FULLERTON — While their young adult children spoke about their parents’ entrepreneurial journey in Orange County, Albert and Miaad Bushala stood nearby, holding back their emotions.
Their children, who are also named Albert and Miaad, shared stories about their parents’ background, hard work and generosity in front of a crowd of more than 300 at the Business Journal’s Family-Owned Business Awards event on June 11 at the Irvine Marriott.
Their parents’ determination to succeed “is what drives us every day,” Albert’s son said.
The Business Journal recognized the family in the Small Business category at the annual ceremony, which honors local family enterprises that have helped shape the region through entrepreneurship, innovation and community leadership.
For nearly three decades, the Fullerton couple grew their family real estate enterprise from a single investment to a diversified portfolio spanning California and Nevada.
Albert, the father, told the Business Journal that receiving the award, alongside his children, meant more than just business success. It was a recognition of the values they hope will last beyond their own lives.
“That was one of the most meaningful moments for us,” Albert said, referring to his children speaking in front of the audience. “Beyond any business accomplishment, the most important thing is the family we’ve built and the values we’ve passed on.”
No Clear Plan
Albert is the son of a Lebanese immigrant who left college before graduating to help build his family’s real estate business.
Albert and Miaad’s story started 27 years ago with just one real estate investment and no clear plan.
Miaad, an immigrant from Iraq, was unable to attend college. She started her first business, an electrolysis company, at age 22. Later, she became a hair expert consultant and went on to open one of the first laser hair removal companies in the U.S.
Together, they combined Albert’s investment expertise with Miaad’s passion for design and architecture to build a business that remains family operated.
Today, the family oversees a portfolio that includes commercial and industrial real estate, hospitality ventures and service-based businesses across California and Nevada. Along with their commercial real estate, their portfolio includes an ARCO station and an RV resort.
Albert said he doesn’t see their family business as just a real estate investment, development and operations company. To him, it’s really a people business.
“At our core, we are in the service business,” he said. “It’s always been about people first. We serve our tenants, our partners, and our communities.”
Giving Back
The Bushalas have also long paired business success with philanthropy, supporting organizations such as the Orange County School of the Arts, Chapman University, UC Berkeley and the GRAMMY Museum.
They have served on boards, raised funds and volunteered to help expand educational and artistic opportunities for young people.
“Our giving is rooted in gratitude,” Albert said. “We believe in giving back to the institutions and communities that have given so much to our family.”
The Bushala family donated $1 million to Chapman University, helping to launch the Albert and Miaad Bushala Career Center at Dodge College. Their gift also created an endowment to support students and alumni as they pursue their professional dreams.
The family has also donated more than $1 million to UC Berkeley, where their daughter earned a business degree. In appreciation, the school in 2025 named a remodeled student space the Miaad and Albert Bushala Undergraduate Commons.
The Next Chapter
Albert said his son and daughter have already joined the family business and are helping lead the development of a new multipurpose event space in downtown Fullerton.
He said the project was inspired by the next generation and aims to bring people together.
For Albert and Miaad, though, success is measured less by the number of properties or businesses they have and more by the principles that guide them.
“As we continue to grow, our goal is to build a business that creates opportunity while setting the right example for our family,” he said. “Ultimately, we want to be the kind of people our children choose to emulate, and to ensure that what we’ve built continues to evolve while staying true to those principles.”
