Hilton Distinguished Entrepreneurs

> College of Business Administration > Academic Programs + Centers > Centers > Center for Entrepreneurship > Guest Speakers > Hilton Distinguished Entrepreneurs

Hilton Distinguished Entrepreneurs

Hilton Distinguished Entrepreneur Award honors outstanding entrepreneurs from all fields. Each semester, two awardees participate in our lecture series by sharing their life and work experiences with students, staff, and faculty.

Click Here to View Our 2007 Brochure
Click Here to View Our 2006 Brochure
Click Here to View Our 2005 Brochure

2009

Tony Hsieh

Tony is the CEO of Zappos, the world’s largest online shoe store. The company’s name is derived from the Spanish word zapatos, meaning shoes. Tony was originally involved with Zappos as an advisor and investor in 1999, shortly after the company was founded. He joined the company full time in 2000. Under his leadership, Zappos has grown gross merchandise sales from $1.6 million in 2000 to $1 billion in 2008 by focusing relentlessly on customer service. In fact, this company is fanatical about great service—not just satisfying customers, but amazing them. Zappos employees are known to go the extra mile for customers and are fiercely loyal and dedicated to their employer.

Tony continues to concentrate on growing the business at a rapid pace while maintaining the culture and feel of a small company. Prior to Zappos, Tony co-founded and sold the internet advertising network LinkExchange to Microsoft for $265 million in 1998. He graduated from Harvard University with a BA in Computer Science.

Watch the Video!

Andrew Cherng

Andrew Cherng, founder and chairman of the board for Panda Restaurant Group (PRG), is a true American success story. Cherng and his father, Master Chef Ming Tsai Cherng, combined their talents in 1973 to create and open Panda Inn. Cherng later had the vision to create an innovative restaurant that combined gourmet-style Mandarin cuisine in a quick-service environment, launching Panda Express in 1983. Today, PRG has more than 1,150 locations in 36 states and Puerto Rico, 18,000 employees, and $1 billion in annual revenues.

Cherng and PRG are deeply committed to the communities they serve with donations to countless non-profit organizations. Panda Cares is the company's community involvement initiative which provides food, funding and volunteer services to organizations benefiting children and disaster relief efforts.

Watch the Video!

Mark Kuli

During his junior year at LMU, Mark Kuli started Kuli Image — a business selling custom-screened printed t-shirts to student organizations, residence halls, and the school administration. He was inspired to start the business after creating a bandanna that read 'Hank 44' for the grieving campus shortly after the death of basketball star Hank Gathers.

Mark didn't intend to make printing his permanant occupation; it was just a way to pay the bills. As time passed, his company grew and moved to Orange County. Today, Kustom Imprints has 25 employees, does both domestic and international business and has a sales revenue of $2 million.

Watch the Video!

Two weeks after his appearance at LMU, Mark Kuli was awarded an honorary "Oscar" for the Best Presentation from a Former LMU Student.

2008

Mark Crone

Unlike Ghenghis Khan, Mark Crone conquered China quite by accident. The opportunity to help grow and guide China's venture into capitalism came through a random phone call, one which Mark will never forget. Since that day seven years ago, he has learned the nuances of conducting business in a vastly different culture through food and drink customs, ceremonies and bill wrangling. As managing partner of Crone Rozynko, LLP, Mark has found tremendous success in his grassroots efforts of paving the economic openings of China's world business markets. He represents clients in a diverse array of industries including technology, agriculture, and healthcare, and has been involved in numerous private and public offerings as well as mergers and acquisitions. Watch the Video!

Tim Dean

Tim Dean is one of very few successful entrepreneurs in the world who can be recognized as the creator of a gigantic niche business. In creating the concept of "Wine Country Gift Baskets," Tim Dean conceived of and implemented a unique method of marketing. This has made him one of the largest users of UPS and FedEx nationwide. During the Christmas season he ships $250 million in gift baskets, up to 208,000 a day! He is also one of the biggest purchasers of wine in California. He is a superb and powerful entrepreneur who has led his firm to wonderful success. Entrepreneurship and success in starting your business comes from being willing to take the risk, find an unserved or under-served niche, dream of what can be and don't worry too much about what can go wrong. Enjoy doing something new and creative.

