Hugh O. LaBounty, 1927-2018

November 9, 2018

It is with a heavy heart that I announce the passing of Hugh O. LaBounty, former president of Cal Poly Pomona. He died this past Wednesday, surrounded by family.

Hugh’s career at Cal Poly Pomona spanned nearly four decades, including serving as president from 1977 until 1991. He oversaw a period of tremendous growth at Cal Poly Pomona, both in terms of our academic enterprise and our physical campus.

I had the good fortune of knowing Hugh personally, and I benefitted greatly from his extensive expertise and generous spirit. Shortly after I arrived at Cal Poly Pomona in 2015, Hugh reached out to me, graciously offering to be of assistance in any way possible. I was fortunate that he agreed to serve as counsel to me in the initial days of my presidency when we would talk periodically about what was happening on campus. His love of this university was palpable and his insights always proved invaluable.

Hugh’s legacy lives on in everyone who works and studies at this university. I have reached out to his wife, Judy, and expressed condolences on behalf of the Cal Poly Pomona community. I know that you join me in celebrating President LaBounty’s life and honoring his contributions to this great institution.