George Deukmejian
George Deukmejian served as Governor of California from January, 1983 to January, 1991.
Prior to his terms as Governor, George Deukmejian served for four years as the state’s Attorney General. Before that, he served in the California State Legislature for 16 years, both in the Senate and the Assembly, where he represented Long Beach and surrounding Southern California communities.
Shortly after leaving the Governor’s office, joined the national and international law firm of Sidley & Austin as a partner in its Los Angeles office for approximately 10 years.
During the Deukmejian administration, California’s international business profile was raised to new heights. The Governor created five foreign trade and investment offices in Tokyo, Hong Kong, London, Frankfurt and Mexico City, personally leading trade missions and holding talks with heads of state in these and other international business capitals.
His tenure was also highlighted by over $90 billion in planned investments in California’s public facilities, as well as tax, budgetary and regulatory policies which established a positive business climate in the state. As a result, California led the nation in major new business expansion, the growth in small businesses and nearly three million new jobs were created with California becoming one of the ten largest economics in the entire world.
A native of New York State, he was educated at Siena College and St. John’s University Law School.
George Deukmejian and his wife, Gloria, reside in Long beach, California, have three children and five grandchildren.