Watch the Video!

John Baudhuin

John Baudhuin is a trained CPA with a passion for exercise. He worked out with a professional bicycle racer, and fell in love with the concept of indoor exercise on a stationary bicycle. The two made their concept a worldwide phenomenon with millions of exercise enthusiasts taking classes daily, and using their bicycles. There are now 35,000 Spinning Clubs in 75 countries around the world. Very few entrepreneurial leaders have the creativity and courage to take their passion and create a new worldwide phenomenon as big as this! One can only say, "Wow!"

Watch the Video!

2007

Matthew Graczyk

Matthew Graczyk is the definition of a serial entrepreneur. Just look at his life since college. His life defines what today's young generation of leaders in technology are all about. Entrepreneurship is about fun and excitement and impact. Can you imagine how exciting Matthew's life has been? He has started five companies of his own, and been a leader, key player and money man in nearly a dozen other firms since he graduated from LMU. He prides himself on being an expert in "executing investment exits." Translated, this means harvesting the fruits of your labor. This young man is a wonderful example of the impact our LMU graduates are having in the world of Entrepreneurship with ethics and social responsibility.

Watch the Video!

Anna Ouroumian

Anna overcame her own troubled and difficult childhood as an orphan in war-torn Lebanon, making her way to the U.S. to get an education and find her purpose in life. Using her creativity she became a powerful Social Entrepreneur while developing cutting edge programs to train and motivate under-advantaged youth. The program's success has brought expansion of the program throughout the world including Africa and China. She motivates these young minds with a strong dose of self-belief, pride, ethics and social responsibility. Often the Entrepreneur in any field starts out with nothing and through their own courage, determination, power and motivation, they create wonderful success stories. Anna's journey is a wonderful success story and it is now being repeated around the world in the thousands of lives she has touched.

Watch the Video!

Don Listwin

Don Listwin is a creative, dynamic and powerful technology corporate Entrepreneur. He is a leader who has helped to make the Dream World of just a few years ago become the fast moving reality of today. His top level innovative entrepreneurial leadership impact has been felt at firms such as Cisco Systems and Openwave Systems. He is now dedicating his leadership and power to developing cancer diagnostics and early detection equipment.

Watch the Video!

Kevin Kennedy

Kevin Kennedy is a powerful corporate technology leader who has creatively influenced companies as diverse as Bell Labs, Cisco Systems, Open Wave Systems and currently JDSU Corporation as President and CEO. His innovative leadership has had a major impact at each of these firms. He has made it possible to see yesterday’s technology dreams become the everyday reality and convenience of today’s fast paced living. He is a highly published author with a book and dozens of articles in the area of technology. He also serves as an active member of the Board of Regents of LMU. Watch the Video!

Wing Lam

Wing Law used his dynamic power to create an exciting new niche market in the tough world of restaurants and food service and made it a tremendous hit with the youth market. His love of surfing and eating “fish tacos” launched a whole new food fad. He is a master of word of mouth advertising and enjoying life.

Watch the Video!

2006

Dick Orfalea

Dick OrfaleaWhat a joy it is to be able to be a part of inventing and developing an entire new type of market niche and business! Dick Orfalea is a powerful entrepreneur and as one of the leadership team and founding partners of Kinko's, used his extensive banking and financial skills to develop that firm. He was President of Kinko's International where he successfully introduced the Kinko's concept and methodology to Asia and Europe. He continues to be active in several other exciting entrepreneurial businesses as well as a myriad of community activities both locally and internationally.

Watch the Video!

Lawrence Maltz

Lawrence Maltz The entrepreneurial road to the future provides many paths, enough to satisfy the curiosity and desires of any leader, especially when you can play a major role in creating a new worldwide product and retail concept. Creative and dynamic, Leonard Maltz was one of the founding partners of Starbucks Coffee and the Chief Operating Officer. They took the national drink of America, coffee, and changed how it was sold, where it was sold and to whom it was sold. They created an entirely new industry that has become the elixir and life's blood of America and now the world. He was in charge of introducing Starbucks internationally and then went on to open the Asian International market for Krispy Kreme and Coldstone Creamery through his firm, Borderless Investment Group.

