HE TRANSFORMED A LIMA BEAN FIELD INTO ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL RETAIL STORES IN THE COUNTRY AND A DAIRY FARM INTO AN INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED PERFORMING ARTS COMPLEX FARMER, WAR HERO, STANFORD GRAD, DEVELOPER, ARTS PATRON, PHILANTHROPIST HENRY THOMAS SEGERSTROM LIVED A DETERMINED LIFE FILLED WITH BROAD REACHING DREAMS AND GOALS THE MEASURMENT OF WHAT HE HAS ACHIEVED IN HIS 91 YEARS ACROSS THE WORLD OF DEVELOPMENT, COMMERCE AND ART HAVE REMAINED ALMOST INCALCULABLE FOR HIM EVERYTHING WAS POSSIBLE, IT JUST TOOK ONE THING, IMAGINING THE FUTURE MY GRANDFATHER HAD TO BE A VERY BOLD INDIVIDUAL TO LEAVE SWEDEN WITH THREE CHILDREN AND COME TO THIS COUNTRY WHEN HE DIDN'T SPEAK THE LANGUAGE.

A MAN CAME OVER ONE DAY AND HE SAID YOUR FAMILY IS SO WEALTHY TOO.

AND I SAID I BEG YOUR PARDON?

AND I SAID MY GRANDFATHER WAS A JANITOR ON THE RAILROAD, I MEAN THAT'S NOT THE TOP OF THE LINE, YOU KNOW.

AND THEY ALL WORKED HARD TO GET WHERE THEY WERE.

CHARLES, MY GRANDFATHER HAD FOUR YOUNG SONS HERE AND HE WAS PUTTING TOGETHER HIS FAMILY'’S FARMING ENTERPRISE.

THE FIRST PURCHASE OF LAND DID INCLUDE A DAIRY FARM.

WE NEVER HAD THE ADVANTAGE OF A SPANISH LAND GRANT.

MY FAMILY CAME TO THIS AREA AND THEIR FIRST PURCHASE WAS 40 ACRES, WASN'T 40,000, IT WAS 40 ACRES.

WE BUILD UP GRADUALLY AND IN 1948 WE HAD GROWN OUR HOLDINGS TO ABOUT 2,100 ACRES.

EVERY SUNDAY WAS THE SAME ALL OF OUR LIFE.

WE WENT TO CHURCH, CAME HOME HAD LUNCH, WE WENT TO A MOVIE, THEN WE WENT DOWN TO THE RANCH AND DROVE ALL AROUND AND LOOKED AT THE BEANS.

THEN WE WENT BACK TO THE RANCH HOUSE AND MY FATHER WOULD TALK TO HIS RELATIVES WHOM HE HAD SEEN EVERY DAY OF THE WEEK.

AND THEN HENRY AND I WOULD GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE CHICKENS AND RUN AROUND.

HENRY WAS A GOOD STUDENT.

HE WAS ON THE HONOR SOCIETY AND PRESIDENT OF THE HONOR SOCIETY AND PRESIDENT OF THE SENIOR CLASS.

HE WAS JUST VERY LIKED BY EVERYBODY.

YOU KNOW SOMETIMES KIDS ARE SMART, SOMETIMES THEY RESENT IT, BUT HE WAS JUST VERY LIKEABLE AND JUST A VERY WONDERFUL PERSON.

GRADUATING TOP OF HIS CLASS, SEVENTEEN YEAR OLD HENRY HEADED TO STANFORD.

HE JOINED THE RESERVE OFFICER TRAINING CORE.

EVEN CONSIDERED WESTPOINT.

THE BOMBING OF PEARL HARBOR PROMPTED HIS ENLISTMENT INTO THE ARMY.

AND HENRY WAS INDUCTED APRIL 5TH, 1942, HIS BIRTHDAY.

HENRY WAS ON THE GROUND, LIKE A FORWARD OBSERVER AND THAT'S WHEN HE GOT SHOT.

HENRY WAS DESTINED TO BE A FARMER AND THAT INSTANT THEN CHANGED HIS HISTORY.

HE WAS INJURED SO HE COULDN'T DO ANYMORE.

AND HIS ARM STILL IS FILLED WITH SHRAPNEL.

THEY COULDN'T GET IT OUT.

IVE HAD NINETEEN OPERATIONS BECAUSE OF THAT.

HENRY TOLD ME, HOW MUCH MENTAL ENERGY IT TOOK HIM TO SHAKE THE HAND WITH A HUMAN BEING WHEN YOU HAVE YOUR BASICALLY YOUR THUMB OR INDEX FINGER IN HIS CASE MISSING AND HOW UNCOMFORTABLE PEOPLE WOULD GET.

AND HOW LONG HE NEEDED TO PRACTICE TO MAKE SURE THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE AN OBSTACLE BUT AN INVITATION TO BEING SORT OF PRESENT WHEN HE COULD SHARE SOMETHING PERSONAL.

BUT HE HAD A ROUGH TIME, A LOT OF LONG YEARS.

AND THEN I WAS RETIRED AS A CAPTAIN FOR PHYSICAL DISABILITY FROM A HOSPITAL IN PASADENA.

I WAS ABLE TO FINISH MY SCHOOL AT STANFORD ON INDEPENDENT STUDY.

BUT COMING BACK TO ORANGE COUNTY AFTER HAVING SPENT SEVERAL YEARS IN THE MILITARY AND SEVERAL YEARS IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA AT STANFORD, ORANGE COUNTY SEEMED VERY VERY QUIET.

1948 WAS THE YEAR OF CHANGE.

IN THAT YEAR AS A BUSINESS AS A FAMILY PARTNERSHIP, A PROPERTY WAS ACQUIRED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, A 1200 ACRE CAMP SERVED AS MANY AS 45,000 TROOPS AT ONE TIME.

AND TRAINING FOR THE UNITED STATES AIRFORCE.

WHEN THAT BASE WAS CLOSED WE WERE SUCCESSFUL BIDDERS ON BUYING THE WAREHOUSE AND COMMISSARY AREA.

IT CONSISTED OF 11 BUILDINGS AND REFRIGERATION PLANT.

NOBODY REALLY KNEW WHAT TO DO WITH THE BUILDINGS.

WE WERE NOT IN THE BUSINESS OF COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE.

MY FATHER AND HIS BROTHER, EACH ONE OF THEM HAD ONE SON SO THAT WAS THE FOUR OF THEM.

AND THEY'RE THE FOUR THAT RAN THE BUSINESS.

MY COUSIN LIKED THE AGRICULTURAL SIDE AND HENRY LIKE THE BUSINESS SIDE SO THAT THERE WAS NOT A BIG CONTROVERSY.

EACH WAS HAPPY WITH WHAT THEY DID.

WE RETAINED A LOCAL BROKER.

HE LEASED NO SPACE OUT OF 110,000 FEET PLUS THE REFRIGERATION PLANT.

THERE WAS NO INCOME.

AND HE WAS SO BOLD AS TO SAY I THINK I CAN SELL THIS PROPERTY FOR YOU AT FIVE PERCENT MORE THAN YOU PAID FOR IT.

I WAS SO INDIGNANT, I ASKED MY SENIOR MEMBERS IN MY FAMILY, MY FATHER AND MY THREE UNCLES, IF I COULD TAKE ON THE RESPONSIBILITY BECAUSE I FELT IT WAS SUCH A CHALLENGE.

THEY SAID YES AND IN SIX MONTHS I HAD THE WHOLE THING LEASED.

WHILE ATTENDING A FRIEND'S WEDDING, HENRY MET YVONNE DE CHAVIGNY PERRY AND IN 1950 THEY WERE MARRIED.

IT WAS ON THEIR HONEYMOON TRIP TO PARIS THAT HENRY FIRST STEPPED INTO THE LOUVRE.

HENRY AND YVONNE HAD THREE CHILDREN.

WELL IT WAS FUN WHEN I WAS VERY YOUNG.

WE WERE INVOLVED WITH THE INDIAN GUIDES AND TO SEE THEM OUT CAMPING.

THIS WAS BEFORE ORANGE COUNTY WAS DEVELOPED AND WE ACTUALLY HAD A TEEPEE WE SLEPT IN WHICH WAS KIND OF FUN.

THERE WERE A LOT OF INDIAN CRAFTS AND LORE WITH THAT.

I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS IN MY EARLY TEENS COMING HOME EVERY NIGHT AND MY FATHER AND BROTHER AND I WOULD GO FOR A SWIM IN THE BAY AND HE WAS VERY MUCH A PROPONATE OF THAT.

