Joseph E. Bear
Businessman/Civic Leader/Philanthropist
California State University San Marcos
Joseph Bear is an influential business and civic leader whose devotion to California State University San Marcos (CSUSM) over the last 25 years has improved the future for countless individuals for generations to come.
A 40-year resident of San Diego County, Bear has enjoyed a highly successful and distinguished professional career. He is the retired president and CEO of Hughes-JCV Technology Corporation, a pioneer in large-screen video and graphic projectors. Over the years, he has been active in a variety of philanthropic organizations throughout the region, including serving as president of the Rotary Club of Carlsbad and board member of the Carlsbad Charitable Foundation. In 2011, Bear was named North County Philanthropy Council's Volunteer of the Year.
Since its earliest beginnings, Bear has been a committed partner to CSUSM. A trusted advisor to each CSUSM president, he volunteered to help launch the office of University Advancement in the 1990s. He was a founding member of the President's University Council, serving as chair of the Council from 2006 to 2010, bringing to the role a rich history of local involvement and detailed familiarity with the issues and concerns of the region. As a founding donor, his passion continues as he currently serves not only on the president's University Council but the College of Science and Mathematics Advisory Council and the Applied Science and Innovation Hub Task Force as well. In addition, Bear has helped countless students achieve success at the University level and beyond, embodying his focus on helping others and the community as a whole.
Bear's passion for higher education has also been evident at the University of California, San Diego in varying capacities such as executive director of the Jacobs School of Engineering and the executive director of the Executive Program for Scientists and Engineers. He is a lifetime member of The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
In recognition of his outstanding professional and civic accomplishments, and his influential role as a founding donor who has helped shape CSUSM into the institution it is today, the Board of Trustees of the California State University and California State University San Marcos are proud to confer upon Joseph E. Bear the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.