Watch the Video!

Robert Kaminski

Robert Kaminski He took a struggling little business and built it into a giant in his industry. Very few leaders have the chance to build a giant firm and become dominant in an industry. Robert Kaminski. over 28 years, took a small, struggling health products company and guided its growth into North America's largest manufacturer of store brand vitamins and over-the-counter drugs. He now heads a $750 million firm with 2.500 employees and seven manufacturing locations. He has indeed built a mountain out of a molehill. This is entrepreneurship at its best, having the power to see what you can grow and build and then having the power and ability to make it happen!

Watch the Video!

Dave Gold

Dave Gold He invented and developed an entire new industry and marketing concept and continues to provide a magnificent blueprint of how entrepreneurial leaders should live and lead. Entrepreneurship comes in many forms and sizes. Very few leaders have the chance to create a whole new industry and method of marketing. Dave Gold was a visionary who saw a new way, created the future and played a major role in changing how retail business is done. His success earned him a place in the Forbes 400 list, yet he never forgot his roots or his desire to serve and help others. He is a wonderful social entrepreneur, drives a Prius, lives in the same house he has owned for 50 years and is happily married to his wife of over 50 years! Success did not spoil this wonderful man. Instead he provides an example for the leaders of tomorrow to emulate.

Watch the Video!

Marshall Goldsmith

Marshall Goldsmith is a world renowned top executive coach and leadership training and development expert. He has been recognized as one of the 50 great management thinkers of the past 80 years; he was named as one of the top 10 executive educators in the world; and he has been recognized as America's pre-eminent executive coach. His influence on management leadership in America is profound. He is one of those rare individuals whose destiny was to be the builder and shaper of the future in the business world. He found his destiny and followed it to greatness.

Watch the Video!

	BRYAN FREEMAN is a 1996 Graduate from LMU’s JD/MBA program and a terribly successful serial entrepreneur. He founded three major firms by the time he was 35. First was a coffee kiosk company while a student which grew to 16 stores. He became the largest specialty coffee kiosk operator in Southern California. Next he began Snackworks LLC, a twisted pretzel company that he built into a firm that sold 40 million pretzels a year to firms like Walmart and Cinnabon. He harvested the firm for a very large reward. In early 2006 he started his third firm MolliCoolz!, a mini ice cream manufacturing firm with 15,000 outlets across America.

2005
	MICHAEL RICCI - Michael Ricci is a creative, dynamic, and powerful entrepreneur who found a wonderful niche for his OEM fireplace business and became the largest-selling fireplace products manufacturer in America's new housing construction industry. Since selling his business and retiring, he has applied his entrepreneurial power and ability to ensure that the next generation of entrepreneurs are properly educated and stimulated with real-life practices and networking opportunities. Watch the Video!
	FRED JOYAL - In creating the concept of 1-800-DENTIST, Fred Joyal conceived of and implemented an entirely new form of marketing that has caught on worldwide. He is also the image of the company, appearing as the "star" in his commercials. He is a superb and powerful entrepreneur who has led his firm to success. Watch the Video!
	DAVID BUSSAU - David Bussau was an orphan in New Zealand and experienced some of life's toughest challenges. He survived and thrived in what would destroy most of us. He became a very successful entrepreneur and multi-millionaire in the construction industry. At 33, he had all that life could offer. But successful entrepreneurs often become Social Entrepreneurs, where they use their talents, wealth, and power to impact the world and help others. David Bussau did this, and as founder of "Opportunity International," one of the world's larger aid organizations, he is helping millions throughout the world. The foundation makes loans to some 500,000 micro-entrepreneurs in developing nations. The repayment rate on these loans is an astonishing 97%! Watch the Video!
	GARY VALENZUELA - Few successful entrepreneurs in the world can be recognized as a major player on the team that built a company as well-known and utilized worldwide as is Yahoo! Inc. Gary Valenzuela played a key role in the company's success as the senior vice president, the first CFO and one of the earliest members of the Yahoo! team. He took the company through its initial public offering (IPO) and was a major force in building the firm into a billion-dollar company with a market capitalization of $90 billion. Watch the Video!