SOMETIMES WE'D COME DRAGGING IN AFTER WORK, NEXT THING WE KNOW WE'D ALL BE SWIMMING AROUND THE BAY SO THAT'S PROBABLY SOMETHING PEOPLE WOULDN'T THINK OF MY FATHER.

WITH HIS SUCCESS LEASING THE WAREHOUSES, HENRY'S PERSONAL INTEREST IN DEVELOPMENT BLOSSOMED.

PROPERTY REZONED AS INDUSTRIAL, PROMPTED CONSTRUCTION AND VARIOUS OFFICE COMPLEXES SPROUTED ON THE SEGERSTROM PROPERTY.

IN SYNC, THE COUNTY'S POPULATION GREW AND GIANT RETAILERS SEARS AND MAY COMPANY EXPRESSED INTEREST IN BUILDING A SHOPPING CENTER.

I RECEIVED A CALL- HELLO HENRY BOB CLEMENS HERE THAT INDICATED SEARS WAS LOOKING TO BUILD A SHOPPING CENTER IN ORANGE COUNTY AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE IF WE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN TALKING WITH THEM.

THIS WAS IN DECEMBER OF 1962.

WE WENT TO SEE JOHN WATTEM AT THE REGIONAL OFFICES IN LOS ANGELES AND MR.WATTEM SAID NOW WE WOULD LIKE TO BUILD A STORE ON YOUR PROPERTY AND WE'D LIKE YOU TO SEE WHAT WE'VE DONE AT BUENA PARK AND I SAID MR. WATTEM IN DEVELOPING A SHOPPING CENTER WITH YOU IF WE COULDN'T DO BETTER THAN THAT THEN I DON'T THINK WE'D WANT TO BUILD A CENTER.

AND THAT WAS A PRETTY BOLD THING TO TELL THE ONLY PROSPECT THAT YOU HAD BUT IT WORKED.

WE HAD A LARGE DELEGATION FROM THE REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE FIRM COLDWELL BANKER COME TO SEE US ABOUT THE TIME WE WERE DEVELOPING AND THEY LEFT AND SAID SOUTH COAST PLAZA WILL NEVER SUCCEED BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH RESIDENTIAL POPULATION BASE WITHIN FIVE MILES, BUT WE WENT AHEAD ANYWAY.

I THOUGHT IT WAS CRAZY TO BUILD A SHOPPING CENTER WHERE THERE WAS NOTHING.

THESE WERE NOT COUNTY ROADS, THEY WERE FARM ROADS AND IN ORDER TO GET TO THE COAST YOU HAD TO GO KIND OF ZIG ZAG THROUGH THE BEANS.

TO ENVISION SOUTH COAST PLAZA HENRY CHOSE VICTOR GRUEN, A PIONEER IN THE DESIGN OF SHOPPING CENTERS.

IN OUR FARMING OPERATIONS WE ALL KNEW THAT AT ELEVEN O'CLOCK IN THE MORNING, YOU COULD ALMOST SET YOUR CLOCK BY IT, THE WIND WOULD START BLOWING OFF THE OCEAN AND IT COULD BE VERY COLD SO WE ELECTED TO GO WITH AN ENCLOSED SHOPPING CENTER.

THE GRUEN ORGANIZATION HAD BEEN PIONEERING CLIMATE CONTROLLED DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MID WEST AND WE FELT THAT COULD BE A GOOD THING FOR US.

HE HAD A VISION OF WHAT THE CENTER WOULD LOOK AND FEEL LIKE BEFORE IT WAS REALIZED AND HE FOUGHT VERY HARD TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

SOUTH COAST PLAZA IS VERY UNIQUE AND I THINK IT IS A RESULT OF THE WAY HENRY AND THE FAMILY BASICALLY POSITIONED AND MANAGED THE BUSINESS.

THE GOAL HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO TRY TO BRING TOGETHER THE BEST RETAILERS IN EVERY MERCHANDISING CATEGORY.

WE HAD RETAILERS THAT WERE VERY MUCH AT THE FOREFRONT AT THAT TIME, ONE COMES TO MIND JOSEPH MAGNIN WHICH WAS THE BARNEYS NEW YORK OF ITS ERA AND THAT STORE COINCIDENTALLY WAS DESIGNED BY FRANK GEHRY.

BEFORE I OPENED MY OWN PRACTICE I WORKED FOR THE GRUENS OFFICE AND RUDI BROMFIELD WAS THE DESIGNER.

RUDI REALLY WAS THE PERSON THE PERSON THAT DESIGNED SOUTH COAST PLAZA.

RUDI INTRODUCED US TO THE MAGNIN FAMILY TO DO THAT PROJECT.

CERIL MAGNIN CAME TO THE OPENING I REMEMBER.

AND VICTOR GRUEN CAME, IT TURNED OUT GREAT.

IT WAS UNUSUAL, IT WASN'T LIKE THEY WERE, WE WON THE BIG AIA AWARD, IT GAVE ME A REAL JUMP START.

HENRY PURSUED THE NORDSTROM FAMILY TO OPEN THE FIRST NORDSTROM STORE OUTSIDE OF THE PACIFIC NORTH WEST.

I'M SITTING THERE WORKING AT MY DESK AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I SENSE SOMEBODY STANDING IN THE DOORWAY AND I LOOKED UP AND HERE IS THIS ELEGANT, HANDSOME, WELL DRESSED MAN STANDING THERE AND HE INTRODUCED HIMSELF TO ME, SAID I'M HENRY SEGERSTROM, MY FAMILY AND I OWN SOUTH COAST PLAZA.

THAT CONVERSATION MAY HAVE GONE ON FOR TEN PLUS YEARS COUPLE OF OLD SWEDES WERE NOT TOO SWIFT YOU KNOW.

UNTIL HENRY FINALLY CONVINCED THE NORDSTROMS THAT THERE WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY AT SOUTH COAST PLAZA.

HE KEPT SAYING IT WAS THE BEST PLACE AND WE KEPT SAYING THE RENT'S TOO HIGH AND FINALLY WE WERE BOTH RIGHT, WE AGREED.

THE COMMITMENT AND THE AMOUNT OF MONEY IT WAS GOING TO BE AND HOW MUCH WE WOULD HAVE TO HOCK TO DO THIS WAS DISTURBING TO SAY THE LEAST.

BUT HENRY HELD OUR HAND THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCEDURE.

WE PICKED THE BEST MATERIALS WE COULD PICK, THE MOST EXPENSIVE ONES FOR THE CASE WORK FOR THE RUGS, SCONCES ON THE WALL, FRANKLY WE WANTED HENRY TO BE PROUD OF THIS THING.

IT IS THE MOST PRODUCTIVE STORE IN OUR ENTIRE COMPANY AND THE LYNCHPIN FOR THAT WAS SOUTH COAST PLAZA.

I HAD THIS BIG LONG COMFY COUCH AND I COULD STRETCH OUT FULLY AND NAP MUCH TO THE CHAGRIN OF SOME, WELL ANYWAY HENRY WOULD LIKE TO COME IN CLOSE THE DOOR AND STRETCH OUT ON THIS COUCH.

I MEAN THIS IS A GUY I PICTURE GETTING OUT OF BED ALREADY WITH A FINELY TAILORED SPORT COAT AND AN ASCOT OR SOMETHING BUT YOU KNOW HE'D COME IN, PUT HIS FEET UP AND WE'D CHAT AT LENGTH AND I REMEMBER ONE TIME WE TALKED ABOUT THE CHARACTER OF DEVELOPMENT AND MOST PARTICULARLY IN SOUTH EAST ORANGE COUNTY, AND HIS CHOICE OF WORDS I THINK SPOKE VOLUMES ABOUT THE SPIRIT HE BROUGHT TO LAND USE AND ARCHITECTURE AND HE SAID I JUST THINK ALL THOSE MULTIPLE TURN LANES AND BIG BOX STORES, I THINK PEOPLE DESERVE MORE THAN BIG BOX STORES.

I JUST LOVE THE WAY HE PUT THAT, PEOPLE DESERVE MORE THAN JUST BIG BOX STORES.

HE HAD THIS VISION ABOUT HAVING EUROPEAN DESIGNER BRANDS.

HENRY WILL FLY TO NEW YORK OR PARIS OR WHATEVER AND HE WILL WALK STREETS AND LOOK FOR TENANTS THAT DON'T EXIST IN ORANGE COUNTY OR EVEN IN CALIFORNIA.

