USD Magazine Summer 2021

logistics for the U.S. European Command, serving both U.S. and NATO forces. “It’s been very exciting,” he says. “Every experience has built on prior experiences. I’ve worked with the defense indus- trial base, commercial providers and vendors, joint and allied partners.” Among the many recognitions he has received over the years, Stamatopoulos says he is most proud of one — the 2006 Adm. Stan Arthur Logistics Team of the Year award. “We were called to do a noncombatant evacua- tion of American citizens out of Lebanon,” he recalls. “And we evacuated safely — without any injury to anybody — about 15,000 U.S. citizens to safe ha- vens in Cyprus and other Euro- pean countries.” Stamatopoulos remains very connected to San Diego and to USD. He and his brother co- own the Turf Supper Club in Golden Hill, an old-time neigh- borhood steakhouse established in 1950 that remains a beloved landmark from a bygone era. His son, George ’21 (BA), is a political science major who’s following in his father’s foot- steps in the Navy ROTC. Although it’s been decades since he graduated, Stam- atopoulos still credits the uni- versity with shaping his charac- ter and enriching his world view, and the business school in particular with giving him the grounding and the tools that led to a level of success he couldn’t have begun to imagine. “I really value my time at USD, and I can’t believe I grad- uated more than 30 years ago,” he says. “The faculty and stu- dents exposed me to a diversity of thought, theory and perspec- tives. Those interactions and ex- periences definitely helped to shape me to be the leader in the Navy that I am today.”

P R E S E N T E D B Y S E T H O ’ B Y R N E

J A N D E R K

Saturday, July 10 The USD Alumni Association hosts the 13th annual USD Wine Classic virtually as we toast one another from coast to coast. Experience an interactive virtual wine event open to all while also supporting scholarships for underrepresented USD students! Free registration opens at the end of May. More details at usdwineclassic.com . A VIRTUAL TOAST FROM COAST TO COAST IS BACK FOR ANOTHER YEAR! GUIDED WINE TASTINGS | WINEMAKER INTERVIEWS ONLINE WINERY MARKETPLACE | WINE DISCOUNTS AND REBATES ONLINE LIVE AND SILENT AUCTIONS | TOAST BOX DELIVERY INTERACTIVE GAMES | WINE CLASSIC MERCHANDISE

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Summe r 2021