2004
	MYLES P. DEMPSEY (LMU 1958) - Being A Master Entrepreneur Is About So Much More Than Just Achieving Business Success! It Is About Using That Success To Help Those Coming Up Behind You. Myles Dempsey graduated from LMU with a history major in 1958. In 1977, he founded Dempsey Enterprises “on a shoestring.” It has grown into five separate businesses in the industrial supply and business-to-business sectors. He is a superb and powerful entrepreneur who has built a real success story. The ultimate measure of an entrepreneur is what they do for society with their success and power. This man is deeply dedicated to helping the next generation to achieve, to fulfill their destiny and have a positive impact on the world. His dedication to giving back to society provides a positive image and role model of what a real entrepreneur is all about. Watch the Video!
	MARTHA DE LA TORRE (LMU 1978) - A Wonderful Winning Entrepreneur Who Identified An Unserved Market And Met Its Needs So Very Well Martha de la Torre graduated from LMU with an accounting degree in 1978. She excelled in her profession and became a very successful leader in the accounting field. She gave that up to become an entrepreneur and has prospered. Her several Spanishlanguage newspapers are a phenomenal success in the marketplace and a strong positive influence on the community. She is a leader in the community and has been honored by numerous organizations, including the U.S. Small Business Administration (federal government) Award as the Entrepreneur of the Year. Entrepreneurship and success in starting your own business are not limited by what your college major is. It comes from being willing to take the risk, to dream of what can be and not worrying too much about what might go wrong. Watch the Video!
	DON SCHOENDORFER - A Social Entrepreneur Who Used His Talents to Impact the World Don Schoendorfer is a Ph.D. Mechanical Engineer. In the 1980s, he traveled to Morocco and was deeply moved by the plight of handicapped people who had no access to wheelchairs. For 20 years the image stuck with him. He finally had to act. Using his talents he designed a simple yet highly effective wheelchair that could be made for $40. He has now shipped 25,000 of these free wheelchairs to 33 countries in the world. This is what being a Social Entrepreneur is all about - making life better for people. Watch the Video!
	RONALD F. VALENTA (LMU 1980) - Your Career Will Be A Grand Adventure That Will Lead You To Unexpected Places! What Counts Is That You Recognize Your Opportunities And Not Be Afraid to Act Upon Them! Ron Valenta was an outstanding graduate of LMU with a major in Accounting about 25 years ago. He embarked on a powerful career with one of the major accounting firms. He later went into private industry with the Public Storage (PS) company as their controller. He ventured out on his own and created Portosan Company which has been the fast growth darling of the portable facilities industry. “Inc. Magazine” described the company as the “Perrier of Water Closets.” The firm is listed among “Inc. Magazine's” fastest growing firms in America. It is also listed as among the fastest growing firms in Los Angeles. His products range from the “ordinary” portable toilets to luxurious posh rolling lavatories for Hollywood movie location sites. His ability and entrepreneurial talents have allowed him to reach the top of his market and industry! Your major is often only an introduction, or door opener to the wonderful world of career opportunities! Entrepreneurs listen to their mind, heart and soul, and allow their talents and power to take them to new vistas of success in the world, beyond their wildest dreams. Watch the Video!

