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Donald P. Kennedy is chairman emeritus of The First American Corporation.
He is a graduate of Stanford University, where he was a member of the 1939 NCAA champion golf team. Kennedy also graduated from the University of Southern California School of Law and passed the Bar Exam in 1948.That year, Kennedy became associate counsel of First American, which was then named Orange County Title Company. Kennedy was appointed vice president of First American in 1951, executive vice president in 1958, president in 1963, chairman of the board in 1993, and chairman emeritus in 2003. Kennedy also serves as the vice chairman of First American?s principal subsidiary, First American Title Insurance Company.
His professional affiliations include past president of the California Land Title Association and past president of the American Land Title Association, where he has chaired numerous posts. In 1989, Kennedy was inducted into the California Building Industry Hall of Fame and in 1995 received University of California, Irvine Real Estate Sumigarden Award. Kennedy is also a member of the Orange County and California Bar Associations.
In October 1999, Kennedy was honored with the dedication of Donald P. Kennedy Hall, a four-story, state-of-the-art facility at the Chapman University School of Law, where the honorable Clarence Thomas, associate justice of the Supreme Court of the United States, gave the principal address.
Kennedy's involvement in community affairs is extensive. He is currently vice chairman of the board of trustees of Chapman University, as well as chairman of that university's Athletic Committee. He is also a former member of Stanford University's Athletic Board and the recipient of the Ralph Clark Distinguished Citizen Award, given by the Orange County Sports Hall of Fame. A past chairman of the Orange County Business Committee for the Arts, Kennedy also served on the board of South Coast Repertory for 10 years, including a term as vice president of Advancement. He was recently named chairman emeritus of the board of governors of the Bowers Museum of Cultural Art in Santa Ana, Calif., following three years as chairman and seven years as a member of the board.
Kennedy is a director of the Health Care Foundation of Orange County and serves as chairman of the Finance Committee. He also serves on the boards of The Lincoln Club and the Orange County Community Foundation. Kennedy also was the Orange County chairman of the U.S. Savings Bond Program for 20 years, is past president of the Santa Ana-Tustin Community Chest, former president of the Santa Ana County Club and past chairman of the Golden Eagle Boy Scouts of America.
Kennedy is the grandson of First American?s founder, C.E. Parker. He and his wife, Dorothy, are parents of Parker S. Kennedy, attorney-at-law, chairman, CEO and president of The First American Corporation, and chairman of its largest subsidiary, First American Title Insurance Company. | 