G eorge Argyros is a self-made American billionaire with a prominent career in real estate and public service. The son of Greek immigrants, he started his career in the grocery business before making a highly successful move into real estate. He is the founder and CEO of Arnel & Affiliates, a major property development and management company with a large portfolio of apartments and commercial properties in Southern California.

In addition to his business career, Argyros has been a major figure in sports and politics. He was the owner of the Seattle Mariners Major League Baseball team for a time in the 1980s. A major donor to the Republican Party, he served as the U.S. Ambassador to Spain and Andorra under President George W. Bush. He is also a major philanthropist, particularly to his alma mater, Chapman University, which named its business school after him, and to various other causes in Orange County, California.