2003

	SETH GINSBERG - A Young Person Has Powerful Options for Impacting Their Future and That of the World, Right Now! At the age of 13, Seth Ginsberg was told he had a serious degenerative form of juvenile arthritis called “spondyloarthropathy.” As he grew up with this debilitating disease, he simply decided he would not let it destroy his life. At the age of 18, he started his own foundation to help educate the public and his fellow sufferers about arthritis. He raised $500,000 in funding. Now, at the age of 21, he travels the world, educating and helping people with all forms of arthritis. He speaks to youths, adults, senior citizens and has even spoken to several medical conventions. Not bad for a 21-year-old! He didn’t think age or a medical problem were impediments to becoming a social entrepreneur who is truly impacting the world! Watch the Video!
	"CHEF JIMMY" LAMBATOS - The Twists and Turns of the Entrepreneur in Building a Major Business Would Make A Great Adventure Novel “Chef Jimmy” Lambatos founded the Quizno’s chain of fast food restaurants in Colorado. He then sold the chain to his biggest franchisee and “retired” to start another business in major event planning and catering. Recently, the Quizno’s chain, which has grown substantailly, brought “Chef Jimmy” out of retirement to star in its television ad campaign. He was a hit in the first Super Bowl ad for Quizno’s and is now becoming a bit of a media sensation. His neat sense of humor and the subtle humor of the ad campaign have had a powerful impact on the sales of Quizno’s sandwiches. The company is now building a major promotion series around him.
	MASON SHAYAN (LMU '90) - Entrepreneurship and Success in Starting Your Own Business Comes From Being Willing to Take the First Step, Accept Responsibility and Invest Sweat Equity Mason Shayan came to this country with absolutely nothing after a revolution forced him to flee his home country. For many, the loss of the comfort of your birthplace and your support structure of family and friends would be devastating. This wonderful, young man, however, was determined to make it in his new country and succeed. He and hiw wife started a pizza restaurant business to earn a living and pay his way through Loyola Marymount University’s Business School. He is now a very successful local entrepreneur with several businesses in the Westchester area, including a car rental business, an airport parking lot and an office building. Watch the Video!
	C.K. CHO - Being A Winning Entrepreneur is About Being A Tiger in Business and Letting Your Ideas Take Flight! C.K. Cho is one of the key entrepreneurial leaders who helped build Korea into a major player in the world of business and one of the famous economic and entrepreneurial “tigers” of the world. He and his brother took over Korean Airlines from the government in 1969 when it was nearly bankrupt and had just a few decrepit old airplanes. They grew the airline into a highly respected international carrier. Along the way, Mr. Cho served as President, Vice Chairman and CEO of the airline. With his wonderful willingness to be involved in the international community, particularly in the area of sports, and his dedication to giving back to society, he provides a powerful image and role model of what a real entrepreneur is all about. Watch the Video!

2002

	JAN DAVIDSON - The True Test of an Entrepreneur’s Success is What They Do With Their Achievements to Positively Impact the World. Jan Davidson was a teacher for 15 years and was frustrated with the lack of good educational software, so she began creating her own for her classes. Her students encouraged her to form a company and begin selling her products, so about 20 years ago she did, with an investment of $6,000. Her products included Math Blaster and Reading Blaster. Did she do well? Hmmmmmmm! Let’s see... a few years ago, she sold the business for $1,150,000,000! Yes, that is a billion number! We asked our finance professors to calculate that out, and it comes to a return on investment of 191,667% or 9,778% per year on average, not compounded. Not bad! But the best part of her entrepreneurial adventure is still going on. She has dedicated her life, and a substantial amount of her wealth through her foundation, to ensuring that extremely bright young children have a chance to fully find their power and ability so they can fulfill their potential in life to have an impact on the world. She is now a Social Entrepreneur, impacting society! Watch the Video!
	CLETE HARPER & TERRY HILL - Being An Entrepreneur Can Be, and Should Be, A Wonderful, Fun Ride! Success in starting your own business and becoming an entrepreneur comes in all sizes and forms, including starting a part-time hobby business! The old saying about “keeping your day job” just may jump up and haunt you if your hobby business becomes a booming success! It is happening to these two great guys! Clete Harper and Terry Hill, lifelong friends, founded their hobby wine business almost as an accident while enjoying a backyard barbecue! We marvel at the fun they have had in creating a humorous boutique winery that is now becoming all the rage on a regional basis, and perhaps soon on a national scale!
	KIRK PERRON - Combining A Passion for Health and Fitness With His Entrepreneurial Talent. Kirk Perron was a health and fitness fan and very conscious of health food. At the age of 27, he combined his grocery industry experience with his zest for healthy foods and created the concept of Jamba Juice. He was able to prove that you can merge good nutrition with the concept of fast food! As a leader in the industry, Jamba Juice is experiencing phenomenal growth in markets varying from the college market to upscale market areas. He has bridged the generation gap with his product.
	DR. WILLIAM C.W. MOW - Being A Winning Entrepreneur is A State of Mind! What Entrepreneurs Can Create is Limitless! Dr. Bill Mow holds a Ph.D., and was one of the early “gurus” of the computer industry. Several products he invented and patented are still in use today, despite the phenomenal changes in the computer industry! An entrepreneur to the core, Dr. Mow went into a totally and completely separate business after leaving the computer industry – the clothing business. He created and built his business, Bugle Boy Industries, which was solely owned, into a billion-dollar clothing brand name powerhouse. Watch the Video!