SOUTH COAST PLAZA WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST WATCH AND FINE JEWELRY STORES THAT WE OPENED IN THE UNITED STATES.

WE ALREADY HAD A STORE ON RODEO DRIVE SO PEOPLE WOULD SAY IF YOU ALREADY HAVE A STORE ON RODEO DRIVE, YOU DON'T NEED ONE 45 MILES SOUTH, BUT WE FELT THAT WE DID AND NEVER LOOKED BACK.

I GO TO SOUTH COAST PLAZA AND IT'S IN THIS REALLY WIDE OPEN SPACE SO I THOUGHT IT WAS A LITTLE UNUSUAL AND I THOUGHT MY GOD HOW CAN THEY BE DOING SO MUCH BUSINESS HERE, THEY'RE NOT IN A BIG METROPOLITAN AREA BUT WHEN I WALKED INTO SOUTH COAST PLAZA THE ONE THING THAT STRUCK ME WAS QUALITY, YOU IMMEDIATELY GET A FEELING OF QUALITY.

THE MORE I SAW THE MORE I REALIZED THAT WHOEVER HAD DONE THIS HAD PAID ATTENTION TO EVERY LAST DETAIL OF WHAT THEY WERE DOING.

BECAUSE I WOULD SAY OF THE PERSISTENCE THAT HENRY HAD ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAD THE RIGHT NEIGHBORS, THAT YOU HAD THE PERFECT ADJACENCIES, THAT LIKE BRANDS WOULD BE TOGETHER NOT IN A COMPETITIVE WAY BUT REALLY IN A BRAND ENHANCING WAY AND THAT TAKES A LOT OF TRUST ON BOTH PARTS AND HENRY IS OBVIOUSLY A MAN THAT YOU CAN TRUST.

WHEN YOU ASK WHAT WAS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT QUALITY OF LEADERSHIP TO ME, TO ME IT'S TRUST, YOU KNOW MANDELA SAID IT BEST WHEN HE SAID THE WAY TO SOMEONE IS THROUGH THE HEART NOT THE HEAD AND WHEN I MET HENRY IT WAS IMMEDIATELY THROUGH THE HEART.

I THINK SOUTH COAST PLAZA EXISTS AND IS SUCH A SUCCESS STORY AGAINST ANY LOGICAL REASON, YOU CANNOT HAVE IN MY OPINION BEING A NEW YORKER A NUMBER ONE RETAIL SHOPPING CENTER IN AMERICA IN A LIMA BEAN FIELD OUTSIDE OF COSTA MESA.

HE SAID THE WAY WE LOOK AT IT IS THAT SOUTH COAST PLAZA IS LIKE A FINE DIAMOND AND YOU KEEP POLISHING IT AND SHINING IT AND MAKING IT BRIGHTER AND I THINK THAT'S THE WAY HE FEELS ABOUT SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS TOO.

ALONG WITH THE BURGEONING SEGERSTROM DEVELOPMENTS, HENRY BEGAN TO FOCUS ON THE BROADER CONCERNS OF THE GROWING COUNTY, AS THE SON OF A FARMER, HENRY UNDERSTOOD INTIMATELY THE COMPLICATED SUBJECT OF WATER NEED AND USAGE.

HE SERVED AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL ON THE MESA WATER BOARD FOR 28 YEARS, DURING HIS SIX YEAR TENURE AS CHAIRMAN OF THE WATER BOARD, THE US GOVERNMENT AWARDED HIM A 25 MILLION DOLLAR ALLOCATION TO BUILD WHAT WAS AT THE TIME THE WORLD'S LARGEST DESALINATION PLANT.

IN THE EARLY 1970S WAR IN THE MIDDLE EAST SENT OIL PRICES SOARING AND THE DESALINATION PLANT ULTIMATELY SOLD AND ENDED UP PROVIDING WATER FOR THE MARINE BASE AT GUANTANAMO BAY.

THIS CUTTING EDGE TECHNOLOGY SHARED WITH ISRAEL EARNED HENRY THE TREE OF LIFE AWARD FROM THE JEWISH NATIONAL FUND, AN AWARD PRESENTED TO HIM BY LADY MARGARET THATCHER.

JUST ONE OF DOZENS OF AWARDS HENRY RECEIVED OVER HIS LIFETIME.

HIS CIVIC CONCERNS EXTENDED TO TRANSPORTATION AND BEYOND.

LIKE THE DESALINATION PLANT, NOT ALL VENTURES PLAYED OUT AS HOPED.

IT SEEMED AT TIMES HENRY FOUND HIMSELF TOO AHEAD OF THE GAME BUT HE STAYED A GOOD SPORT.

WE REALLY THINK THIS COULD BE ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL FRANCHISES IN THE LEAGUE.

WHAT GOT YOU INTO IT?

I THINK AN ENTHUSIASM FOR THE SPORT OF SOCCER AND A LOVE OF ORANGE COUNTY AND A BELIEF THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE THE GREAT SPORT OF THE FUTURE.

ONE EARLY SUCCESS THE SOUTH COAST PLAZA HOTEL INCORPORATED A UNIQUE FEATURE DESIGNED BY PETER WALKER, A PARK HE'D ASKED ME WHAT SHOULD THIS PARK BE, WHAT DO YOU THINK AND I THOUGHT IT SHOULD BE ROLLING, THAT IT SHOULD BE A NATURAL PARK BECAUSE THE BEANS ARE SO FLAT WE OUGHT TO MAKE IT ROLLING, WE GOT TO HAVE MOUNDS AND HE SAID HOW HIGH SHOULD THE MOUNDS BE AND I SAID OH MAYBE TEN FEET AND HE WENT BACK LIKE THIS AND LAUGHED AND THEY ARE LATER AN OPEN SPACE THAT REMAINED BETWEEN THE PARKING STRUCTURES BETWEEN TWO NEW OFFICE BUILDINGS SPARKED AN IDEA.

I THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD BE NICE TO HAVE A PARK INSIDE OF THE SPACE ENCOMPASSED BY THESE BUILDINGS.

ONE DAY I WAS LOOKING AT AN ART MAGAZINE AND I SAW ON THE COVER A FOUNTAIN THAT ISAMU NOGUCHI HAD DONE IN DETROIT AND JUST MADE UP MY MIND I'D LIKE TO TALK WITH HIM ABOUT PERHAPS ACCEPTING A COMMISSION TO DO A GARDEN.

I WAS ABLE TO MAKE A CONTACT WITH ISAMU NOGUCHI AND ARRANGED FOR MY VISIT.

AT FIRST ISAMU REFUSED TO EVEN CONSIDER SEEING HIM I THINK I WENT OUT TO LONG ISLAND AND IT WAS ICY, IT HAD BEEN SNOWING AND SO I RANG THE DOORBELL AND THE ANSWER CAME DOWN, MR. NOGUCHI ISN'T HERE TODAY, HE HAS A COLD.

BUT HENRY IS VERY PERSISTENT AND HE CAME AGAIN THE SECOND TIME AND THE SECOND TIME ISAMU REALIZED THAT THIS WAS NO ORDINARY BUSINESS MAN, THAT THERE WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL ABOUT HIM.

THE FIRST TIME HE SAW THE PLANS FOR THE PROJECT HE JUST REJECTED AND SAID WHAT'S THIS BUILDING, I SAID IT WAS A PARKING STRUCTURE AND HE SAID WHATS THIS BUILDING, IT'S A PARKING STRUCTURE AND HE SAID I'M NOT INTERESTED HE SAID THE TROUBLE WITH SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IS THAT NOBODY WALKS AND EVERYBODY DRIVES.

I RECALL ONE REALLY GOOD PHRASE SORT OF PHRASE THAT HENRY USED WHEN HE WAS DESCRIBING TO ISAMU WHAT HIS RESPONSIBILITIES WERE, HE SAID I NEED AN ARTISTIC DICTATOR AND YOU'RE IT THROUGH A LONG SERIES OF DISCUSSIONS AND NEGOTIATIONS ISAMU AND I AGREED THAT HE WOULD ACCEPT A COMMISSION TO DO THE GARDEN.

AND HE REALLY GAVE ISAMU FREE REIGN.

