George Deukmejian served as Governor of California from January, 1983 to January, 1991.

Shortly after leaving the Governor’s office, he joined the national and international law firm of Sidley & Austin as a partner in its Los Angeles office, retiring in 2000.

In each of his eight state budgets, education was the state’s highest funding priority. Funding for Kindergarten through 12th grade schools was boosted by 115% and funding for higher education by approximately 90%.

Public safety was also a high priority. Governor Deukmejian mad e1000 judicial appointments of common sense judges, added fifteen new state prisons, increased funds for victims of crime and state law enforcement personnel and the crime rate dropped 11%.

During the Deukmejian administration, his tenure was highlighted by over $91 billion in planned investments in California’s public facilities, as well as tax, budgetary and regulatory policies which established a positive business climate in the state. As a result, California led the nation in major new business expansions, the growth in small businesses and nearly three million new jobs were created with California becoming one of the ten largest economies in the entire world.

Prior to his terms as Governor, George Deukmejian served for four years as the state’s Attorney General. Before that, he served in the California State Assembly for four years and in the Senate for twelve years, where he represented Long beach and surrounding Southern California communities.

A native of New York State, he was educated at Siena College and St. John’s University Law School. He is the recipient of nine honorary degrees and was a Visiting Fellow at the Institute of Politics of the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. He is a Regent Emeritus of the University of California, and a former member of the Board of Trustees of California State University.

George Deukmejian and his wife, Gloria, reside in Long Beach, California; have three children and six grandchildren.