2001

	MICHAEL FURDYK - In Entrepreneurship, age is not a barrier. What were you doing when you were a 17 year-old high school student? Michael Furdyk was starting his fifth business (the first was at age 13) which he sold for millions of dollars before he finished high school. He then started another business, employing his parents. Profit magazine named this young man one of the "10 Entrepreneurs Who Have Shaped the Year 1999." This is a nice honor to receive before you are 21. Age has very little to do with being a successful entrepreneur. It is in the heart, the mind and the 43 soul - and a lot smart work. Watch the Video!
	PAUL ORFALEA - He didn't just start Kinko's, he created an entire industry. In 1970 Paul Orfalea opened his business in Isla Vista, near Santa Barbara. His concept was simple: offer college students products they needed at competitive prices. Thirty years later there are 1100 Kinko's stores in nine countries, with 25,000 employees. Environmental responsibility and a passion for taking care of his customers and his employees are the key ingredients in this distinguished entrepreneur's success story. He is now chairperson emeritus of Kinko's, and devotes his life to philanthropy centered on education and early child care. Watch the Video!
	JOLINE GODFREY - Successful Corporate Intrapreneur, Winning Entrepreneur, and now a Social Entrepreneur Impacting the World of Women in Business. Joline Godfrey's career started in the corporate world of Polaroid Corp. They eventually sponsored her in a corporate spin-off where she became the owner of her own business. After selling her successful business, she found a great void in education and training for young women. She is now the premier "guru" of business training for women throughout the world. Her firm, Independent Means, has guided 10,000 young women toward financial and entrepreneurial independence. Watch the Video!

2000

	DAN GORDON - The co-founder of Gordon Biersch Brewing Company. The firm has a major bottling facility in San Jose, California, as well as 12 brewery restaurants in 5 states. Gordon is a world famous brewer, and he and his firm are quite famous among MBA students throughout the USA as the development of his firm is the subject of a major management case study used at many major universities.
	JOEL DALY - Joel is a 1993 LMU MBA graduate. He started a computer business right out of school, and sold it after three years for $16 million. After taking a sabbatical to relax for a while, he has started another computer business, securing $230 million in venture capital. As of mid 2000, he has 13 offices nationwide, and 450 employees. At the age of 32 he is showing the world what LMU's entrepreneurial MBA's are all about.
	RONALD HEAGY, JR - Winning entrepreneurs come in many forms, and they are not always the traditional business creators! He was a star in High School, winning many awards for athletics and community service, including a college football scholarship. He tried surfing the day before his 18th birthday. He hit a sandbar and broke his neck and damaged his spinal cord. He has been paralyzed from the neck down for 20 years. He founded "Life Is An Attitude", and through this medium helps disabled children. He founded Camp Attitude, a camp for kids with disabilities. Watch the Video!
	BRAD KEYWELL - Brad was a true entrepreneur in college, starting a number of businesses while a student. In his senior year his last student business made him a millionaire. After finishing law school he bought a clothing business with a partner and launched his entrepreneurial career. He now owns several businesses. In the late nineties he determined that he had to get onto the e-commerce bandwagon and started a business. He sold the business for 241 million dollars in 2000, before he turned 30. He is now president of the company that bought his firm. Watch the Video!