THE SPACE IS LARGE, ITS 70,000 SQUARE FEET, ABOUT AN ACRE AND A QUARTER, WE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT IT WAS GOING TO COST, HE DIDN'T AND I DIDN'T, AND A MATTER OF FACT HE ASKED ME WHAT OUR BUDGET WAS AND I TOLD HIM WHAT WE THOUGHT WE WOULD SPEND AND IT WAS ABOUT HALF OF WHAT I REALLY THOUGHT WE WOULD SPEND AND HIS FIRST ANSWER WAS THAT'S NOT ENOUGH, WE CAN'T DO THE PROJECT.

SO WE KEPT SPARING AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS I LIKED ABOUT ISAMU SO MUCH WAS THE PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WE DEVELOPED TOGETHER AND WE ALWAYS HAD A GREAT TIME.

I THINK YOU ARE GOING TO BE THE LOCAL ROCK PLANTER, YEAH SURE YOU'LL TELL YOUR CUSTOMERS YOU'LL SAY LIKE THE JAPANESE SAY, YOU'LL SAY IT'S THE ROCKS THAT MAKE A GARDEN I THINK HE REALIZED THAT WE REALLY HAD A FIRST RATE ARTIST HERE AND HE SHOULDN'T PLACE TOO MUCH FINANCIAL STRAIN ON WHAT THE PROJECT SHOULD COST.

IN HIS HEART OF HEARTS I THINK HE WAS DYING TO DO A MAJOR PROJECT IN CALIFORNIA, HE REALLY REALLY WANTED TO DO SOMETHING HERE.

WE DID THINGS THAT YOU WOULDN'T ORDINARILY DO, YOU KNOW IN THE SELECTION OF THE MATERIALS SO THERE WAS SOME EXTRAORDINARY YOU KNOW PIECES OF ART AND DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS BUT I THINK THAT'S WHAT IT IS, SO I THINK HENRY WAS INTELLIGENT ENOUGH AND SMART ENOUGH TO REALIZE THAT AND SO HE LET ISAMU DO WHAT HE WANTED.

HE AND HENRY FLEW OUT TO ARIZONA I THINK TO PICK THE SANDSTONE THAT IS ON THE PLAZA, SO YOU KNOW IT WAS VERY MATERIAL ORIENTED AND HOW THE MATERIALS REACTED WITH THE DIFFERENT ELEMENTS AND THE COMPOSITION.

HE CONSIDERED IT A KIND OF SURREALIST LANDSCAPE.

I WROTE HIM A LETTER AND SAID THAT I'D LIKE TO HAVE SOMETHING FROM HIS HAND AS WELL AS HIS HEAD AND HE AGREED TO DO THAT AND SO THE PIECE THAT HE CREATED WAS DONE IN JAPAN ON THE ISLAND OF SHIKOKU TAKAMATSU WHERE HE HAD HIS STUDIO.

BECAUSE IT WAS BEING MADE IN JAPAN HE CALLED IT THE SOURCE OF LIFE AND THAT WAS OUT OF DIFFERENCE THAT HIS FATHER WAS A FULL BLOOD JAPANESE CITIZEN WHO LIVED IN JAPAN AND I THINK HE WANTED TO PAY HOMAGE TO HIS FATHER.

LATER THEN AS WE WERE WORKING ON THE GARDEN ITSELF, CHANGED THE NAME AND WITHOUT ANY DISCUSSION WITH ME CHANGED THE NAME TO THE SPIRIT OF THE LIMA BEAN, WHICH PLEASED ME VERY MUCH AND AGAIN IT WAS IN DIFFERENCE TO THE USE OF MY FAMILY AND THE LAND THAT THE PIECE OF SCULPTURE IS ON.

FOR SOMEONE TO ALLOW NOGUCHI TO BUILD ON THAT SCALE AND BUILD SOMEONE AND GET BEHIND SOMETHING THAT BEAUTIFUL AND THAT SERENE, YOU HAVE TO HAND IT TO HIM AND IT MAKES YOU THINK THAT HENRY DOESN'T DO THIS FOR PROFIT MOTIVE OR TO MAKE HIS CHIP BIGGER, HENRY HAS AN AESTHETIC APPRECIATION FOR ART.

THAT WOULD BE REMARKABLE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD, BUT AGAIN IN ORANGE COUNTY IT WAS IMMENSELY REMARKABLE BECAUSE THIS WAS A VERY EARLY STAGED DEVELOPMENT, JUST BEGINNING AND THAT WAS SUCH A HIGH LEVEL TO THINK ABOUT AND TO ACCOMPLISH.

IT WAS A VERY PRECIOUS RELATIONSHIP THAT WE HAD ESTABLISHED BECAUSE HE WAS IN FACT GIVING TO ME ONE OF HIS TREASURED LAST EFFORTS AND I THINK HE RECOGNIZED THAT, WE NEVER TALKED ABOUT THAT BUT I THINK HE RECOGNIZED IT.

I HOPE IT WILL BE A PLACE THAT PEOPLE WILL COME TO AND ESCAPE FROM THE WORLD THAT IS AROUND THEM YOU KNOW, IN FACT THAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A GARDEN IS IT NOT?

PERFORMING ARTS PARALLELED THE POPULATION GROWTH OF THE COMMUNITY OF ORANGE COUNTY, THE YEAR MY FATHER DIED IN 1963, ORANGE COUNTY'S POPULATION WAS A MILLION PEOPLE, WITH ANYTHING LESS THAN A MILLION PEOPLE AN ECONOMY HAS A HARD TIME SUPPORTING THE PERFORMING ARTS, IT TAKES A CERTAIN CRITICAL MASS OF INCOME AND WEALTH TO REALLY PROMOTE AND KEEP THE CULTURAL ARTS ALIVE AND TO BUILD FACILITIES FOR THEM.

I REMEMBER VERY CLEARLY WE WERE JUST ABOUT TO OPEN THE WEST AND SOUTH COAST PLAZA HOTEL IN 1975 AND IN 1974 THE SOUTH COAST REPERTORY THEATER HAD COME TO US AND ASKED FOR A SITE FOR THE FOUR STEP THEATER.

I WAS 51 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME AND IT WAS LIKE A REBIRTH.

OUR FAMILY MEMBERS GOT TOGETHER AND MY MOTHER AND OUR COUSINS AND MYSELF AND WE AGREED THIS WOULD BE A GOOD THING FOR ORANGE COUNTY.

WE WOULD GIVE THEM AN ACRE OF LAND AND WE GAVE THEM A SIGNIFICANT FINANCIAL CONTRIBUTION AS WELL.

THEY OPENED IN 1978 AND JUST TOOK OFF LIKE A ROCKET.

TEN YEARS LATER THEY WERE NAMED THE OUTSTANDING REPERTORY THEATER IN AMERICA AND THEY GOT THE TONY AWARD IN NEW YORK.

THE SOUTH COAST REPERTORY THEATER MOVING HERE, BEING SO SUCCESSFUL, ATTRACTING THE COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP TO THIS LOCATION AS THE POTENTIAL CULTURAL CENTER OF ORANGE COUNTY IT ALL HAPPENED BECAUSE OF SCR.

AFTER HIS MARRIAGE TO YVONNE ENDED IN DIVORCE, HENRY MARRIED RENEE IN 1982, THEY BECAME PARTNERS IN LIFE AND A DRIVING FORCE IN THE ARTS.

ORANGE COUNTY HAD A SMALL GROUP OF CITIZENS PRINCIPALLY FROM SANTA ANA WHO WANTED TO PROMOTE A COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA AND A COMMUNITY ORCHESTRA WAS FORMED, IT PLAYED IN THE LOCAL HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM AND THERE WERE CERTAIN PEOPLE WHO HAD ASPIRATIONS OF CREATING A MULTIPURPOSE HALL FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS.

I WAS INVITED ON THE BOARD IN 1979 WHEN ELAINE REDFIELD WAS THE CHAIR AND SHE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF FINDING A LOCATION AND SO SHE PUT TOGETHER A LETTER.

AND IN EFFECT ASKED WOULDN'T YOU LIKE TO HAVE THE MUSIC CENTRE ON YOUR BEANFIELD AND IN ABOUT TWO WEEKS I GOT ANSWER BACK THAT IN ESSENCE SAID YOU CAME TO THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.

THEY LEARNED THAT WE WERE WILLING TO GIVE THE LAND AND COMMITTED TO A MILLION DOLLARS AS A CHALLENGE AND ELAINE SAID THE GROUP WENT OUTSIDE AND LOOKED AT ONE ANOTHER AND SAID WHAT DO WE DO NOW.

HENRY REALLY WAS THE VISIONARY THE LEADER WHO WAS ABLE TO TRANSLATE THAT INTO THE PRACTICALITY OF BUILDING THAT.

