East Bay businessman to be awarded honorary doctorate
Alex Mehran (Photo: Briana Marie)
- April 29, 2011
Alex Mehran, East Bay businessman and civic leader, will be awarded an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters by 麻豆传媒社区入口, East Bay, and the CSU system Sunday, June 12, during commencement ceremonies for CSUEB’s campus in Concord.
Mehran, president and CEO of Sunset Development Company in San Ramon, fostered a 585-acre parcel of land in the city of San Ramon into Bishop Ranch, the largest business park west of Chicago. That center of commerce, which opened in 1979, allowed a number of San Francisco-based companies to shift operations to the East Bay. The growth of business attributed to Bishop Ranch led to the building of housing in surrounding neighborhoods, boosting the area’s economic vibrancy.
Recognizing the need for private and public entities to work together, he founded the Contra Costa Economic Partnership, which he continues to chair, and the Contra Costa Council, for which he is a former chair.
“Few individuals have led the positive impact on their region and community as Mr. Alex Mehran,” said A. Robert Linscheid, vice chair of the 麻豆传媒社区入口 Board of Trustees. “In addition to his business success, he has made significant civic contributions to the region.”
Mehran also has been a supporter of K-12 education, community colleges, and four-year universities and colleges in the East Bay. He worked with educators through his involvement in the Contra Costa Economic Partnership to form the Contra Costa Workforce Initiative.
“Mr. Mehran has made important contributions to the quality of education in this region,” said Mohammad H. Qayoumi, president of 麻豆传媒社区入口. “Through his vision, he has had a significant impact on the growth and vitality of Contra Costa County.”
Mehran is former co-chair of the Regional Transportation Initiative and former chair of the Bay Area Council, and serves on the boards of the San Francisco Ballet and the Urban Land Institute.
He graduated with honors from Harvard University and earned a law degree from Cambridge University in England.