The Vanguard Champion Award recognizes a non-alumnus for their outstanding volunteer efforts on behalf of the university. Gary Gray has been a champion in all senses of the word to Vanguard: he has been a promotor of our university, a generous donor, as well as a friend, introducing VU to the business community throughout Orange County.

Gary was born in Los Angeles in August 1941 to Ernest and Metta Gray. He and his sister grew up in Baldwin Hills and Gary graduated from Dorsey High School in 1959. After serving in the California Army National Guard, he attended LA City College and El Camino College. In 1962, he began working at a finance company and later found his passion in the automobile business. After many years learning from legends in the business, Gary’s dream of becoming a new car dealer came to be in 1981. His first dealership was Orange Coast Jeep in Costa Mesa, which is still on Harbor Boulevard in Costa Mesa, under the ownership of his son.  

Over the years, Gary has acquired many other new car franchises (16 in all), owned a local restaurant for a short time, and has investment properties and various partnerships. Always busy and committed, Gary has served on a bank board, several local college boards, and on the Board at Hoag Hospital. He is active in his church as an Elder and has chaired several church committees. Now retired, Gary loves golfing, owning and restoring classic cars, playing a little poker, and is an avid reader. 

Gary has been recognized as the Time Magazine Quality Dealer Recipient, President of the Harbor Blvd. of Cars, President of the Orange County Automotive Dealers Association, and Chairman of the National Dealer Council. He was inducted into the Dorsey High School Hall of Fame, and he and a classmate started the Dorsey Graduate Scholarship Fund.  

Gary and his wife Sonja have been married for 49 amazing years. She is a wonderful mother, grandmother, business manager and accountant. They have three sons and five grandchildren. Oldest son Kristian is a local real estate agent who also serves Palm Springs and Los Angeles. Son Jeff is a writer and director in the movie industry, while other son Jon is a local Jeep dealer as well as a manager at Lithia Motors.