director of the Torrance Memorial Medical Center Health Care Foundation, where he and his wife underwrote the George and Reva Graziadio Radiology Center.
His legacy includes involvement in countless other charities and good deeds. He often said and lived by personal motto: “You earn your living by working, you earn your life by giving.”
AWARDS
On April 5, 2002, two months before his death, he accepted the prestigious Horatio Alger Award, which honored his remarkable achievements accomplished through honesty, hard work, self-reliance and perseverance over adversity.
Later that month, Graziadio and his wife Reva accepted the “Humanitarians of the Year Award” from the House Ear Institute. Previously, he was named the Muscular Dystrophy Association's "Humanitarian of the Year" in 2000. In 1997, he accepted The National Italian American Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award for Humanitarian Service. He was also the recipient of the prestigious “Grand Ufficiale” award in the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy; and was awarded The Ellis Island Medal of Freedom and the Albert Schweitzer Leadership Award from the Hugh O’Brien Youth Foundation.
DEATH
Not yet retired, and with no goal to retire, he died of cancer at age 82 in his home at Rolling Hills, California. His wife Reva, always involved intimately in their giving, directed their philanthropic foundation until her death in 2010. Besides his wife, he was survived by three children, Mary Lou, Alida, and G. Louis, III. By the time of his wife's passing, the couple had 9 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Services
Pepperdine's Firestone Fieldhouse
Tuesday, June 18, 2002
Note
Sources include
-An obituary was published in the Los Angeles Times on June 09, 2002.
-Graziadio Magazine, 2013-2014, page 10
Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management.
-Bio of George L. Graziadio, Jr., The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., www.horatioalger.org
BANKER
“Hitch your wagon to a star, and get out and push.” (George L. Graziadio, Jr.)
George L. Graziadio, in partnership with George Eltinge, founded and opened the first Imperial Bank in Los Angeles in 1963, serving as chairman, and CEO of Imperial Bancorp. Ultimately, Imperial grew to 15 branches in Southern California, as well as branches in Seattle, WA, Phoenix, AZ, and Raleigh. NC, and $7.4 billion in assets. It was one of the largest financial institutions in California, traded on the NYSE, and listed in the top 100 in the country. In 2001 Comerica Bank acquired Imperial Bancorp. George Graziadio served as Chairman of Comerica Bank-California until his passing in 2002.
PHILANTHROPIST
"I believe that all of us should give," he says. "This is where we make a difference. We should give part of what we receive back to those in need. If we all did this, we would accomplish so much. I learned this lesson from my parents during the Depression and I never forgot it." (George L. Graziadio, Jr.)
Graziadio School of Business and Management:
In 1996, Graziadio gave $15 million to the business school at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. It was at the time one the largest gifts ever to a business school and propelled it to become the biggest such school west of Chicago. Graziadio was the chief benefactor and namesake of the school.
George L. Graziadio Center for Italian Studies:
Immensely proud of his Italian heritage, Graziadio donated more than $650,000 to California State University Long Beach to create a Center for Italian Studies.
He was a founding director of the Torrance Memorial Medical Center Health Care Foundation, where he and his wife underwrote the George and Reva Graziadio Radiology Center.
His legacy includes involvement in countless other charities and good deeds. He often said and lived by personal motto: “You earn your living by working, you earn your life by giving.”
AWARDS
On April 5, 2002, two months before his death, he accepted the prestigious Horatio Alger Award, which honored his remarkable achievements accomplished through honesty, hard work, self-reliance and perseverance over adversity.
Later that month, Graziadio and his wife Reva accepted the “Humanitarians of the Year Award” from the House Ear Institute. Previously, he was named the Muscular Dystrophy Association's "Humanitarian of the Year" in 2000. In 1997, he accepted The National Italian American Foundation's Lifetime Achievement Award for Humanitarian Service. He was also the recipient of the prestigious “Grand Ufficiale” award in the Order of Merit of the Republic of Italy; and was awarded The Ellis Island Medal of Freedom and the Albert Schweitzer Leadership Award from the Hugh O’Brien Youth Foundation.
DEATH
Not yet retired, and with no goal to retire, he died of cancer at age 82 in his home at Rolling Hills, California. His wife Reva, always involved intimately in their giving, directed their philanthropic foundation until her death in 2010. Besides his wife, he was survived by three children, Mary Lou, Alida, and G. Louis, III. By the time of his wife's passing, the couple had 9 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.
Services
Pepperdine's Firestone Fieldhouse
Tuesday, June 18, 2002
Note
Sources include
-An obituary was published in the Los Angeles Times on June 09, 2002.
-Graziadio Magazine, 2013-2014, page 10
Pepperdine University Graziadio School of Business and Management.
-Bio of George L. Graziadio, Jr., The Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc., www.horatioalger.org
Family Members
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