The Honorable George L. Argyros served as the United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Spain and Principality of Andorra from November 2001 to November 2004.

During this extraordinary period in Spain's history, Ambassador Argyros' outstanding diplomatic accomplishments included:

• Forging a close alliance with King Juan Carlos and former President Jose Maria Aznar that resulted in Spain's support and participation in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom.
• Guiding the U.S. response to the tragic terrorist bombings in 2003.
• Working with the Spanish government to implement a new biometric passport program and container security initiative.
• Implementing new initiatives to assist and promote U.S. trade and investment in Spain. During this period, Ambassador Argyros personally led two major Spanish trade delegations to the United States.
• Negotiating the Defense Cooperation Agreement that strengthens the military alliance between Spain and the U.S.

Prior to his ambassadorship, Mr. Argyros was a member of the Board of Directors for Rockwell International Corporation (NYSE); First American Corporation (NYSE); DST Systems, Inc. (NYSE); The Newhall Land and Farming Company (NYSE); and Doskocil Manufacturing Company.

Ambassador Argyros formerly served as a member of the Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations for the U.S. Trade Representative until 1990, when President Bush appointed him to the board of the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac). He completed his term on the Freddie Mac Board in March 1993.

From 1976 to 2001, Ambassador Argyros set a record as the longest serving Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Chapman University, one of the West's finest private universities. He currently remains on the Chapman Board while also serving on the Board of Trustees for the California Institute of Technology, where he formerly served as Chairman of the Investment Committee and currently holds the position of Vice Chairman of the Business and Finance Committee.

Ambassador Argyros is Chairman of the Board of Directors for The Beckman Foundation, a major philanthropic foundation for scientific research; former Chairman of the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace Foundation; Founding Chairman for the Nixon Center in Washington D.C.; trustee of the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington D.C. that provides world leaders with strategic insights on and policy solutions to global issues; and former Chairman and board member of the Orange County Council Boy Scouts of America.

Ambassador Argyros was a 1993 recipient of the Horatio Alger Award of Distinguished Americans, perhaps the single most coveted award given in America to non-military, non-show business individuals. He served as President and CEO of the Washington D.C. based Horatio Alger Association from 1995 to 1998, Chairman from 1998 to 2000, and currently serves as Treasurer and Chairman Emeritus.

In 1997, Ambassador Argyros received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from Pepperdine University, in 2001 he was the recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and in 2005 he received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from Chapman University.

Born in Detroit, Michigan and raised in Pasadena, California, Ambassador Argyros graduated from Chapman University in 1959 with a major in Business and Economics. He and his wife, Julia, have been married for 43 years and have three grown children and six grandchildren.