I THINK ONE OF THE NOTABLE ARCHITECTURAL FEATURES OF THE PROJECT IS WHAT WE CALL THE GRAND PORTAL ENTRANCE, THE ARCHITECTS APPROPRIATELY DESCRIBE IT AS A VERY HEROIC STRUCTURE AND IT WAS THAT INDEED AS IT STANDS 110 FEET FROM THE BASE TO THE TOP.

WHEN THEY HAD A LEADER THAT WANTED TO TAKE THEM WHERE THEY WANTED TO GO THEY JUST GOT ALONG.

THE PARKING STRUCTURE WILL BE PAID FROM AN OFFICE BUILDING WHICH WILL BE LOCATED HERE, THE OFFICE BUILDING SERVES AS THE FOUNDATION OF THE FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE PARKING STRUCTURE WHICH IN TURN AT NIGHT PROVIDES THE PARKING FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.

THE MAIN HALL HAS THE CAPACITY FOR A FULL OPERA WHICH IS A SLIGHTLY LARGER FACILITY THAN THE DOROTHY CHANDLER IN LOS ANGELES, IT'S BUILT ON THE SAME SCALE AS THE SAN FRANCISCO OPERA HOUSE.

THERE ARE NO SURPRISES FOR US IN THE FULL SCALE MEASUREMENTS THAT WE'VE BEEN MAKING DURING THE PAST THREE WEEKS BECAUSE WE HAD ACTUALLY MADE ALL OF THOSE MEASUREMENTS AT VERY SIMILAR SEAT LOCATIONS IN THE ONE TENTH FULL SIZE ROOM WE HAVE IN NEW ZEALAND.

I STOOD UP AND MY HEAD HIT THE TOP OF THE MODEL, I HAD TO JUST BEND OVER A LITTLE BIT SO I LIKE TO TELL PEOPLE THAT I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO EVER STOOD IN SEGERSTROM HALL AND HIT HIS HEAD ON THE CEILING.

WE HAD THIS WONDERFUL SPACE AND IT WAS A SUGGESTION THAT WE USE A SPACIAL SCULPTURE.

WHEN RICHARD LIPPOLD WAS NAMED AND BROUGHT FORTH IT WAS UNANIMOUSLY AND ENTHUSIASTICALLY ENDORSED.

THE SEGERSTROMS CAME OUT TO MY HOUSE IN LONG ISLAND, LIKED WHAT I HAD DONE, WERE BOWLED OVER BY THE COST OF IT CAUSE MY COSTS ARE VERY HIGH.

IT APPEARS TO BE COMING THROUGH THE GLASS AND INSIDE THE HALL YOU WILL SEE A PART OF IT INSIDE THE HALL.

IF IT RELATED TO THE ARCHITECTURE AS MUCH AS I TRIED TO MAKE IT RELATE THEN IT WILL HAVE THE SAME SENSE OF FANTASY THAT I THINK THE ARCHITECTURE HAS.

LET'’S GO TO OPENING ACT.

I WILL NEVER FORGET IT, SEPTEMBER 26 1986 ZUBIN MEHTA AND THE LA PHILHARMONIC WERE HERE AND THEY WERE DOING BEETHOVEN'S 9TH AND IT WAS, I'M GETTING CHILLS NOW, ELECTRIC.

WELL WHAT A TRIUMPHANT JOYOUS NIGHT TONIGHT, LETS START WITH RENEE I'M GOING TO COME TO YOU FIRST, YOUR FEELING RENEE.

IT IS JUST A DREAM, ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS AND IT'S SO MARVELOUS FOR ALL THE PEOPLE RIGHT HERE THIS IS A FANTASY, ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL IT'S BEEN SUCH A PRIVILEGE TO WORK WITH HIM.

FIRST OF ALL IF HE HADN'T ROLLED UP HIS SLEEVES AND REALLY GONE TO WORK WE WOULDN'T BE STANDING HERE TODAY.

BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY HE WOULD NEVER COMPROMISE WITH QUALITY AND THAT'S WHY WE HAVE NOT ONLY SEGERSTROM HALL HERE BUT A GREAT HALL HERE.

WELL JIM THIS REALLY EXCEEDED MY EXPECTATIONS, I THINK WE'VE ALL BEEN FOLLOWING THIS FOR THE MANY YEARS BUT SITTING IN THAT HALL TONIGHT WAS REALLY OVERWHELMING.

I HAVE NEVER ENJOYED MUSIC MORE THAN I HAVE TONIGHT.

BUT LOOKING AT THE HALL AND SITTING THERE WATCHING THE AUDIENCE IT JUST SEEMED AS IF IT HAD BEEN FOREVER, ITS JUST RIGHT I THINK IT IS JUST ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIC PLACE IT IS FULL OF CHARACTER, INTIMACY, COMFORT AND PROMISE.

WE ARE LOOKING FOR A LONG AND FRUITFUL RELATIONSHIP, I SOUND LIKE SECRETARY OF STATE OR SOMETHING.

INTEGRAL TO THE CENTER'S ORIGINAL DESIGN, A COMMITMENT TO DANCE.

THE FIRST TIME I APPRECIATED THE NOTION THAT ARCHITECTURE COULD BREAK RULES AND STILL WORK, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU WORK IN BALLET IT IS A VERY TRADITIONAL ART FORM.

IT IS DESIGNED STAGE LEFT STAGE RIGHT, THAT'S BASED ON THE ROYAL BOX, THE PATRONAGE BOX, YOU KNOW, LITERALLY THAT'S WHERE SOME OF THE STUFF COMES FROM AND THIS WAS LIKE SUDDENLY BEING ALLOWED TO DANCE FOR YOURSELF.

HE HAS TRANSFORMED SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INTO A DANCE CAPITAL.

IT WASN'T JUST A PLACE WHERE AMERICAN BALLET THEATRE OR ALVIN AILEY WENT TO, THEY WERE ACTUALLY COMMISSIONING PROGRAMS.

THEY'VE ALLOWED US TO DO WORLD PREMIERS, WHICH IS INCREDIBLY RISKY FOR WHOEVER TAKES ON THAT.

AND JUST GETTING PEOPLE INTO THE ARTS THROUGH THE ARTS CENTER.

FOR ME I THINK THAT WAS ALL PART OF THE PROCESS OF ME FALLING IN LOVE WITH DANCE, IT SAVING ME, IT WAS BEING ABLE TO GO TO LIVE PERFORMANCES AS A CHILD AND KNOW THAT THAT WAS MY FUTURE AND THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE.

I THINK THAT A MAN LIKE HENRY SEGERSTROM WHO CAME FROM A FARMING FAMILY I'M LED TO BELIEVE, YOU KNOW WHO USED TO GROW CROPS, ACTUALLY DECIDED AT ONE POINT TO GROW PEOPLE.

I REMEMBER BEING IN THE AUDIENCE WHEN ABT WAS FILMING LE CORSAIRE THERE AT THE SEGERSTROM CENTER, SEEING ALL OF THE CAMERAS AND THE AUDIENCE AND BEING A STUDENT FEELING LIKE OH MY GOSH I AM A PART OF THIS INCREDIBLE THING.

AND THEN TO BE ABLE TO PERFORM THERE WITH THE COMPANY IS LIKE A DREAM COME TRUE.

WE ALL HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE ARTS NOW A DAYS THAT THE AUDIENCE IS AGING AND THE WONDERFUL THING THAT HENRY SEGERSTROM DID DOWN THERE IN ORANGE COUNTY IS THAT YOUNG KIDS GO DOWN THERE TOO AND THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT FOR THE FUTURE OF THE ARTS.

THE FIRST REIGNING MONARCHS TO VISIT ORANGE COUNTY, THE KING AND QUEEN OF SWEDEN TOURED THE ORANGE COUNTY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER IN 1982.

THEY ADMIRED THE NEW BUILDING AND ITS MATERIALS, SWEDISH GRANITE.

THE KING BESTOWED UPON HENRY THE ORDER OF THE POLISH STAR, HONORARY TITLE OF COMMANDER.

BY THE TIME WE GOT INTO THE 90S WE WERE FULLY BOOKED, 365 DAYS A YEAR, SO WE WEREN'T THE MOST THE BOARD WANTED TO DO WAS LET'S JUST BUILD A FULL TIME BROADWAY HALL AND WE WILL JUST DO BROADWAY SHOWS EVERY NIGHT AND HENRY'S POINT OF VIEW WAS THAT WASN'T REALLY WHAT THIS WHOLE CENTER WAS ABOUT, IT WAS GOING FOR GREATNESS, IT WAS GOING FOR QUALITY, IT WAS GOING FOR UNIQUENESS AND IF WE WANTED TO DO THAT WE HAD TO HAVE A SYMPHONY HALL NOT A BROADWAY HALL.

