THE MONEY: Family owns and runs Costa Mesa-based Arnel & Affiliates, a development and investment company started by George Argyros in 1968.
THE NUMBERS: Arnel & Affiliates is reported to own close to 5.5K apartments; about 4.5K of those units are said to be in Orange County. Company also owns about 2M square feet of office, industrial and retail space in and around OC. Family has an extensive investment portfolio.
BIG BREAK: George, a Chapman University grad, went into real estate in 1962, selling land at busy intersections to gas stations.
DEAL-MAKING: George is the former owner of the Seattle Mariners baseball team—drafted Ken Griffey Jr., 1987—and one-time partner, with the late William Lyon, in AirCal. Said to own a large stock portfolio, in addition to other investments, much of that through Costa Mesa’s Westar Capital, his family’s investment firm. He has taken a step back in day-to-day management of his family holdings in recent years with daughter Stephanie assuming more responsibilities, including the running of Arnel & Affiliates.
NOTABLE: Has a second home at The Vintage Club in Indian Wells. Main benefactors for nearby Eisenhower George and Julia Argyros Health Center, which runs 92K square feet.
NOTABLE II: George served as ambassador to Spain during George W. Bush administration. Donald Trump has nominated daughter Lisa to serve as ambassador to Latvia.
PHILANTHROPY: Family is well known for their support of Costa Mesa’s Segerstrom Center for the Arts, home to the Julianne and George Argyros Plaza and Center for Dance and Innovation. In 2024, family donated $15M gift to Hoag’s Julia Argyros Center for Nursing Excellence to fund continuing education for nurses, bringing the family’s total giving to Hoag to over $32M. Another recent beneficiary of the family’s foundation was Chapman University, which received $10M in 2023 to elevate the business school to the George L. Argyros College of Business and Economics.
