Newport Beach businessman and resident John Hamilton leaves a legacy behind in the county that spans farther than his work as president of the Hamilton Company.
Though an established real estate player in the county, Hamilton was perhaps more well known for his work outside of the business community, investing money and time to several causes related to sports, education, youth efforts and community.
He died on Aug. 5 in Newport Beach at the age of 78 as a result of coronavirus complications.
Sports Fanatic
A graduate of the University of Southern California, Hamilton joined legendary developer Don Koll in the 1960s. He was the eighth employee at what then was Don Koll Co.
In 1977 he co-founded a Newport Beach development and construction firm, later launching his namesake commercial and residential real estate firm Hamilton Co. in 1982. The firm perhaps is best known for the homes it built on Catalina Island.
Much of his philanthropic work originates from his alma mater, where he “was a driving force behind the development of the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994 and served as its chairman until 2015,” the Los Angeles school said in a statement.
He was inducted into the USC Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015.
A sports fanatic, Hamilton started collecting memorabilia from a young age, which ultimately led to his founding of the Newport Sports Museum, which held 12,000 items of sports memorabilia until closing in 2014.
The Newport Center museum had another motive—to help kids stay in school by getting them interested in athletics. Admission was free.
His work with Big Brothers also related to his passion in supporting youth programs.
Hamilton served as president for Newport Beach’s Pacific Club, and co-founded and chaired the club’s Impact Foundation, which awards the Lott IMPACT Trophy to the nation’s top defensive college football player each year.
Politics, Charity
Hamilton was also involved in politics. His mother, Patricia Reilly Hitt, worked for Richard Nixon in 1968 as the first female co-chair of a presidential campaign. Hamilton himself served as a board member for the Richard Nixon Foundation.
Other focal points for Hamilton’s philanthropic involvement include Goodwill Industries and the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation.
He is survived by his wife, Kathy; three children; and 10 grandchildren.