AND WE ARGUED, DISCUSSED, DID STUDIES AND CAJOLED AND FINALLY GOT EVERYBODY ON BOARD, AT THE BOARD LEVEL TO DO THIS EXTRAORDINARY BUILDING.

FOR A SHORT TIME THE FATE OF THE NEW HALL CAME INTO QUESTION, AN ECONOMIC DOWNTURN HINDERED THE FUNDRAISING PROCESS AND HENRY SUFFERED AN EMOTIONAL BLOW.

HIS WIFE AND PARTNER AND ARTS PATRONAGE RENEE LOST HER BATTLE WITH CANCER.

HENRY DECIDED TO MAKE A PERSONAL AND FINANCIAL INVESTMENT TO ENSURE THE DREAM BECAME A REALITY.

CESAR PELLI IS A GENTLEMAN IN THE TERM OF HAVING TWO WORDS, A GENTLE MAN.

I CONSIDER HIM PROBABLY AS MUCH A MAN OF THE UNIVERSE AS ANYONE I KNOW.

HENRY, HE ALWAYS FELT THAT ORANGE COUNTY NEEDED A CULTURAL CENTER, A CENTER FOR PEOPLE WHO GRAVITATE TO ART PIECES.

THE FIRST THING I DID FOR HENRY WAS THE PLAZA TOWER, HENRY WAS VERY HAPPY WITH WHAT I DID FOR HIM IN PLAZA TOWER AND THE GARAGE ACROSS THE LITTLE PLAZA.

I ALWAYS LOVED THE SOUTH COAST REP, IT IS ONE OF THE BEST REPERTORIES IN THE COUNTRY AND IN THE WORLD, THEY ARE FANTASTIC, IT WAS A PLEASURE TO WORK WITH HIM AND I AM SO HAPPY WITH THAT BUILDING.

CONCERT HALLS ARE DIFFICULT AND COMPLICATED BUILDING TYPES, WE WERE VERY CLOSE TO RUSSELL JOHNSON, A GREAT ACOUSTICIAN, AND RUSSELL JOHNSON WAS CONSIDERED CORRECTLY AT THAT TIME TO BE THE BEST ACOUSTICIAN IN THE WORLD.

THE GOAL ALWAYS IS TO GET A VERY NATURAL, BEAUTIFUL SOUND THAT WHEN A COMPOSER WANTS IMPACT AND PUNCH, THAT'S WHAT THE AUDIENCE HEARS.

THERE ARE DOORS THAT CAN OPEN SO THAT THE HALL CAN BE TUNED FOR THE DIFFERENT PERFORMANCES THAT OCCUR HERE.

THE CONCERT HALL OF COURSE IS SO MUCH MORE THAN A ROOM WHERE THE ORCHESTRA PLAYS IT REALLY IS AN INSTRUMENT.

OVER TIME YOU LEARN TO PLAY THE INSTRUMENT AND OVER TIME, THIS SOUNDS A LITTLE METAPHYSICAL, BUT I THINK THAT THE SPACE IN ITSELF ALSO LEARNS TO PLAY WITH US.

SOMEHOW THE HARMONIC RESONANCE OF THE ROOM TUNES ITSELF TO WHAT'S GOING ON.

SO THIS WAS UNIQUE THAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IT THIS WAVE WITH GLASS BECAUSE IN ORDER TO DO A WAVE OF GLASS, THE GLASS NEEDS TO BE A SINGLE SHEET OF GLASS AND WHAT IS DIFFICULT TO DO IS INSULATE THE GLASS AND YOU CAN ONLY DO THAT IN A FACADE FACING NORTH IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA BECAUSE IN OTHER CLIMATES IT GETS TOO HOT OR COLD, THE HEAT LOSS OR GAIN WOULD BE TOO GREAT OR THE SUN WOULD BE DIRECTLY ON IT AND IT WOULD BE TOO GREAT, BUT NOT HERE, BUT NOT IN THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION FACING NORTH.

CESAR IS A VERY DELIGHTFUL PERSON, HE BELIEVES THAT WHAT HE DOES IN AN ART FORM AFFECTS PEOPLE IN A WAY THAT HE WANTS TO BE POSITIVE.

IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE BUILDING TYPES TO DESIGN THEATERS, CONCERT HALLS AND PLACES PEOPLE CAN GATHER, PLACES OF CELEBRATION, PLACES WHERE YOU GO TO ESCAPE DAILY LIFE, YOU ENTER A CONCERT HALL, THE MUSIC CAPTURES YOU AND YOU ARE IN ANOTHER WORLD.

WE SPEND A LOT OF TIME REALLY WORKING WITH THE PROGRAMMING STAFF TO GET SOME OF THE TRUE GREATS HERE AND IT MADE SUCH A DIFFERENCE BECAUSE IT SET SUCH A STANDARD RIGHT FROM THE START FOR WHAT THIS FACILITY, WHAT THIS ARTS COMMUNITY WOULD BE LIKE.

HIS FINANCIAL DECISION NOT ONLY SECURED THE COMPLETION OF HIS BELOVED HALL BUT OPENED UP THE POSSIBILITY OF AN UNEXPECTED ROMANCE.

I RETURNED TO NEW YORK AND WAS HAVING DINNER BY MYSELF AND THEN I SAW THIS SINGLE WOMAN HAD COME IN AND THOUGHT SHE WAS RATHER UNUSUAL SHE HAD SOME PAPERS WITH HER AND WAS QUITE STRIKING AND SHE SAT DOWN AND STARTED WRITING, SO SHE WAS BY HERSELF AND SHE KEPT WRITING AND WRITING AND I FINISHED MY MEAL AND WAS CURIOUS AND I THOUGHT IT WASN'T PROPER TO JUST GO OVER AND SAY HELLO TO SOMEBODY THAT YOU DON'T KNOW BUT MY CURIOSITY OVERWHELMED ME AND AS I WALKED OUT I STOPPED AT THE TABLE AND JUST ASKED THE QUESTION AND SAID ARE YOU DOING HOMEWORK?

AND I SAID WELL SORT OF BUT YOU KNOW WE DID NOT TALK, I DIDN'T KNOW HE WAS A FARMER, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT HIM BUT THEN HE STARTED TALKING TO ME ABOUT PARTITIONS IN POLAND, THAT HE WENT TO POLAND AND SPENT THREE WEEKS IN POLAND, HE KNEW EVERYTHING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF POLAND AND SAID YOU HAVE TO BE MAYBE RUSSIAN OR POLISH I'M SORRY, I KNOW IT'S NOT NORMALLY WHAT I DO.

SO WE HAD A CONVERSATION AND THERE WAS SOMETHING I UNDERSTOOD THAT THERE WAS AN AGE DIFFERENCE BUT I ALSO THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS MAGIC IN THE AIR.

BUT I WILL NEVER FORGET HE BROUGHT A BAG OF LIMA BEANS ON THE FIRST DATE IN A HERMES BAG BUT I NEVER HEARD ABOUT SOUTH COAST PLAZA, I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT AND HE WAS TRYING TO TELL ME THAT IT WAS VERY GOOD BUT IT DID NOT REGISTER WITH ME, I SAID CONSTRUCTION, BUT YOU AREN'T EUROPEAN, YOU NEVER ASK PEOPLE WHAT DO THEY DO OR WHAT DO THEY DO FOR A LIVING, WHERE THEY LIVE.

I THINK ALSO WITH ME I WAS ALREADY IN LOVE.

WE WERE MARRIED VERY VERY SOON, I THINK HE WAS A VERY ROMANTIC KIND OF MAN IN HIS HEART AND EVEN IF YOU LOOK AT HIS LIFE, I THINK HE LIKED TO PERFORM AND THE ROMANCE WAS ALSO ABOUT JUST ENJOYING THE MOMENT.

HENRY'S COMMITMENT TO THE ARTS IN ALL ITS FORMS CAN BE SEEN EVERYWHERE BUT ONE CANNOT BE MISSED.

TO DEFINE A SPACE BY WHAT IS AT THE END OF THE SPACE, I FELT THAT WE NEEDED SOMETHING TO DEFINE THE END OF THE PEDESTRIAN PLAZA, OTHERWISE IT JUST WAS AN OPEN AREA.

