MILLENNIUM MOMENT
The late Newport Beach resident William Ralph Mason, who served as the
Irvine Co. president, was honored by the Orange County Press Club at its
Ninth Annual Headliners Banquet in 1972.
That’s when the club named Mason its Orange County Man of the Year in
recognition of his contributions and achievements as a community leader
and newsmaker.
Mason was honored for planning the development of the Irvine Ranch to
provide a better urban environment in Orange County.
He was also chosen by the American Academy of Achievement as one of 50
giants of accomplishment from America’s great fields of endeavor to
receive the Golden Plate award during the 11th annual Salute to
Excellence weekend in 1972 at Salt Lake City.
State Sen. Dennis Carpenter (R-Newport Beach) said of Mason, who died
of a heart attack in 1973: “I found him to have a very good balance in
serving the public interest and the company.”
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