Donald Bren - Awards and Honors

Awards and Honors

In 2011, the Urban Land Institute awarded Bren its first Vanguard Award, calling him "one of the most consequential developers in American history." In 2006, the Orange County Business Journal named Bren “Businessperson of the Year,” based on the company’s office expansion, new building construction and Bren being recognized for his conservation efforts by the federal government. That same year, The Los Angeles Times named Bren one of the most powerful people in Southern California. According to the article, “simply put, Orange County looks like Orange County...because of the influence of .”

In 2004 Bren received the University of California Presidential Medal, the University’s highest honor, because of his financial support throughout the years which at the time was more than $43 million. During the award ceremony, former UC President, Robert Dynes said, “ passionate philanthropy and commitment to educational excellence have helped strengthen the university.”

In 1998, Bren received the Marine Corps University Foundation’s Semper Fidelis Award, which recognizes a distinguished American leader whose commitment to personal and professional excellence embodies those qualities of leadership and character uniquely associated with the United States Marine Corps. Past award recipients include former President George H.W. Bush and former Secretary of State George P. Schultz. The Foundation also presented Bren with its most prestigious award in 2003, the General Leonard F. Chapman Medallion named in honor of the 24th Commandant of the United States Marine Corps.

Bren serves on the board of trustees at Caltech trustee, UC Irvine Foundation and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and is a Fellow with the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.