HENRY WAS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT COULD COMMAND.

IT IS A MAGNIFICENT PIECE AND IT IS A HUGE PIECE AND IT SERVES EVERY PURPOSE I MET HENRY AT THE OPENING OF THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART IN NEW YORK.

HE CAME UP TO ME AND SAID ARE YOU RICHARD SERRA AND I SAID YES AND HE SAID WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME AND VISIT ME TOMORROW, THERE'S SOME COMMISSION THAT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN AND I SAID SURE.

AND HE CAME TO OUR APARTMENT AND HE CAME WITH HIS WIFE AND WE TALKED ABOUT A COMMISSION AND WE BOTH AGREED WE WANTED TO DO IT.

THEN WE STARTED GETTING DOWN TO BRASS TAX AND TALKING TURKEY SO TO SPEAK, I TOLD HIM WHAT I WOULD REALLY HAVE TO DO IF I WAS TO PROCEED IN ANY CONSEQUENTIAL WAY WOULD BE TO COME OUT HERE AND SEE THE SITE.

WITHIN A MONTH I WAS OUT HERE AND WE WALKED THE SITE, WE WALKED THE NOGUCI GARDEN AND IT WAS INTERESTING BECAUSE EVERY TIME I MET HIM, I WAS MORE AND MORE IMPRESSED WITH HIM, I WAS IMPRESSED WITH SOMEONE WHO WAS 85 AND HAD AN AGILE MIND AS WELL AS AN AGILE STEP.

HE WAS VERY HANDS ON AND HE WAS VERY INTERESTED IN PROCESS.

AND HE IS JUST NOT INTERESTED IN PROCESS CONCEPTUALLY HE IS INTERESTED IN THE DETAIL OF THE DETAIL, HE IS INTERESTED IN THE WELDING ROD, HE IS INTERESTED IN THE FOUNDATION, HE IS INTERESTED IN THE ASPHALT, HE IS INTERESTED IN HOW THE PIECE COMES TOGETHER, HE IS INTERESTED IN THE ENGINEERING CODES.

IN FACT WHEN HENRY AND ELIZABETH WERE IN ZEGEN, HENRY GOT IN THE BUCKET WITH ME AND THE CRANE LIFTED US IN THE AIR 50 OR 60 FEET SO THAT HENRY COULD SEE IT AS IT WOULD BE SEEN FROM THE BUILDINGS.

WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT, AN 85 YEAR OLD MAN IN THE SNOW GETTING IN A BUCKET IN A CRANE AND THEN BEING HOISTED UP 65 FEET IN THE AIR BECAUSE HE WANTS TO KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FROM THE BUILDINGS, THAT'S A PERSON WHO PAYS ATTENTION.

I WAS STANDING THERE AND PUT MY HAND ON ONE OF THE PLATES, THERE WERE FIVE PLATES, AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT, I CAN'T TELL YOU, IT WASN'T A VIBRATION BUT IT WAS A SENSATION THAT THAT PIECE WAS COMMUNICATING WITH ME AND I CAN'T TELL YOU ANY MORE THAN THAT IT WAS A VERY UNUSUAL EXPERIENCE, IT WAS ALMOST AS IF IT WERE AN ANIMATED OBJECT AND THAT ANIMATION WAS CONVEYING TO ME THANK YOU.

HENRY AND RICHARD ARE TALKING AND RICHARD GOES HENRY CONGRATULATIONS YOU GOT YOUR NEW SCULPTURE, GOOD LUCK WITH IT, IT'S ALL YOURS NOW AND HENRY GOES WHAT, HE SAYS IT'S ALL YOURS, TAKE IT FROM HERE.

HE GOES OKAY, TURNS TO ME AND SAYS BOB, IT'S ALL YOURS, YOU KNOW MAKE SURE YOU GET IT BACK.

IT TOOK ON A LIFE OF ITS OWN AND THAT BECAME A BIG THING FOR ME TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET IT OVER HERE, KNOWING THAT WAS HENRY'S BABY AND IT BETTER BE DONE RIGHT.

LITTLE BY LITTLE WE GOT ALL FIVE BLADES, THEY LOAD THEM IN THE SHIP, THEY PUT THEM IN THE BELLY OF THE SHIP AND THE SHIP COMES INTO LA.

SO I DROVE DOWN THERE AND WE ARE ALL STANDING AROUND TALKING AND I'M TALKING TO SOME OF THE FOREMEN AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CRANE IS LIFTING THE PIECE OUT OF THE BOAT AND EVERYBODY IS LOOKING GOING IS THAT IT, AND I GO YEAH, I SAY BUT WHEN WE PUT IT IN THE SHIP IT WAS NICE AND SHINY AND IT WAS STRAIGHT, THESE THINGS ARE ALL TWISTED AND RUSTED AND THESE GUYS ARE GETTING ALL WORRIED AND I SAID I'M JUST KIDDING.

ONE BY ONE WE DRAG THOSE THINGS OVER, THE SITE WAS NOT READY FOR IT SO WE PUT IT OVER BY THE BAR, HENRY WALKED OUT THERE EVERY OTHER DAY.

SO WE GOT 18 INCHES IN THE GROUND, THAT'S WELDED TO A GIGANTIC PLATE, THAT'S IMBEDDED IN A CONCRETE PAD, THIS PAD IS 27 FEET BY 27 FEET BY SEVEN FEET THICK, WITH A TON OF REBAR INSIDE IT.

THEN UNDERNEATH THAT WE HAVE WHAT LOOK LIKE FINGERS, THESE ARE PILES WE CALL THEM, THERE'S 18 OF THOSE UNDERNEATH TWO INCH IN DIAMETER GOING DOWN 56 FEET, THE FOUNDATION ALONE WAS ALMOST A MILLION DOLLARS.

SO THEN THE SCULPTURE GETS WELDED AND THEN WE HAVE THE BRICK COME UP TO IT.

I KEEP TELLING EVERYONE WE COULD WELD A 747 ON TOP AND IT WOULD STILL HOLD UP.

I FEEL CERTAIN THAT THIS MONUMENTAL RICHARD SERRA SCULPTURE CONNECTOR IS DESTINED TO ACHIEVE INTERNATIONAL RENOWNED.

PEOPLE WHO ARE OPEN, PARTICULARLY CHILDREN WILL IMMEDIATELY GRAVITATE TOWARDS IT AND USE IT, IT'S MY HOPE THAT THIS PIECE WILL BECOME A PLACE PEOPLE WILL GO MEET, WALK INTO, THROUGH AND AROUND BUT ONE NEVER KNOWS THE CONSEQUENCE OF ANY ACT.

I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE TO DO IN A LARGE SPACE LIKE THIS IS DEAL WITH THE VERTICALITY OF THE ARCHITECTURE AND IN A SENSE HAVE TO DEAL WITH COMPARISONS TO THE SURROUNDING BUILDINGS, IF I BUILT THIS PIECE IN THIS SPACE THAT WAS SOMEWHAT DIMINUTIVE IT WOULD BE AN EASTER EGG HUNT THERE WOULD BE NO NEED FOR OR IT WOULD FALL INTO SOME SORT OF DECOR.

HERE THE PIECE STATES ITSELF AND STATES SCULPTURE BECAUSE OF ITS SCALE TO THE RELATION OF THE PLACE.

THIS IS RICHARD SERRA.

AND IT DOESN'T SURPRISE ME THAT IT'S CONTROVERSIAL BECAUSE SERRA IS IN YOUR FACE, IT'S WHAT HE DOES.

AND YOU DON'T WANT A LITTLE SERRA FOR THE MANTLE.

NO STRANGER TO THE NEW YORK FASHION WORLD, HENRY'S INFLUENCE BEGAN TO BE FELT IN THE ARTS AS WELL.

SEVERAL YEARS AGO, IN A MEETING HE SAID WE ARE GOING TO DO A PARTNERSHIP WITH CARNEGIE HALL AND SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS.

WHEN WE LEFT THE MEETING SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE MEETING WERE WONDERING COULD THAT REALLY HAPPEN WITH CARNEGIE HALL TO DO A BICOASTAL THING IT HASN'T BEEN DONE BEFORE.

HE WAS INTRODUCED TO ME BY SOMEBODY CALLED AND HAD WORKED VERY CLOSELY WITH HIM AND SAID I THINK YOU'D LOVE TO MEET HIM BECAUSE I THINK YOU'D REALLY GET ON.

