Eli Sherman Pillar of Achievement - 2018

Susan Samueli was born and raised in Los Angeles, CA. She earned her B.A. degree in Mathematics from UC Berkeley in 1972. From 1972 to 1985 she was with IBM Corporation, where she worked initially as a soft ware programmer and then as a systems engineer. In 1985 she left IBM and focused her energy on raising her children, at which time she developed a keen interest in complementary and integrative health care, studying in the areas of nutrition, homeopathy and Chinese herbs, and subsequently received a Ph.D. degree in nutrition from the American Holistic College of Nutrition in 1993 and a diploma in Homeopathy from the British Institute of Homeopathy in 1994.

Henry Samueli was born in Buffalo, NY and grew up in Los Angeles, CA. He earned his B.S., M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Electrical Engineering from UCLA in 1975, 1976 and 1980, respectively. Since 1985 he has been a professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at UCLA, and since 2003 he has also served as a Distinguished Adjunct Professor in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Department at UC Irvine. In 1991 he co-founded Broadcom Corporation, a global leader in providing semiconductor solutions for wired and wireless communications. He continues to serve as Chief Technical Officer and Board Member of Broadcom.

In 2003 Susan and Henry Samueli took over management of the Honda Center sports and entertainment venue, and in 2005 they purchased the Anaheim Ducks National Hockey League club. In 2007 the Anaheim Ducks became the first California team ever to win the Stanley Cup championship. Henry serves on the Executive Committee of the NHL Board of Governors. In 2016 J.D. Power named the Anaheim Ducks as the Highest Ranked Professional Sports Fan Experience in the Los Angeles market. The Samuelis also own and operate the Anaheim Duckís minor league affiliate, the San Diego Gulls, an American Hockey League (AHL) franchise.

Ever since acquiring the Anaheim Ducks, the Samuelis have been committed to growing the sport of hockey in Southern California. In 2008 they created the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League in Orange County which now has 48 teams participating. The Samueli Foundation has invested heavily in youth hockey through their Learn-to-Play program and by expanding the number of ice rinks in Orange County. At the end of 2018 they will complete construction on the Great Park Ice Complex in Irvine, CA which will feature four ice sheets, including one that will seat 2,500 spectators. The 280,000-square-foot complex will offer a variety of ice sports including youth and adult hockey programs, figure skating, curling, broomball, sled hockey, public open skating and will also be the official practice facility for the Anaheim Ducks.