WE GOT TOGETHER WHICH WAS SEPTEMBER 08 AND WE MET AND TALKED AND WE WERE TALKING ABOUT HE WANTED TO KNOW WHAT CARNEGIE HALL WAS DOING AND ABOUT THESE FESTIVALS AND SOMEHOW OUT OF THE CONVERSATION CAME THIS NOTION WHY DON'T WE WORK TOGETHER.

CAUSE AFTER ALL IF ONE IS DEVELOPING ALL OF THESE IDEAS, WHY NOT USE THEM MORE BROADLY , THEY DON'T JUST HAVE TO BE LIMITED TO NEW YORK CITY CAUSE HE'S CREATED OUT HERE SUCH AN INCREDIBLE CULTURAL DISTRICT REALLY.

YOU KNOW WITHIN A COUPLE OF HOURS WE BOTH DECIDED THIS HAD TO BE.

CARNEGIE HALL HAD NEVER DONE ANYTHING OUTSIDE OF NEW YORK AND AGAIN IT WAS ONE OF THOSE SITUATIONS WHERE IT WAS AN IDEA THAT WENT FROM IDEA TO INCEPTION IN RECORD TIME.

HE WAS A CENTRAL PARTNER IN CREATING OUR FIRST NATIONAL PARTNERSHIP FOR OUR BIG FESTIVALS SO FOR BOTH THE BIG CHINA FESTIVAL WE DID HERE AND THE JAPAN FESTIVAL WE PARTNERED WITH THE SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS.

I THINK THAT IF ONE HAD ASKED ANYONE IN THE ARTS IN ORANGE COUNTY IF THIS WOULD BE POSSIBLE THAT WE WOULD BE LINKING WITH CARNEGIE I DON'T THINK THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN ANYONE WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT OH YES THAT WOULD HAPPEN, IT WAS TOTALLY UNEXPECTED.

HE IS AN EXTRAORDINARY COMBINATION OF BEING A GREAT BUSINESS MAN A FANTASTIC ENTREPRENEUR IN HIS BUSINESS BUT HE HAS THIS VISION AND REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE CENTRALITY OF THE ARTS BOTH FOR THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE BUT ALSO IF YOU ARE GOING TO RUN A GREAT BUSINESS, YOU SHOULD BE PUTTING SOMETHING BACK INTO THE COMMUNITY IN THAT WAY.

HE IS VERY HIGHLY THOUGHT OF AT THE CARNEGIE HALL ORGANIZATION AND IN NEW YORK IN GENERAL BECAUSE MANY MANY OF OUR TENANTS HAVE NEW YORK HEADQUARTERS, THEY MAY BE BASED IN PARIS OR MILAN BUT THEY HAVE NEW YORK OFFICES AND THEY HAVE TOP LEVEL EXECUTIVES THERE AND SO HE IS WELL KNOWN AND WELL RESPECTED.

SO HE HAS A BIG INFLUENCE THERE TOO.

I PROBABLY MET HENRY AT CARNEGIE HALL AT AN EVENT THERE BECAUSE WE ARE BOTH ON THE BOARD THERE AND I FOUND HIM SO DELIGHTFUL, YOU KNOW HE HAD SUCH AN EASY LAUGH AND A REAL JOIE DE VIVRE AND OBVIOUSLY A LOVE FOR THE ARTS SO IN FACT I THINK I SANG IN ORANGE COUNTY IN CELEBRATION OF HIS BIRTHDAY.

HE AND ELIZABETH SUPPORTED CARNEGIE HALL AND ALL OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THEY WORKED WITH SO MUCH AND SHE IS CONTINUING ON IN HIS WORK WHICH I THINK IS FANTASTIC AND SEGERSTROM HALL IS OF COURSE A TESTAMENT TO HIS GENEROSITY AND PATRONAGE OF THE ARTS IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SO WHAT BETTER LEGACY TO HAVE TO GIVE THIS GIFT TO THE COMMUNITY.

IN 2010 HENRY RECEIVED THE CARNEGIE HALL MEDAL OF EXCELLENCE, ONLY THE FOURTH PERSON TO BE AWARDED THIS HONOR.

I HAD THE GREAT PRIVILEGE OF BEING THE STORE MANAGER OF BULLOCK'S AT SOUTH COAST PLAZA WHEN I WAS 28 YEARS OLD AND YOU HAD THE VISION HENRY AND YOU TALKED ABOUT IT IN THE VERY EARLY DAYS ABOUT YOU WANTING TO CREATE SOMETHING SO SPECIAL, BEYOND THE SHOPPING CENTER AND THE ARTS WAS ALWAYS A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF THAT.

THE AWARD IS THE CARNEGIE HALL MEDAL OF EXCELLENCE AND IT IS AWARDED TO PEOPLE WHO ARE REMARKABLE BUSINESS PEOPLE AND HAVE HAD A GREAT CAREER IN BUSINESS BUT ALSO WHO HAVE A MAJOR COMMITMENT TO PHILANTHROPY.

THANK YOU I EMPHASIZE WITH ACCEPTING THIS MEDAL, IT'S JUST TWO WORDS AND THAT'S JUST THANK YOU.

HIS COMMITMENT TO THE BROADER VALUES OF SOCIETY ARE SO IMPORTANT BOTH WITHIN HIS HOME COMMUNITY AND I WOULD SAY LARGELY WITHIN HIS OWN COMMUNITY BUT WHEN HE FINDS SOMETHING LIKE CARNEGIE HALL WHERE HE TOTALLY BELIEVES IN THE VISION, HERE AS WELL, AND OF COURSE THAT HAS BEEN INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT TO US AS WELL.

IN YIDDISH THERE IS A WORD CALLED MENSCH AND MENSCH MEANS AN HONORABLE UPRIGHT PERSON AND THAT'S WHAT HENRY IS.

HENRY IS ONE OF THOSE RARE BENEFACTORS WHO HAS NO EGO IN THE SENSE THAT HE IS NOT BUILDING MONUMENTS FOR HIMSELF, HE IS BUILDING MONUMENTS FOR THE ARTS, HE IS BUILDING MONUMENTS FOR THE PEOPLE TO ENJOY.

I REALLY WANTED YOU TO KNOW THAT FROM AN ARTIST VIEWPOINT, JUST HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE YOUR VISION AND YOUR TIME AND LOOK WHAT YOU'VE GIVEN US, THANK YOU.

ALWAYS THINKING AHEAD, HENRY WORKED ON HIS FINAL BUILDING PROJECT, HENRY THOMAS SEGERSTROM PASSED AWAY ON FEBRUARY 20TH 2015.

HENRY WOULD SAY IT TOOK A LEGION OF PEOPLE REALIZING AND WORKING WITH HIM TOWARD THE OUTCOME OF ANY PROJECT BUT IF HE BELIEVED IN IT, IT WOULD HAPPEN.

ALWAYS THE GENTLEMAN, DETERMINED, LOYAL AND GENEROUS IN HEART AND MIND HE LOVED THE BOLD BRASH UNEXPECTED BEAUTY OF TALENT AND WORKED TIRELESSLY TO SUPPORT IT, HE BELIEVED THIS BEAUTY SHOULD BE SHARED AND VALUED.

HENRY CONSIDERED THOUGHTFULLY AND LIVED LIFE DEEPLY.

HIS GRAVESTONE READS I BELIEVE IN MY OWN HEART THAT IN OUR LIFETIME WE ARE PUT ON EARTH TO DO MORE THAN JUST MAKE OURSELVES HAPPY.

BE BOLD, DO SOMETHING TO HELP OTHERS, NOW IS THE TIME FOR US TO INVEST IN FUTURE GENERATIONS IT'’S A REALIZATION OF A DREAM OF OUR FAMILY AND A CULMINATION OF 16 YEARS OF PERSONAL WORK ON THIS PROJECT WE CAME TO ORANGE COUNTY AS A FARMING FAMILY, EVERYTHING YOU SEE AROUND USED TO BE LIMA BEANS MY FATHER HENRY SEGERSTROM HAD A VISION AND DRIVE TO BELIEVE THAT THOSE FIELDS COULD BE MADE INTO A THRIVING MODERN AREA THAT WE ARE GATHERED TODAY HE ONCE TOLD ME ALL GREAT CIVILIZATIONS HAVE A CULTURAL COMPONENT HE BELIEVED IN THE POWER OF THE ARTS AND ITS ABILITY TO ELEVATE COMMUNITIES I just feel I have goosebumps this is my definition of what you are doing